Abutilon, or as it is also called home maple, actually refers to mallow plants. Despite its second name, it is not related to the real maples that almost everyone has seen. And he got his nickname due to a certain shape of the leaves, which are very similar in shape to maple. This plant originally grew in the tropical and subtropical zone. That is why it loves light and warmth very much. If you provide the plant with these two conditions, then it will delight the eye of its owner every day. The rest is homemade maple.
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How to properly care for indoor maple at home?
As mentioned above, growing abutilon at home is quite simple:
Reproduction of abutilon using cuttings
As mentioned above, the flower needs to be trimmed from time to time, but cuttings do not have to be thrown away. They can be used as planting material. For this purpose, it is best to use cuttings with 2 - 3 internodes. 
Such a cutting can be rooted
- A suitable pruning only needs to be freed from leaves growing from below, buds, and also flowers.
- After all the procedures, you should put the shoot in the water and cover it with a plastic bag.
- If you keep the temperature environment close to 22 ° C, then in less than a week thin, white roots will appear at the lower end of the shoot.
- To prevent the plant from rotting during this period, you can throw activated or ordinary charcoal into the water.
- When the roots reach 5 cm, then you can transplant young plant into a pot. It, in turn, should not exceed 6 - 8 cm in diameter. It is necessary to build good drainage on the bottom and pour some soil. After all the procedures, you can carefully plant the seedling in a new place.
- It is necessary to sprinkle the plant with a substrate, which must be moistened before that. This should be done very carefully, as young roots can simply break.
- Abutilon takes root within a few weeks. A clear sign that the flower feels great will be the appearance of fresh leaves.
Rooted cuttings of abutilon How to grow indoor maple from seeds?
If you have some special knowledge, then you can easily grow abutilon with only a couple of seeds. Before you start planting, remember that the seeds should be as fresh as possible, and the most favorable time for planting is spring. 
Abutilon seeds The first thing to do is prepare the ground. It should be made as loose as possible and moistened abundantly. We should not forget that abutilon loves warmth. If you want to cook suitable soil independently, you need to have the following components:
- leaf ground;
- peat;
- river sand;
- perlite.
It should be remembered that earth and sand should be taken approximately twice as much as everything else. It is best to sift the soil - this will avoid a number of problems associated with picking in the future. For prevention, before sowing, you can treat the land with a solution of manganese to destroy harmful microorganisms. A small tray with low sides is best for planting seeds.
The second step is to prepare the seeds. If they are ripe enough, they become dark in color. It is impossible to sow damaged seeds, they will not sprout. Before planting, they should be soaked in water or a special growth stimulator. Then you need to shuffle the grains quite a bit with the finest sandpaper to violate the integrity of the shell, but in no case should you get carried away with this. This is followed by storage of seeds in a growth stimulator for 12 hours. After the seeds have already been planted in the soil, the tray should be covered with a protective film and placed in a place where the temperature will be kept at about 24 ° C. At the same time, you need to keep such a greenhouse in the light and constantly monitor the moisture content of the earth.
When the first shoots appear, there may be a sharp desire to remove the protective bag. Doing this is not worth it. It is best to ventilate the greenhouse more often.
Now the most important thing is to ensure the maximum flow of light. It is also very important to keep warm around him. Do not expose young plants to drafts.
When, finally, the time comes to dive abutilon, then one should act with extreme caution. The flower itself will show its first leaf and thereby tell the owner that it's time. For transplanting, you need to choose a pot with a diameter of no more than 7 cm. It is not necessary to tamp the ground in a new pot. 
Pruning a plant - when is it necessary to trim the trunk of abutilone?
Ridding a plant of excess shoots is required condition when it comes to abutilone. If the branches droop down under the weight of flowers and shoots, this is a clear sign that it is time to start pruning. The most suitable period for timely pruning of the plant is November or December. Thus, the flower is prepared for winter. You can also cut it in March before the start of the growing season. The rest of the time, the plant will also grow small shoots, which are also best removed.
Video on how to care for abutilone:
Abutilon, popularly called the Chinese lantern for the original shape and color of the flower, has long taken root on the home windowsill. It is hard not to fall in love with him: it blooms beautifully and profusely, grows quickly, and does not cause any trouble. In addition, it is considered an energy filter, improves mood, gives self-confidence.
It fits perfectly into the interiors of apartments and offices. Now many hybrids have been bred, there are abutilones with unusual color leaves, there is terry abutilon, there are also semi-double forms. Thus this home flower became even more attractive.
