Abutilon (indoor maple) is a plant belonging to the Malvaceae family. Cultures from this genus can include both small trees and evergreen herbs.
Among them there are both perennial and annual specimens. Currently, about 150 plant species are known to science.
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Description
Decorative abutilon
Decorative abutilon (Abutilon), which is grown at home, is usually referred to as fast-growing crops. They began to call it home maple due to the similar shape of the leaf plates.
Another name for this culture is "rope walker". The people began to call it so due to the fact that earlier the plant was used for the production of ropes and various products.
In its natural habitat, abutilon grows in regions that are characterized by a humid tropical and subtropical climate.. This should include the countries of Africa, South America, as well as India.
Despite the fact that indoor maple is a very unpretentious plant to care for, he still needs a place with access to sunlight, with a relatively high air temperature and the absence of drafts.
If all these conditions are met during cultivation, then the “rope” will bloom in the house almost throughout the year. Beautiful bell-shaped inflorescences form on a houseplant.
On the territory of Russia in nature you can find abutilon Theophrastus. Many consider it a weed.
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Abutilon
The most common varieties that are commonly grown at home are:
Abutilon vitifolium. A variety of plants is presented in the form of a bush, which is able to grow in height up to one and a half meters. The main difference between the vitifolium variety is the large lobed leaves.
During the flowering period, flowers form on the culture, gathering in panicles, which are located on long pedicels. They can be up to 15 cm in diameter. They have a beautiful lilac-blue hue. On the shoots you can see a slight edge. With proper care and maintenance, vine-leaved abutilon begins to bloom in May.
Abutilon vitifolium (abutilon vitifolium)
Abutilon striped. Indoor maple, the photo of which shows that its main feature is its unique color. Sometimes the name "painted" is attributed to the spotted variety. The Latin name is striatum. The houseplant has soft and thin shoots. Leaf plates with spots are located on long petioles.
The shape of the foliage is heart-shaped. The surface of the leaf plate is green, it is distinguished by a pale uneven color located along the edges. At the end of summer, the culture begins to bloom with flowers of a bright yellow hue, which resemble bells in shape. The red corolla is pronounced, much longer than the calyx.
Abutilon striped
Abutilon megapotamus. Often this variety is also called "Amazonian". It is a bush with long shoots. Leaf plates are oval in shape, the edges are serrated. During the flowering period, single flowers are formed on the plant, located on pedicels.They are shaped like lanterns.
On one bush they can form up to 30-50 pieces, depending on the age of the plant. The main difference lies in the bright red tubular calyx. As for the corolla, it is colored yellowish and also has a wedge-shaped shape. If indoor maple is provided with all the necessary conditions for growing, then it is able to bloom throughout the year.
Abutilon megapotamus
Abutilon Darwin (darwinii, hildenbrandii). This is a very low shrub, reaching a height of no more than 1 m. Outwardly similar to abutilon pictum. On the plant are large three-lobed terry leaf plates with light pubescence on a thin stem.
During the flowering period, flowers of a bright orange hue form on indoor maple. The petals have red veins. In room conditions, flowering lasts from April to September.
Abutilon Darwin (darwinii, hildenbrandii)
Abutilon hybrid. This variety was obtained by crossing Abutilon variegated and Abutilon Darwin. The plant is characterized by white, golden and burgundy flowers. Their shade will depend on the specific species. Leaf plates are bright green, have carved tips.
Abutilon hybrid
Abutilon cello (sellowianum). In the people, this variety is often called grandmother's abutilon. It is the most common among the other types of indoor maple. Literally in one summer, a stalk 10 cm long can turn into a meter-long shrub or tree.
This culture feels great when grown indoors. The plant can bloom throughout the year.
Abutilon sello (sellowianum)
On the windowsills of gardeners, you can also find other varieties, for example, Bella hybrid, Juliet, bellevue, organza, Marmoratum. All of them have the same bright flowers, ranging from yellow to pink, which will be a real decoration in the room.
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Care rules
Abutilon - indoor maple
As mentioned earlier, indoor maple, the photo of which is presented in the article, is a very unpretentious plant, so it is easy to grow at home. Care implies only some rules and tips that should not be ignored.
Lighting
Abutilon lighting
The choice of flowerpot and location play an important role in growing a flower. To ensure normal growth of the abutilon flower, it needs year-round lighting. In indoor growing conditions, the plant is recommended to be located on the south side.
However, care must be taken to ensure that direct sunlight does not fall on the sheet plates. If the indoor maple is under the scorching sun for more than 2 hours, then this will provoke the formation of burns on it.
As for insufficient lighting, abutilon tolerates it even worse. Under such conditions, the leaves lose all color saturation, and then they can completely fall off.
Experts advise placing indoor maple on a glazed balcony. In such a room, it is best protected from the effects of cold winds and drafts. To protect the culture from direct sunlight, you can hang a tulle on the balcony, which creates diffused light.
With the advent of hot summer, pots or flowerpots with a plant are recommended to be wrapped in aluminum foil.to protect the soil and roots from overheating. During the flowering period, abutilon should not be moved to another place in order to preserve flowers and buds.
It is strictly forbidden to place indoor maple on the north side.
Air temperature
Abutilon on the windowsill
To successfully grow abutilon, home care also implies compliance with the temperature regime. Too low a value can provoke leaf fall. Cold drafts should also be avoided.
