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Plant of the Week
Variegated Flowering Maple
Latin: Abutilon hybridum 'Variegatum'
I like variegated plants. It probably indicates a weakness of character or a
flawed sense of taste, but I’ve always found them both beautiful and
interesting.
One of the most interesting in the large tribe of variegated plants is the
variegated flowering maple, or as it is sometimes called, the variegated Chinese
lantern plant. It is a tender houseplant that grows 4- to 6 feet tall and has
five-lobed maple-like leaves with long petioles and grow 4 to 6 inches long.
This species is of hybrid origin with most of its kin coming from tropical
countries such as Brazil and Africa. It produces drooping, orange flowers in the
shape of a 1950’s poodle skirt. The flowers grow to 1 1/2 inches across and have
a short, yellowish floral column extending just beyond the outer limits of the
petals. The flowers can be produced at any season, but mainly appear during the
summer and fall when the high light and warm temperatures are most to its
liking.
We seldom intentionally grow sick plants, but that is exactly what we are doing
when we cultivate variegated Chinese maple. The variegation pattern consists of
yellow-green flecks scattered across the leaf surface creating a constellation
of irregularly shaped spots. The cause of the variegation symptoms is a mosaic
plant virus called abutilon mosaic, which can be spread to any non-variegated
abutilon by either grafting or insects – especially the pesky whiteflies.
Mosaic viruses are common among plants, but are usually more harmful and less
beautiful than this particular disease seems to be. Abutilon is vigorous enough
to shrug off the effects of the virus and still grow and flower more or less
normally.
While the traditional use of flowering maples has been as a window sill plant
for winter flowering, it also makes an excellent addition to the mixed flower
border where its strong upright growth and yellow-green foliage makes an
appealing foil for other flowering plants.
As a houseplant it should have high light and be kept close to room temperature
to keep it growing and flowering. It, and many members of the hibiscus family to
which it belongs, is a magnet for whiteflies so should be checked carefully
before bringing it inside in the fall.
Propagation is easy, and can be done by cuttings or seeds. Seedlings will start
off uninfected and have normal green leaves. The virus can be transmitted by
grafting or allowing a few whiteflies to swarm from infected to noninfected
plants.
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist
- Ornamentals
Extension News -
January 15, 1999
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