Abutilon-description of a flower
It is a shrub, well branched, with large three or five lobed leaves. They reach 10 cm in length, have numerous deep and shallow cuts that make them look like maple leaves. Basically, the plant has green leaves, but there are also variegated species.
The flowers are solitary, bell-shaped, with many long stamens. The color of flowers can be the most diverse.
Its appearance, a large spreading bush, is reflected in the name, which translates as "giving shade." This plant is also called the rope plant, since its leaves, when properly processed, give a lot of fibrous mass, from which ropes were previously made.
Growing features
Abutilon is one of the most undemanding plants. A novice amateur grower will cope with its breeding.
Planting Abutilon
Having brought indoor maple from the store, it must be put in a bright place for several days, then planted in a flower pot. Capacity for planting take a little more technological pot.
Landing methods
Grown up plants grown from seeds and young maples from rooted cuttings are planted in pots either singly or in groups of three or four plants, depending on the pot and the purpose of the group planting.
Optimal landing time
Abutilons grown from seeds are planted at the end of spring, from cuttings a little earlier, at the beginning.
Soil for planting
Any fertile soil is suitable, for example:
- sod and leaf in equal proportions;
- coniferous and leafy in equal shares;
- ordinary garden with the addition of humus.
It’s good to add coconut substrate, a little coarse sand and peat to any soil. At the very bottom of the pot, put a little sphagnum moss along with drainage.
It is useful to sterilize the soil for abutilon.
For comfortable growth and lush flowering this flower needs abundant watering in the heat and cardinal pruning in the spring.
Location and lighting for the plant
Abutilon is best kept in light partial shade, but it can withstand several hours under the scorching sun. In the summer it should be taken out into the street, but you need to find a place where abutilon will not be damaged by rain or wind. In winter, abutilon must be provided with backlight; for this purpose, it is best to use a fluorescent lamp.
Air humidity
Abutilon grows at any humidity, but in winter, when there is dry air from the batteries, it can begin to twist and shed leaves, so if it remains to winter in rooms, it must be sprayed daily. Additional measures can be taken to increase the humidity around the plant. For example, put a wet rag on the battery and constantly moisten it, or put the sphagnum in a pan and keep it wet.
Temperature regime
Indoor maple feels comfortable in summer at temperatures up to 25 degrees. If it gets hotter, then the plant should be watered abundantly. In winter, abutilon likes coolness, 12-15 degrees, at higher temperatures it begins to drop leaves.
How to water correctly
From March to the end of September, indoor maple is watered abundantly, if the soil in the pot dries out, the plant will immediately begin to drop leaves and buds, the same problem will arise in case of overflow. It is better to water in the summer not at once, but in two doses: in the morning and in the evening. You can add a little to the water citric acid because abutilons love slightly acidic soil.
AT winter season you just need to slightly moisten the soil in the pots.
From March to October, abutilon is fed weekly in turn with mineral and organic fertilizers. For abutilon, foliar top dressing is also important. He gets sprayed weak solution mineral fertilizers.
If, when planting or transplanting abutilon, put rotted compost into a pot, then you can not make organic fertilizers about six months.
Abutilone pruning
Abutilon tolerates pruning well and begins to grow actively after it. From abutilon, you can grow a stem bush by cutting the plant up to 30 cm tall and thus constantly forming a stem.
Trimming methods
Indoor maple is pruned at any time of the year if individual branches have dried up and lost their leaves. It is cut in the spring, shortening all shoots by about a third to stimulate flowering, it is important to carry out crown formation at this time. If abutilon is not cut drastically, then it can grow up to one and a half meters per season.
Prune and young, recently rooted plants to immediately form beautiful bush. Be sure to cut the branches on which there were flowers in the fall. This is done immediately after flowering. Branches that interfere with each other must be removed throughout the year.
Abutilon transplant
Young plants should be transplanted regularly every spring before flowering before pruning. Old specimens are transplanted less often, but change annually upper layer soil.
Transplant methods
A new flower pot is taken only 2 cm wider than the old one; abutilon will not bloom in a too spacious pot.
Indoor maple breeds very easily.