A similar problem can also be observed in the case of overmoistening or overdrying of the substrate in a pot.
Wintering
Abutilon in winter
Taking care of the plant in winter is even easier. Indoor maple can be grown at home with warm and cold wintering. The first involves the plant being on the windowsill. Fluctuations in air temperature should be from +18 to +22 degrees.
In this case, additional lighting should prevail. To protect the root system from hypothermia, a special stand for thermal insulation should be placed under the container with soil. In such conditions, the culture should not be watered heavily, but enough so that the soil does not dry out. Periodically, the top layer of the substrate should be loosened.
If necessary, indoor maple is fed in the winter.
Cold wintering means finding abutilon on a glazed balcony or loggia. Under such conditions, the plant should be kept at an air temperature of +8 to +10 degrees. The critical mark is considered to be +5 degrees. At this temperature, indoor maple can withstand no more than 3-5 hours.
To provide the culture with the optimum temperature on the balcony or loggia, an oil heater should be placed next to the indoor maple. Abutilon in winter, under such conditions, should be watered sparingly. The first time fertilizers are applied in mid-February.
Watering
indoor maple
Indoor maple needs moderate moisture. To do this, it must be periodically sprayed with settling water in advance.
As for watering, subject to the optimum indoor temperature, the plant is watered regularly. If the indicator drops below +10 degrees, abundant watering is stopped, but it is necessary to ensure that the substrate in the pot does not dry out.
In the summer, the culture should be watered often, a couple of times a week. Rare, but at the same time, abundant flooding with water can provoke inhibition of the photosynthesis process.
For irrigation, use only water at room temperature. Since indoor maple prefers slightly acidic soil, a small amount of citric acid can be added to the liquid. Insufficient watering provokes yellowing and falling of the leaves, since abutilon does not store moisture in the stems.
Substrate and fertilization
Abutilon
In order to ensure successful growth and flowering of indoor maple, it will be useful to grow it in a light substrate. But it is very important to choose the right soil. It is best to use an acid-neutral mixture of soddy soil, humus and leafy soil in combination with peat and sand.
For every two weeks, until the onset of autumn and the temperature drops, top dressing and fertilizers should be applied. For this, organic and complex dry mixes with nutrients are used, which can be purchased at any flower shop.
It is especially important not to ignore this requirement in the spring, when the vegetation process is observed in abutilon. At this time, liquid fertilizers are applied. Before using them, be sure to read the instructions that are indicated on the manufacturer's packaging.
Transplant and pruning
Abutilone transplant
Indoor maple is transplanted in the spring into a more spacious, but slightly different in size, pot. It should be remembered that flowering can only be achieved if the root system is well wrapped around an earthen clod. Young plants are transplanted once a year. Adult specimens undergo this procedure once every 2-3 years.
To increase splendor, to form a crown of abutilon, for example, like a bonsai, or to make the bush more compact, it should be cut. To do this, the trunk is shortened by about a third of the length. As a rule, unnecessary branches are removed with the advent of spring.
During the growing season, the specimen should be cleared of weak shoots, as well as thinning in the axils. In young shoots, apical pinching is carried out. Without fail, after pruning, abutilon must be fed with nitrogen fertilizer.
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Abutilone sprouts
When considering how to care for abutilone, breeding rules should also be mentioned. To propagate the variegated varieties of abutilon, the cutting method should be used - this way you can save the main species characteristics of the culture. As for specimens with green foliage, they can be grown from seeds.
With the seed method, with the advent of spring, light soil should be taken. Before planting, the seeds are pre-soaked in water, and then planted in the soil to a depth of 0.5 cm. They are covered with a film on top. Regularly they need to be aired and sprayed.
Keep containers with seedlings in a room with an air temperature of about + 15- + 20 degrees. The first shoots should appear on the twentieth day. Under normal conditions, flowering begins in the first year after sowing.
To propagate indoor maple by cuttings, apical shoots can be used after pruning. The length of each should be about 12 cm. Cuttings are taken, on which 3 leaf plates are located.
To root shoots, they should be placed in water, moist substrate or perlite. The conditions for growth will be exactly the same as in the case of propagation by seeds. After 4 weeks, rooted cuttings are transplanted to a permanent place.
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Possible diseases and pests
spider mite
Abutilon is attacked by some pests:
- spider mite
- scale insects
- aphids
- mealybug
- whiteflies
To combat spider mites, it is necessary to increase the humidity in the room. The rest of the pests require the treatment of leaf plates on both sides with soapy water.
Aphids, mealybugs and whiteflies are perfectly eliminated by tobacco solution or diluted boric acid. To protect the flower from such pests, in the summer, home maple should not be exposed to fresh air.
In the photo with a flower you can see what consequences this leads to: dropping buds and leaves, yellowing, wilting.
Sick indoor maple
Sometimes the lower leaves of indoor maple may turn yellow. In most cases, the cause is iron deficiency. Leaf plates lose their shade also with a lack of sulfur. In such cases, indoor culture must be fed with fertilizers.
Abutilon (indoor maple), the photo of which was presented in the article, is an attractive flowering plant. Some varieties can be successfully grown at home, even for an inexperienced grower. To achieve abundant and long flowering, you only need to follow simple recommendations for growing.
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