Practical
Plants

Abutilon x hybridum

Chinese Lantern

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Abutilon genus in the family Malvaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Malvaceae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
3 m
Spread
3 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Flowers - raw or cooked. A delicious sweet flavour, they are excellent on their own or as part of a mixed salad[K]. The flowers produce nectar all the time they are open so, assuming the plant is grown indoors and is not visited by pollinating insects, the sweetness increases the longer the flower is open[K].

Plant part
Flowers

Environment

Range
A hybrid of garden origin, A. darwinii x A. pictum.
Habitat
Not known in the wild.
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[2]. Germination should take place within a few weeks. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. Grow them on for at least the first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This species is a hybrid, so the seedlings will not be true to type. Cuttings of young shoots, June in a frame[2]. Grow on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[2]. Grow on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant out in spring after the last expected frosts.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a sunny position or part day shade in a fertile well-drained soil[2]. Dislikes drought[2]. This species is only hardy in the mildest areas of Britain, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c when given the protection of a south or south-west facing wall[1][2]. It is probably hardier than either of its parents[1]. Plants are often deciduous in cold winters[4]. A deep mulch in winter and tying in growth to the wall will maximise protection in winter[2]. If the plant is cut back by cold weather, it will normally resprout from the base in the spring and can flower on the current year's growth[3]. Plants grow very rapidly for their first few years and need staking if they are not in a sheltered position[1]. Plants tend to be short-lived in Britain, dying suddenly without any apparent cause. This is probably because they flower so profusely that they die of exhaustion[1]. Dead-heading plants to prevent seeding can enhance longevity[2]. Tip-prune young plants to promote a bushy habit, older plants can be cut back hard annually as new growth commences in late winter or early spring if required[2]. There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[1][2]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

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  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11

  3. Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-670-82929-3

    ↩

  4. Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls Collins 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219220-0

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