Reproduction methods
Breeding indoor maple is possible in two ways: vegetative and seeds.
cuttings
cut into apical cuttings about 10-15 cm each, if caught with buds, they are cut off, most often they are rooted in water, but sometimes they are immediately placed in soil composed in equal proportions of sand and peat with the addition activated carbon after moisturizing it well. You can add a stimulant to the water. The cuttings take root in high humidity, so a greenhouse is arranged above them. After the roots appear, young plants are planted in pots. In this way, abutilon is bred in the spring.
seeds
In January, the flower can be grown from seeds. It is this early sowing that allows you to get by the summer flowering plant. Seeds germinate very slowly, from 20 days to 3 months. They can be soaked before planting for several hours in warm water before swelling. Seeds are sown on moist soil and sprinkled with a layer of earth.
Further care for plantings consists in watering, and if the bowl is covered with glass or film, then in airing. At the first appearance of seedlings, the shelter is removed, the bowl is put in a bright place and they wait for all the shoots to sprout. Then dive when two true leaves appear.
Plants that have grown up to about 5 cm are seated in pots. This should not be delayed. Young roots grow very quickly and begin to intertwine with each other. If you do not hurry with the transplant, then they will have to be literally torn apart, and this is bad for the plant. Variegated forms do not propagate by seed, they can grow with green leaves.
Indoor maple blooms profusely and for a long time mainly in summer time. But you can choose different types, including hybrid ones, to get year-round flowering.
Plant pest disease problems
Abutilon has soft leaves that become easy prey for pests: aphids, scale insects and spider mites. When infected, abutilon is sprayed with a tobacco solution and washed with soapy foam, which is then washed off under warm shower. There is another way to fight, known for a very long time. The plant is sprayed several times with infusion of horse sorrel. This can also be done for prevention by spraying a healthy plant with an infusion once every two weeks. In severe lesions, the maple is sprayed with insecticide.
Causes of abutilon diseases:
- stem stretching- little light;
- leaves curl up- the plant is standing in a draft, the temperature is too low;
- leaves are falling- little moisture nutrients;
- crispy brown border on the leaves- drying of the soil;
- leaves curl around the edges- too much light sun rays
- leaves turn pale- the light is not enough.
Popular species (varieties)
- Abutilon hybrid: otherwise abutilone is striped; bush up to one and a half meters high with a brown stem and 3-5 lobed green leaves, bell-shaped flowers, they are white, red, golden;
- Abutilon Juliet: it is a hybrid, attractive because it blooms all year round, easy to grow from seed, very fast growing;
- Abutilon vine: this type is tall bush, up to 3 meters; with large velvety green leaves, similar in shape to grape leaves; in May it blooms with lilac flowers with dark veins, collected 3-4 in small brushes;
- Abutilon Suntense: this is a very tall, up to 4 meters bush, blooming in spring with large purple flowers up to 10 cm in diameter; often grown in winter gardens due to large sizes;
- Abutilon Darwin: enough rare view, shoots are fluffy-silky, grow up to a meter, maple-shaped leaves, hold on long petioles; from April to October it blooms with orange bell flowers with red veins;
- Abutilon bella: a very compact plant, characterized by abundant flowering, among the varieties of this plant there are abutilon yellow and abutilon pink;
- Abutilon village: the most common species with flowers that have already become familiar orange with dark veins;
- Abutilon striped: known for its large, spotted leaves and orange-red flowers.
- Most of all, abutilon is afraid of drafts.
- Before flowering, abutilons provide a twelve-hour daylight hours.
- Faded flowers must be removed.
- Some flower growers recommend fighting spider mites with a pet shampoo.
- If the abutilons are on a sunny windowsill, then the pots should be covered with foil to protect the roots from overheating.
- The size of the root ball and the crown size of abutilon are the same. This information will help you decide if you need a transplant.
Answers to questions from readers
Indoor maple grows up to 10 years with good care, during which time it turns into a lush, profusely flowering shrub.
Is this flower poisonous?
Abutilon is not poisonous.
Why doesn't abutilon bloom?
Most likely, the plant was not pruned, and during the budding period it had little light.
Why do the leaves turn yellow (dry)?
Probably the reason is the great dryness of the air or extreme heat.
Why are the buds falling off?
This happens when the earthen coma dries out.
How does the plant overwinter?
This indoor plant hibernates at a temperature of 12-15 degrees, during this period watering is significantly reduced. Experienced flower growers deduced the ideal formula for wintering in a room on the windowsill:
- warm "legs;
- thoughtful watering;
- refreshing shower;
- bright lighting;
- rare feed.
And here is the formula for cold wintering, for example, on a glazed loggia:
- temperature from 8 to 12 degrees;
- limited watering;
- fertile soil;
- time without food.
It is believed that Abutilon comes from Brazil, which is his homeland. However, in nature it can also be found on the African continent and in India, in tropical regions and subtropical zones.
