Abutilon is an exotic hibiscus relative (mallow) that has been grown for ages in containers as a houseplant with little attention paid to its winter hardiness as a sun perennial. In our flowering maple hardiness trials, we have found a few species and cultivars of abutilon which, when planted early in the season in well-drained sites, will perennialize. As with marginally hardy salvias, we recommend that abutilon not be pruned to the ground in the fall. Instead, we like to wait until early spring, and then give our flowering maples a haircut when we see how far back they have died over winter.

The summer and fall-flowering abutilon delights gardeners, butterflies and hummingbirds with its pendent bell-shaped flowers available in an array of rich colors including yellow, orange, pink, red and even bicolor. Abutilon is a low growing woody subshrub that acts as an herbaceous perennial in colder climates. Abutilon looks great planted in mass or weaving throughout a mixed border. Flowering maple is also great in a container or a hanging basket, where its downward facing flowers can be viewed face to face. The key to success with abutilon is good winter drainage. Plant them high and dry (in the winter) and they will delight you for years in your garden.