Also known as Japanese lantern, Abutilon is native to countries with a tropical climate such as Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
It is a shrub whose flowers are very colorful and of varied tones, being the Abutilon ideal for gardens, open porches, to cover a wall or for decoration.
Abutilon cultivation
To plant it, try to have a sufficiently ventilated space without exposing the bush to excessive wind, the substrate must be drained and rich in nutrients.
With regard to sun exposure, it will depend on the region where you are growing the plantIf it is an area with high temperatures, plant it in the semi shade, otherwise you can grow it in direct sun.
In fact and in regions with low temperatures, the plant can be grown and outside in pots, but in frost it must be protected from low temperatures, below -10º Celsius in a place where it receives indirect light and without heating.
The season of the year conducive to plant the Abutilon, it's spring.
Before, you must prepare a large pot of at least 70 centimeters in diameter, to place a good drainage drainage at the bottom and then fill the space with soil from garden, compost and compost.
Now the substrate is ready for the seeds to be sown, without direct sunlight and maintaining a temperature of 24º centigrade until it germinates; too can be reproduced by cutting with leaves that must be planted in the pot and another way is by cutting a cutting that includes 5 buds, of these two will remain in the air and three under the ground.
Caring for the Abutilon or Japanese lantern
To take care of the Velvetleaf that has been grown on land, you should follow these tips:
Water the plant abundantly in the flowering period and in the case of the species megapotamicum, The stem must be tied to the support, protecting the base of the plant with straw when there is frost, pruning the upper part damaged by excess cold when the winter season ends, in this way it will grow again.
When it is in the growth stage, you should apply liquid fertilizer monthly, in mature plants it will be necessary to put at the foot of the plant a compost once a year.
If the plant was grown in a pot:
The frequency and amount of irrigation will depend on the season of the yearIf we talk about summer, you should try to water the land abundantly and daily, likewise spray the foliage a little, in spring and autumn the frequency and quantity are much lower and in winter water only when the substrate is almost dry, without exaggerating in the water amount.
Place weekly special fertilizers for flower plants, only in the month of March.
If you want your plant to flower next year, keep it in a cool environment during winter and controls the temperature to a maximum of 16ºC.
The plant needs to be transplanted every year into a new pot a little larger provided with fertile soil mixed with some sand.
The plant must be pruned just before it blooms and this is done removing damaged branches, those that are out of place or overgrownSince they tend to be invasive, the pruning itself is to keep the plant compact and controlled, it is also necessary to prune the occasional young shoot.
The plant is less likely to be infected with plagues and diseases while on land; but if, being indoors, the growing conditions are not correct, it is susceptible to being attacked by aphids, mealybugs and others.
Abutilon Characteristics
Shrub that grows up to 3,50 meters high. The appearance of this will depend on its speciesThere are some that grow erect but with quite malleable branches and others that need the placement of a support since they tend to fall naturally.
The foliage can be drooping, semi-evergreen, and evergreen, which also determine the species and the climate of the growing region is added. The leaves are serrated and appear in soft green, green with shades of gray and yellow with spots.