Bloom
Abutilon produces many beautiful inflorescences that are shaped like a flashlight or bell. All varieties have a bright color that immediately catches the eye. Inflorescences can be different shades of red, lilac, orange, white and yellow. Many are decorated with clearly visible veins of a darker color.
At home, Abutilon is able to bloom, almost without interruption, all year round if it receives enough light.
The standard flowering period is from the second decade of April to the end of November.
Species and varieties with photos
Abutilon Bella
Hybrid species with an extended flowering period. Refers to miniature plants, growing only 30-50 cm in height. At the same time, it is distinguished by large flower sizes (up to 10 cm in diameter) and an open shape resembling a wide crinoline. At different varieties different coloring. Flowers can be red, pink, yellow, burgundy with a satin surface of the petals.
It is very easy to grow this type of houseplant, because due to its small size, Abutilon fits perfectly on the windowsill. This type shown in the photo below:
Abutilon megapotamus
Relatively small view reaching no more than 70 cm in height. It is the parent of many hybrids. It has heart-shaped leaves of bright green color, covered with sparse hairs. The flowers are very beautiful and bright. In shape, they resemble bells with yellow and red petals, at the base the color turns black. The pestle protrudes beyond the edges, is well distinguished by its large size and burgundy color.
Highly unpretentious appearance, popular among flower growers.
Blooms for quite a long time.
See photo below: 
Theophrastus cable car
An annual weed plant of a nondescript appearance with small flowers. It has a straight, slightly branched stem and heart-shaped leaves with a sharp tip. The ground parts are covered with sparse pubescence, therefore velvety to the touch. The flowers are small, no more than 10 mm in diameter, painted in bright yellow or reddish color.
It reproduces by self-seeding. One plant can form up to 25-28 thousand seeds. 
Abutilon hybrid
large group ornamental shrubs for home maintenance. The species includes evergreens different size and a wide range of flower colors. The leaves are large, single-colored or variegated. Flowers drooping, funnel-shaped.
The group is very fond of light and water, like most tropical guests. You can see it clearly in the photo below: 
Abutilon Sello
Another view for home breeding. unpretentious perennial can grow over 2 meters in height. Possesses large leaves resembling maple and bright numerous inflorescences. This abutilon flowers are always red with pronounced burgundy veins.
It needs constant feeding and spraying, especially in the heat, which it does not tolerate well.
Its leaves immediately begin to lose turgor and hang with ugly rags. 
Abutilon Darwin
Suitable for growing in greenhouses and greenhouses, as it can only grow in tropical humid climates.
Difficult to keep at home tall up to 3 m.
Shrub with numerous spreading branches covered with velvety large leaves complex shape. The flowers are medium in size, grow singly in the axils, the color is predominantly orange tones.
One of the parents of the hybrid abutilone. The flowering period begins in April and continues until October. 
Abutilon striped (variegated)
A very decorative variegated variety of abutilon. The leaves of a dark green color are covered with many yellow veins, which are the result of a transferred virus that gave such a variegation. The flowers are yellow or pale orange, painted with red veins.
It can be propagated only by cuttings; with seed, all the originality of color is lost. 
Abutilon grapevine
Adult forms a tall and wide bush, consisting of densely pubescent branches. Leaf blades are large, noble green in color, consist of several lobes and a finely serrated edge. Inflorescences uncharacteristic for abutilons lilac shades, often with pronounced veins of a darker color.
It begins to bloom a month later than other types of abutilon.
Abutilon suntense
A tall shrub that can reach a height of 4 m. Due to this size, it is grown mainly in large greenhouses and winter gardens. The inflorescences are also large, about 10 cm in diameter. The color is lilac or bluish. 
Home Care
Growing from seed
How to grow Abutilon from seeds at home? In general, it does not present any particular difficulties. It is necessary to prepare a container for planting - a wooden oblong box with drainage holes in the bottom is best suited. It is filled with a light breathable substrate. You can use river sand, peat, vermiculite, moss, sawdust.
Seeds are evenly sown in the ground, covered with a layer of about 1 cm on top and thoroughly moistened.
The box must be placed in a mini-greenhouse or covered with glass, polyethylene film is also suitable. Seeds must germinate in conditions of constant humidity against the background of heat, for which the greenhouse effect is created. Remember to keep your greenhouse well ventilated to prevent mold growth. If she still appeared - fill her up wood ash. Boxes with seeds must be placed in a lighted place, for example, on a windowsill.
