Abutilon ‘Sunset’ Live Plant – Flowering Maple, Yellow & Red Blooms, 1-2 ft Tall

Overview

Introduce a touch of exotic charm to your garden with the exquisite Abutilon Sunset live plant. Often referred to as Flowering Maple due to its maple-like leaves, this particular variety, a megapotamicum hybrid, is celebrated for its dazzling floral display. The Abutilon ‘Sunset’ showcases an abundance of bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers adorned with striking red sepals, creating a captivating visual contrast. This fast-growing shrub is a fantastic choice for gardeners seeking continuous blooms over an extended period, thriving in conditions ranging from part sun to mostly shade. Its graceful, pendulous flowers add a unique elegance, making it a focal point in any landscape or container garden. As a Flowering Maple plant, it’s known for its robust nature and relatively low maintenance requirements, making it suitable for both novice and experienced plant enthusiasts.

The botanical name for this stunning specimen is Abutilon megapotamicum hybrid, highlighting its lineage and unique characteristics. Its common name, ‘Flowering Maple’, is a nod to the shape of its foliage, though it is not a true maple. This plant is a true gem for adding year-round interest in warmer climates or as a seasonal accent in cooler zones. The vibrant yellow and red hues of its blossoms provide a cheerful pop of color, attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators to your outdoor space. Whether you’re looking to enhance a shaded border or create a stunning patio display, the Abutilon Sunset live plant offers beauty and resilience.

Key Benefits

The Abutilon Sunset live plant offers a multitude of benefits that make it a highly desirable addition to any garden. Its vibrant blooms and adaptable nature ensure it stands out. Here are some of the key advantages of incorporating this beautiful shrub into your landscape:

• Long-Lasting Blooms: Enjoy a spectacular display of bright yellow flowers with red sepals that bloom profusely over a long season, providing continuous color and interest from spring through fall, and even longer in mild climates.
• Vibrant Color Palette: The striking combination of sunny yellow petals and rich red sepals creates a dynamic and eye-catching appearance, adding an exotic and cheerful touch to any garden setting.
• Versatile Sun Requirements: This Flowering Maple plant thrives in a range of light conditions, from part sun to mostly shade, making it adaptable to various garden spots where other sun-loving plants might struggle.
• Attracts Pollinators: The showy flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds and other beneficial pollinators, enhancing the biodiversity and natural beauty of your garden ecosystem.
• Adaptable Growth Habit: Suitable for both garden beds and container planting, the Abutilon ‘Sunset’ can be trained as a shrub or even a small standard, offering flexibility in design and placement.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, this Abutilon megapotamicum hybrid is relatively easy to care for, requiring average watering and minimal fuss to maintain its stunning appearance.
• Year-Round Appeal: In frost-free regions, the plant can provide evergreen foliage and continuous blooms, offering beauty and structure throughout the year.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Abutilon Sunset live plant is straightforward, ensuring you can enjoy its beautiful blooms for many seasons. This resilient shrub thrives with a few key considerations. For optimal growth and prolific flowering, choose a location that receives part sun to mostly shade. While it can tolerate some morning sun, protection from intense afternoon sun is crucial, especially in hotter climates, as excessive sun can scorch its delicate foliage and flowers. The ideal light conditions will encourage the most vibrant blossoms and healthy growth.

Watering should be consistent, aiming for average moisture levels. The plant prefers consistently moist, but not waterlogged, soil. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out slightly between waterings, especially for container-grown plants, and then water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom. Good drainage is paramount to prevent root rot, so ensure your soil or potting mix is well-draining. For soil type, a rich, well-draining potting mix or garden soil amended with organic matter will provide the best environment for this yellow flowering plant. Fertilize every 2-4 weeks during the growing season with a balanced liquid fertilizer to support its continuous blooming cycle. Pruning can be done to maintain shape and encourage bushier growth, typically after a flush of blooms or in late winter/early spring.

The Abutilon megapotamicum hybrid is generally hardy in USDA zones 8-10, though it can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors in cooler regions. Protect it from frost, as it is not extremely cold-tolerant. Keep an eye out for common pests like aphids or whiteflies, and treat with insecticidal soap if necessary. With proper care, your Abutilon Sunset live plant will flourish, providing a spectacular display of vibrant yellow and red flowers throughout the growing season.

Size & Details

The Abutilon Sunset live plant is shipped as a robust specimen, typically measuring 1 to 2 feet tall upon arrival. It comes planted in a 1-gallon pot, providing a healthy root system ready for transplanting into your garden or a larger container. This fast-growing shrub can reach mature heights of 3 to 6 feet with a similar spread, depending on growing conditions and pruning practices. Its growth rate is considered moderate to fast, allowing it to establish quickly and begin its impressive flowering display.

The plant produces bright yellow flowers with distinct red sepals, creating a visually stunning contrast. These bell-shaped blooms are a defining characteristic of this Flowering Maple plant. Expected to bloom over a long season, from spring through fall in most climates, it offers extended periods of vibrant color. The leaves are typically maple-shaped, adding to its ornamental appeal even when not in bloom. This yellow flowering plant is an excellent choice for adding vertical interest and a touch of the exotic to your outdoor spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Abutilon Sunset live plant get? A: This plant typically reaches a mature height of 3 to 6 feet with a similar spread, depending on growing conditions and whether it’s pruned. It is shipped at 1 to 2 feet tall.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The Abutilon Sunset live plant is shipped in a 1-gallon pot, ensuring a healthy and established root system upon arrival.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: While primarily an outdoor shrub, especially in warmer climates (USDA zones 8-10), it can be grown as a container plant and brought indoors during colder months.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This Flowering Maple plant prefers part sun to mostly shade. It thrives with some morning sun but should be protected from intense afternoon sun to prevent leaf scorch.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Abutilon ‘Sunset’ is considered relatively easy to care for. It requires average watering and well-draining soil, making it suitable for gardeners of various skill levels.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your Abutilon megapotamicum hybrid will arrive as a healthy, live plant, carefully packaged in its 1-gallon pot, ready for planting.
• Q: How long until it blooms? A: This plant is known for its long blooming season, often flowering from spring through fall. You can expect blooms soon after it settles into its new environment, especially if conditions are favorable.
• Q: What’s the minimum temperature it can tolerate? A: The Abutilon ‘Sunset’ is best suited for USDA zones 8-10. It is not frost-tolerant and should be protected from temperatures below freezing.
• Q: Is this a true maple? A: No, despite its common name ‘Flowering Maple’ due to its leaf shape, it is not a true maple (Acer genus) but rather a member of the Malvaceae family.
• Q: What are the best uses for this partial shade plant? A: It’s excellent for garden beds, borders, container planting, and as a specimen plant, especially in areas with part sun to mostly shade, where its vibrant yellow and red flowers can truly shine.