"Maple Rose"

For lack of the correct name, I shall continue calling it Maple Rose until someone ID's it for me.

We have seen it on several visits to Turkey but this is the first time that I managed to get some pics of it.

The blossoms start off white, then turn to pink and finally dark pink.








The trunk is smooth -




They are large shrubs / small trees, growing to about 3 - 4 meters, although we did see one very tall one that was about 6 meters tall. We think that it could be cut back to stay as a bushy tree.

New saplings grow out of the bottom of the trunk at soil level, and are chopped off by the gardeners. Having noticed this, I cut off 2 small saplings which we are now trying to root.

Does anyone know what this beautiful tree is?

 

I'm bringing this forward ... surely someone (strongy? pete?) can identify it ... I want one.

 

It looks like a hibiscus to me, or possibly, by the buds an abutilon.
Quite immpessive though anyway.

 

I don't think Hibiscus, pete, but I've told Sis all along an Abutilon ... but I've never seen this incredible double variety ... exquisite ... and look at the size of the flowers in b-in-law's hand in the first photo. Obviously very old because of the size of the trunk. Sis hasn't put the pic up of b-in-law standing next to it ... it's 3-4 meters tall!

 

OK, here is the one of Hubby in front of the big tree. As said, this one was bigger than any other we saw, they were usually no more than 3-4 meters tall, this one is much bigger.





The sad bit was that this lovely tree was riddled with ants that had made their nests in holes in it -

 

I think abutilon can get large, admittedly its different from the ones we commonly grow here, but the buds look abutilon like, and the leaves have that maple look.
Its a fair sized trunk admittedly, but I think growth is fast, a bit like lavatera over here.

 

Kedi, that says it all about the growth rate, you can see where it was pruned back, and the new growth made since.
The ants probably did the tree no harm.

 

Again it looks like the Abutilon I saw at our hotel in Olu Deniz, I also saw one in Crete with two different colour flowers on one stem.

 

Does look like an abutilon the leaf is very similar,this link is to one called victorian lady which is similar but doesn't have the crikled edge,
http://www.canyoncreeknursery.com/Images2/victlady502.jpg

 

Looks like this 'Double Pink' ...

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v160/Ianrobert/?action=view&current=PinkDoubleAbutilon.jpg

Here's a lovely choice of Abutilons from Kartuz...

http://www.kartuz.com/c/7RFPA/Abutilon.html

 

Thanks everyone, it is definitely ID'd.

Strongy, at first we thought that they came in white and different shades of pink but no, all on the one plant and the flowers change colour with age.

Sis, the flower in the first link looks exactly right.

 

I wonder how hardy it is?

 

Evening, pete. I know we all don't agree :D on the USDA hardiness zones, but Abutilon is fairly hardy ... I just don't know how long it can sustain cold.

I have Canary Bird, Ashford Red and the Mega-whatsit which take some light frost here. They can survive to 9F.

I sure would like to try what Sis has / saw ... she hasn't answered if she got cuttings / seeds ... Sis?

 

Yes, 2 small cuttings somehow stuck to the veggie knife I always have in my handbag when we go on holiday. Of course, it is to peel apples with but it sometimes comes in handy for other things.

Hubby then potted them up in some soil from the area, using a cut-off water bottle as a pot. However, they don't look so good any more, the leaf nodes look dried out now. I don't know whether to put the pot on a heater now or to cut them? Any idea pete or strongy?

As to seeds, we have a couple of pods, but only 1 looks like it will contain seeds.

It might make it through the winter in your area pete, and strongy's too, but never in mine. No problem in yours Sis.

Wish now I'd taken a few more cuttings and seed pods.

 

Got an idea that it might not come true from seed Kedi.
As for the cuttings, its a bit late in the season now for rooting, but I think a propagator with bottom heat could well be your only option.