Seedlings should appear rather slowly - not earlier than 3-4 weeks after sowing. Then the greenhouse is removed, continuing to water the substrate frequently. When a pair of true leaves is formed, abutilons are seated in individual pots. Sprouts of home maple hatch for a long time, but then they grow very quickly. Therefore, over the summer they will have to be transplanted several times into a larger container.
Caring for seedlings is no different from caring for mature plants. Under favorable conditions, abutilon will bloom this year. 
Temperature
Optimal conditions should not exceed 25° and be less than 15°. A higher temperature causes wilting of foliage and inflorescences, a decrease in their turgor and decorative effect.
Cold affects even worse - the leaves will simply fall off.
Even in winter, it is not recommended to keep abutilone in the cold. AT vivo it always grows in warmth and does not need a pronounced dormant period. Remember that a tropical guest is terrified of sudden temperature fluctuations and drafts!
Lighting
The brighter the better! Abutilon is not at all afraid of direct rays; it can be in the sun even at noon. In winter, it is recommended to provide additional illumination using fluorescent lamps.
Watering
With excessive moisture, as with chronic overdrying, abutilon abruptly sheds all leaves. Therefore, watering should be done thoughtfully and carefully, focusing on the condition of the soil and plants. Drying of the earth should not be allowed, as well as stagnation of water in a pot or pan. Golden mean- the best way out.
During the flowering period, it is better to increase watering a little, and in winter period at content below 20 ° slightly reduce. tap water must be softened by boiling or settling, so as not to get limescale on plant roots and soil surface. 
Air humidity
Abutilon calmly tolerates standard humidity, without requiring frequent spraying. They are carried out when the air becomes dry and hot. If the leaves are not moistened at this time, they will begin to curl and dry out.
Soil and transplant
Transplantation is desirable to carry out every year before flowering. Abutilon refers to fast growing plants that require a lot of nutrients. Therefore, the land in which indoor maple grows in a year has time to be completely depleted even with regular top dressing.
In order for the soil to contribute to the normal development of abutilone, it must have properties such as fertility and looseness.
Can be mixed garden soil, sand, humus, peat, sand and perlite. Or purchase a ready-made universal substrate at any store.
pruning
In relation to abutilone, a very necessary procedure - after all, this tropical guest grows very quickly and loses nice shape. In addition, cutting branches rejuvenates the plant, increases the number of flowers in the future and provides material for propagation.
How to properly form a crown with Abutilon? It is recommended to prune before the appearance of buds, that is, in winter or at the very beginning of spring. How much to cut depends on your desire. If abutilon grows very quickly, you can cut off more than half from each branch. Immediately after pruning, it would be good to apply a mineral fertilizer complex to stimulate the development and formation of buds. 
reproduction
In addition to the seed method, there is also propagation by cuttings - apical and stem.
Cuttings are carried out during the pruning of abutilon, selecting the most suitable healthy young shoots. They are cut into pieces about 12-14 cm long, the buds are cut off.
You can root in water or a light substrate of peat and sand. The cuttings must be placed in a small greenhouse or covered with halves of plastic bottles. After about 3-5 weeks, roots form on the shoots, then they can be planted in normal soil.
Diseases and problems
Why does Abutilon (indoor maple) turn yellow and fall leaves? Due to the high dryness of the air. In addition, some species react this way to an abundance of sunlight.
If the leaves wilt, they signal insufficient watering.
The blanching of the color while stretching the branches is caused by a lack of lighting.
The plant sheds all the leaves at once from cold temperatures, excess or lack of water. Only the lower leaves fall off. This means that abutilon suffers from a deficiency of useful elements and insufficient fertilization.
Consider the care instructions indoor plant Abutilon in the video below:
Conclusion
Abutilon - practically universal plant thanks to the diversity of species and varieties. Flower growers can pick up a small miniature bush that pleases with large delicate flowers all year round, or purchase a huge sprawling shrub for a large room. In any case, there will be no difficulties in care, reproduction and cultivation.
Abutilon is called indoor maple for the resemblance of leaves to maple foliage. This species has about 100 species. In India, the fiber of this plant is used to weave burlap.
Abutilon is a shrub with abundant branching. The leaves are large up to 10 cm in length. The flower has the shape of a bell, occurs once or in pairs of flowers. Among the species there are varieties with bright leaves and inflorescences of scarlet or sunny hue and large quantity stamens. Hybrids are characterized by long flowering and an extensive amount color shades. Plant more home maples in large rooms and offices.
