Abutilon 'Big Bell'

Got seduced by one of these at a garden centre but the label had no care details. So, having got it - what do I do with it :D . Options are plant in garden for the summer or repot and keep in an unheated greenhouse.

I gather most Abutilon are semi tropical and won't overwinter outside.

 

I grow mine in JI/Compost conditioned clay soil. Takes a couple of years to establish and then it flowers like a trooper!

BM

Have a look at this thread frogesque

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000217;p=1#000000

 

The Abutilon shown is 'Patrick Synge' - a hybrid of A. megapotamicum and is remarkably hardy in many parts of the UK. It is a vigorous plant rapidly growing to 3, 4 metres or more when trained against a sunny wall of fence. Well worth growing.

 

I found this one growing last summer around some derelict buildings, I think its quite hardy, but I dont know which one it is, however I think its fairly common.

 

Thanks for all the interest. Looks as if they may be more hardy than I thought. I'll take some cuttings and maybe try to harden a few up.

 

Finally got round to taking a couple of pics.

A. 'Big Bell'

 

Pete: That's a stunning freebie you have there!

 

Yes, I'm going to train it into a standard I think, as you really need to look up into the flowers, and at the moment that involves a lot of bending down. :D

 

Pete, I'm not sure what that is you found growing amiss, but I have it in a red colour ... but must admit it's very sad looking with the hot sun at the moment. Have it in a pot and keep moving it around!

Fogesque, I have that one, A. megapotimicum (I have it somehwere in my pictures here?!) and ours bloomed all winter and is somewhat skimpy for the summer. It's a "thin" plant, actually suitalble for hanging planters so well done if you get it into a standard! Let me know, I'll train mine!

 

I agree L of L, mines not really enjoying the hot weather, but then it wont grow in the winter here, so I'll have to give it some shade, and hope for the best.
Its cooled down a bit now, 27C at the moment, but we've still not had any rain, it keeps missing us.

 

There's a fantastic one, red/orange, growing outside at the Ventnor Botanical Gardens (IoW). They've trained it into a standard, perhaps 2 metres tall .. I have a picture somewhere that sometime I'll dig out (ye, gads, I may be on the photo!).

Today we've hit 31oC and that's as I type this! This is the warmest we've been for a week. Having lovely nights down to 21-22oC with a breeze, so windows open all night! I just hope it's not too hot tomorrow as we have friends from IoW / London coming for lunch, which of course is an outdoor affair! I'm being sensible .. doing homemade sardine pate on homemade rye/caraway bread, then spicy tiger prawns, Basmati rice and salad. Ice creamy things for dessert!

Needless to say, we've not had any rain! :D :D :(

 

Have a nice time.