Varieties and types of abutilon
Bush with a height reaching up to two and a half meters. The stems are soft, slightly pubescent. The leaves are large, the shade is dark olive, slightly hairy in appearance resembling a maple leaf and their length is about 16 cm. The inflorescences are collected in bouquets of 4-5 pieces, the shade of the flowers is purple-bluish with rare dark stripes. Flowering occurs in the first month of spring.
This species has American roots; its second name is variegated abutilon. This species has many different varieties. The height of the bush is about one and a half meters, the shade of the bark is brownish. The foliage is pubescent with an olive tint, the shape of the leaf is similar to the maple, the length of the leaves is about 13 cm.
Inflorescences, in shape, in the form of bells, their length is up to 6 cm. The shade of the petals depends on the variety, it is found bright yellow, scarlet, burgundy, white.
Rare view. Stems, pubescent about a meter in height with large leaves, like blades, about 20 cm long and 10 cm wide. The lower leaves have more lobes, about 7 pieces, and the upper ones have only three. The inflorescences are bright sunny with scarlet stripes, bell-shaped. The inflorescence is about 5 cm in diameter. Flowering occurs from spring to autumn.
Or Amazonian the plant reaches a height of about one and a half meters, the stems are thin, pubescent. The foliage has an oval-oblong shape. The leaves are maple-like, dark green, about 8 cm long. Inflorescences solitary, bell-shaped with a scarlet tinge of the corolla and sunny petals.
Or striped . The stems of this species are small, soft, heart-shaped foliage on elongated legs of 6 lobes, smooth with an olive tint and light patches along the edge. The shape of the flower is a bell, a shade of orange with scarlet stripes. Blooms in autumn.
This species is slightly branched. The height of the bush is about two meters. Stems are pubescent. The foliage is similar to maple in shape. Peach-colored inflorescences with light pinkish veins. Blooms from mid-summer to winter.
This type of ampelous is grown in hanging planters. The brightest representative of its kind.
A new species, different from others, it is a lot of flowers about 8 cm in diameter. Branching bush. Leaves olive shade, smooth, oval-oblong.
His homeland is considered South America. Prefers a warm climate. The shape of the leaf is maple-like. Flowering occurs from spring to autumn, sometimes all year. Prefers pruning shoots to form a beautiful shape.
Large shrub with multiple blooms. The hue of the flowers is rich orange with warm veins reminiscent of a lantern. Foliage like maple leaves, glossy, green.
Abutilon "Organza" it is a striking species with green smooth maple-shaped leaves with a multi-colored shade of bell-shaped inflorescences.
Abutilon home care
The plant prefers diffused lighting, but easily tolerates direct sunlight. Afraid of drafts and drops temperature regime. AT winter time it is necessary to provide additional artificial light.
The air temperature in the summer should correspond to 25 degrees, and in the cold season about 16, otherwise the shrub will throw off the leaves.
Watering the plant should be regular and constant spraying of leaves in the summer on an ongoing basis. In the cold season, it is better to reduce watering and spraying at intervals to dry the soil.
The plant requires fertilizer during the growth period, once every 14 days. For this, mineral and organic fertilizers are suitable.
How to cut abutilon
Crown shaping helps to provide the necessary and beautiful plant shape to suit your design. You need to cut off dry and weak branches, cut through thick shoots. Proper pruning will allow the plant to develop well and bloom profusely. It is better to pinch the tops of the elongated shoots. In hybrid varieties, it is necessary to cut off large stems in order to slightly increase flowering.
Abutilon primer
The plant prefers light and acidic or neutral soil. You can purchase a ready-made substrate or prepare it yourself, the composition of such soil should include humus, leaf soil, turf soil and sand, all in equal quantities.
How to transplant abutilon
Young plants are best transplanted every year, and adults once every three years. The flower prefers a cramped container with a good perforated bottom, otherwise the plant may not bloom for a long time in a large container.
Abutilon from seeds at home
Seeds are sown in the soil from peat and sand to a depth of half a centimeter in the spring. Covered with a film, periodically sprayed and ventilated. Shoots begin to appear in a month, sometimes earlier. Optimum temperature, for growing abutilone from seeds is the limit of 19 to 20 degrees. Variegated varieties are not recommended to be grown from seed, as generic characteristics are lost.
Diseases and pests
- Leaves turn yellow and fall off - the cause of temperature changes or improper watering.
- Why the leaves of abutilon turn yellow is the reason for the lack of light, and the pallor of the foliage can also indicate this. It is necessary to provide sufficient light with an artificial lamp.
- Plant pests are aphids, scale insects and spider mite, for their destruction it is necessary to treat with insecticides.
- Why abutilon does not bloom - the reason may be a lack of light, fertilizer, lack of pruning. If you do not neglect these care tips, the plant will delight you with constant flowering.
- Abutilon hung up the leaves, and the tips began to dry out, which means that the plant needs to increase the conditions for humidifying the air and spray more frequently.
- If the plant begins to drop the lower leaves, this is the reason for the lack of fertilizer.
Despite the southern origin of the culture, being in the constantly warm air of an apartment is not at all useful for abutilone. In nature, it grows in areas where the difference between winter and summer temperatures is about 10 degrees. That is why the rope or "home maple" can be more often found in winter gardens or greenhouses, and at home abutilon is at a temperature of:
- 20 to 26 °C in summer;
- 12 to 15 °C in winter.
If the plant is taken out onto a veranda or loggia, it must be remembered that when the temperature of the abutilone content drops below 5–10 ° C, it begins to experience serious discomfort. And with a long stay in cold air, the culture sheds foliage. Extremely dangerous for the plant are sub-zero temperatures and exposure to drafts. However, cold is not the only enemy of abutilon.
If the air warms up to 30 ° C, you can expect the plant to stop forming buds and even drop existing ones. Help the sufferer high temperature the content of abutilone is possible by regularly spraying the aerial part of the plant. To do this, use only warm soft water.
In winter, when the air quality in the room is affected heating appliances, a screen made of nonwoven fabric or a film protecting the window sill from the living quarters.
Species and varieties
The leaves of the indoor maple are large, carved, with three or five lobes. Their color is green, spotted or variegated. Flowers can be single or double, one-color or two-color, on long peduncles. The colors are very different: white, red, pink, orange, burgundy, gold. The shape of the flowers resemble bells or Chinese lanterns. About 150 types of abutilone are known. AT room conditions are also grown hybrid varieties derived from these species. The most common varieties of indoor maple are: Abutilon Juliet - an unpretentious and fast-growing variety. Has large green leaves and large flowers; Abutilon Sello - has leaves on branched, slightly pubescent shoots, flowers with pink veins; Abutilon Darwin - has a spectacular appearance: large orange flowers with dark veins and bright green velvety leaves;
Abutilon megapotamsky - hallmark species are drooping shoots and petioles of peduncles hanging down. Flowers are shaped Chinese lantern, yellow with a red spot at the base; Abutilon Bella - different small size, decorative look and major bright flowers. Their colors differ depending on the variety; Abutilon Bellevue - the hybrid has the shape of an ornamental bush, the flowers are shaped like a hanging bell of red, yellow, pink or orange color; Abutilon Indian - annual, with large velvety leaves and creamy yellow bell-shaped flowers.
How to propagate Abutilon
The Abutilon shrub can be propagated by cuttings or seeds. Such breeding methods are well suited for flowers with green leaves. Many varieties of Abulon are perennial, therefore, it is beneficial to plant a shrub once and enjoy its beautiful flowers.
By cuttings, you can propagate a shrub at any time of the year, but it is advisable to do this when the cuttings have not yet had time to become wooden. In March, cuttings with a flexible stem are cut, flower buds are cut off and they can be used to grow new plants.
Take cuttings about 12 centimeters long. First you need to prepare a store substrate or sand and peat mixture. Leaves below and flower buds are cut off from each cutting, which have not yet had time to bloom.
It is convenient to plant shoots in a small container (glasses, pots) and cover them with jars. In this state, they stand until rooting. The temperature in the room should be about 25 degrees Celsius, such conditions are similar to a greenhouse and the plants will grow faster.
Seedlings need to be aired regularly, sprayed with settled water and watered. Within a month should be formed root system and seedlings will grow. Next, the young are transplanted into small pots or glasses, the diameter of the container should not be more than 7 centimeters.
If you want to receive healthy plants you will need to follow the entire technology of caring for abutilone.
How to cut abutilon
Abutilon grows very quickly, so it needs to be pruned. In spring, the plant wakes up and in order for the bush to be lush and beautiful, the shoots are cut into 3 parts, but not at the very root. Timely pruning of bushes allows you to form the correct size and height of the tree.
Young plants are pinched at the top, which allows the bush to grow in width and bloom profusely. Trim Abutilon according to your expectations. What size shrub you want, and cut.
Lighting when growing abutilone
Abutilon is photophilous, and at home he needs bright, but diffused lighting that does not harm the foliage. If the light is not enough, wait abundant flowering not worth it. When growing abutilone with variegated or almost white foliage, it is better to shade the plant a little to preserve the unique pattern on the leaves.
At home, abutilons feel great on windowsills facing east, southeast, west or southwest. On the south windows you can not do without protection from the midday sun, and the north side will not provide the required amount of light. The quality of lighting directly affects how compact the crown will be for the plant, because in the shade the shoots noticeably lengthen, the foliage thins, and the formation and pruning of abutilon becomes more difficult.
AT summer days abutilon responds well to being on a sunny veranda or balcony, and sometimes plants are successfully transferred to the garden or even transplanted into open ground.
In this case, choose a quiet area in partial shade, and also make sure that abutilon is kept at a temperature within the limits described above. On the fresh air the pet grows and blooms well, and when it gets colder, it can be protected with a cap made of covering material. 
Diseases and pests of Abutilon
Abutilon is not considered capricious plant and yet when it occurs gross violation care technologies, problems may arise. Sudden change in room temperature, bright sunlight, lack of normal lighting and a draft can cause the shrub to shed its leaves.
The same problems can also occur if the irrigation regime is violated or there is no plant nutrition. Insufficient lighting is reflected on the shrub immediately, its leaves gradually lose their rich shade and if nothing is done, they turn yellow and crumble.
The situation is fixable: it is worth rearranging the shrub in a bright place and the problems will gradually go away. Accustom the plant to bright light gradually, at first there must be a slight shadow.
If the tips of the leaves near the bush dry, this indicates that it has little water, and the room has dry air. In this case, Abitulon is sprayed daily from a spray bottle, and an open container of water can be placed nearby so that the air in the room is constantly humid.
Abitulon grows well in commercial, private, administrative and educational premises. It will beautifully complement the interior, and in the room where the plant stands, it will be easier to breathe. The shrub moisturizes the air and relieves psychological stress.
Features of watering when caring for abutilon
Abutilons at home willingly "drink", which is especially noticeable on hot summer days, as well as in the warm, dry air of the room where the heating works. A delay in watering during the active growing season necessarily leads to wilting of the foliage, and in individual cases even to the loss of buds and the death of the peripheral root system. The plant should not dry out. And the optimal interval is considered to be between waterings, when the surface of the soil dries out a little.
However, in caring for abutil, it is better to focus on the condition of the plant, the size of the pot in which it is located and the temperature of the content. A small amount of soil loses moisture faster than soil in a large pot. And in the dry air of a heated room, the humidity of the substrate drops much more sharply than when the pet is in the front garden. Much depends on the composition of the soil.
Abutilon should be watered at home only with warm, settled or melted water.
If the plant is satisfied with a cool wintering, it should be watered much less frequently, otherwise the moisture not demanded by abutilone will cause rot on the roots. 
When and how to fertilize abutilon?
The rapid development of the green part of the plant and active flowering are the reasons that abutilon must be fed at home. In spring and until autumn, top dressing is carried out every two weeks, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. The more precisely the feeding schedule is observed, the longer and more abundantly abutilon blooms.
The concentration of fertilizers for abutilone may be less than in the instructions for the selected composition, but at the same time you need to feed the flower a little more often. At the time of mass flowering, it is better to fertilize abutilon with products with a high content of phosphorus and potassium, which positively affect the formation of buds. When, after pruning, abutilon should quickly grow new foliage, it is more correct to use preparations with nitrogen.
Sometimes flower growers notice that the number of flowers is decreasing, and the foliage of abutilon receiving good care discolors, turns yellow and loses its attractiveness. These symptoms indicate a lack of trace elements. To prevent the development of chlorosis, the pet is fed, for example, with "Emerald", which helps to quickly restore decorativeness and brightness to the leaves.
Possible problems when growing abutilone
If proper attention is not paid to the care of abutilon, the grower may face the appearance of such dangerous diseases and pests as root rot, mealybugs, aphids, spider mites and scale insects. For prevention, be sure to maintain competent watering, moisten the air and remove fallen flowers and leaves.
Shedding of buds, yellowness and wilting of the foliage of abutilon signals:
- about sharp drops temperature content of abutilone;
- about the presence of a draft in the room;
- violation of the irrigation schedule.
Not in the best way on the appearance the plant and its flowering is affected by the lack of light and the lack of fertilizers when they are especially needed - during the spring and summer growing season.
