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Abutilon (Flowering Maple)
Flowering maples are hibiscus relatives that have been used for ages as houseplants with little attention paid to their winter hardiness. In our hardiness trials, we are finding several species and cultivars, which when planted early in the season in well-drained sites, will perennialize. As with marginally hardy salvias, we recommend that they not be pruned to the ground in the fall. |
Abutilon 'Bartley Schwartz' (Bartley Schwartz Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part Sun Zone: 7b-10, guessing 48" tall Origin: Hybrid
In our winter hardiness trials, Abutilon 'Bartley Schwartz' has been one of our best performers...a case of "has been" being a good thing as "M" would say. The slightly pendent branching habit of this A. megapotamicum hybrid makes a 4' tall x 4' wide clump, clothed with small, fuzzy, green serrated leaves and adorned from early summer through fall with 1.5" wide salmon-orange (RHS 24B) bells that dangle from the outstretched stems. As a houseplant, this clone is everblooming...should be the same in an apartment. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08007
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Abutilon 'Canary Bird' (Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10 72" tall Origin: Hybrid
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We are glad to be able to share this fun flowering maple that has survived 9 degrees F in our garden. This hibiscus relative has maple-like foliage on a compact 6' tall x 3' wide plant. For us, A. 'Canary Bird' starts flowering in early summer and continues until the first frost, with large, dangling, 3" wide, canary-yellow, bell-like flowers. For those in more northerly zones, A. 'Canary Bird' makes a great centerpiece for a container planting. Good winter drainage is key for maximum cold tolerance in the ground. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #03848
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Abutilon 'Fool's Gold' (Fool's Gold Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part SunZone: 8-10, at least 48" tall Origin: Hybrid
This upright grower is clothed with 2" wide fuzzy green leaves and adorned from early summer until fall with 2.5" wide hanging orange (RHS 24B) lanterns, each highlighted with dark orange veins. This 4' tall x 2.5' wide clumper has proven to be reliable in our climate after three winters and is also a great summer container specimen. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08001
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Abutilon megapotamicum (Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10 36" tall Origin: Brazil
This fun and easy-to-grow Brazilian native makes a great blending plant for the perennial border, spreading to several feet wide in a single season. If you're into container gardening, a flowering maple also makes a great hanging basket plant. In the wild, Abutilon megapotamicum reaches 8' tall, but in temperate climate cultivation, it rarely exceeds 3' tall. From late summer until frost, the plants are laden with very cool 2" hanging red lanterns, carefully placed between the thumb-sized green leaves. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04317
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Abutilon megapotamicum 'Ines' (Ines Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part SunZone: 8-10, at least 60" tall Origin: Hybrid
This vigorous flowering maple makes a 5' tall x 5' wide upright mass of woody stems adorned with fuzzy dark green leaves. During the summer, the outermost branches are laden with dangling parchment yellow flowers, each highlighted by a dark red calyx. This has been a superb performer in our winter hardiness trials. Although we list this as a selection of A. megapotamicum, its vigor and leaf shape suggest its baby-daddy is instead a close relative. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07983
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Abutilon megapotamicum 'Pink Charm' (Pink Charm Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part SunZone: 8-10, at least 36" tall Origin: Hybrid
I had longed for an abutilon with pastel flowers, and plantsman Luen Miller of Monterrey Bay Nursery came to the rescue with this fabulous selection of A. megapotamicum. The 3' tall x 4' wide clump is adorned from early summer until fall with small pink dangling bells that line the stem...simply charming! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08002
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Abutilon 'Orange Hot Lava' (Orange Hot Lava Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10 48" tall Origin: Hybrid
Thanks to Luen Miller of Monterrey Bay Nursery for sharing his splendid 2005 introduction...a hybrid of Abutilon megapotamicum. The 3-4' tall mass of stems is adorned with pointed green leaves, and from early June until fall with hundreds of dangling bell-shaped flowers. The flowers are clear orange, highlighted by red bloodshot-eye like veins. Each flower is held tight by a dark burgundy calyx (the thing the flower sits in). For both a summer flowering show and in our winter hardiness trials, this has been one of the standouts!
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07302
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Abutilon x hybridum 'Voodoo' (Voodoo Flowering Maple)
Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10, at least 72" tall Origin: Hybrid
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This Jon Dixon hybrid has been an amazing performer in our garden trials. Not only did it continue flowering into the upper 20s, but it kept green stems and leaves down to 20 degrees F. A. 'Voodoo' makes an upright clump to 6' tall x 3' wide adorned, starting in late summer and continuing into late fall, with large, 2", blood-red, bell-shaped flowers dangling from the top half of the plant. This is one of the best performers of the upright, large-flower type flowering maples that we have ever grown. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06951
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Acalypha
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Acalypha pendula (Trailing Red Cattail)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7b-10 8" tall Origin: Cuba
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This marvelous native of Cuba ("Coober" to us Southerners) has long been prized for containers and hanging baskets, but no one ever tried it for winter hardiness. Imagine our surprise when in the mid '80s it survived 0 degrees F. Since then, it's been one of our favorite summer flowering perennials. The 8" tall x 2' wide clumps of small, fuzzy green leaves are adorned all summer with 5-7" long, trailing, fuzzy red cattails. If you can't afford to buy one, stir a can of red paint with your cat's tail for the same effect, but watch the claws. If you're in the North, it's still great for hanging baskets and summer containers...simply delightful! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05555
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Acanthus (Bear's Breech)
These European plants are prized for their bold tropical-looking foliage that thrives in temperate gardening climates. While many of the common acanthus do not thrive in hot, humid summer climates, we are finding more and more that are heat-tolerant. Since acanthus grow from root cuttings, plant them where you would like them to remain since moving the plant always seems to leave a few root pieces behind. |
Acanthus balcanicus var. hungaricus (Bear's Breech)
Part Sun to ShadeZone: 6-8, possibly colder 30" tall Origin: SE Europe
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New crop available 9-4-2008 Although some taxonomists have lumped A. hungaricus into A. balcanicus, we find plants in the wild do indeed look different to us horticulturists...thanks for the tip, Panayoti! Picture a tropical-looking, dark green, glossy, thick-leaf fern forming a 30" wide rosette, topped in early spring with a 3' tall spike composed of purple, pink and white bicolor turtleheads...very unique! Plant this where you want it to stay. While it is easy to move, small root pieces that are left behind keep on giving, and giving, and giving... Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #03496
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Acanthus caroli-alexandri (Bear's Breech)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 6-7, guessing 18" tall Origin: SE Europe
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This charming little bear's breech suffers from a major identity crisis. Some "experts" consider it the same as A. spinosus, while others consider it a form of A. hungaricus. Still other authorities consider it a hybrid between A. spinosus and A. hirsutus. Don't you just love those taxonomists?! Regardless of its identity, this plant is unique among acanthus with its finely cut, black-green foliage, making a small 18" tall x 2' wide rosette. In late spring, the clumps are topped with compact 3' tall spikes with the typical hooded, white-and-purple, well-spined flowers...outstanding for texture and structure in the small garden. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05055
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Acanthus mollis 'Rue Ledan' (Bear's Breech)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 6-8a 20" tall Origin: SW Europe, N. Africa
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Thanks to Herman van Beusekom of the Netherlands for sharing this great new acanthus. This is the only selection of A. mollis that has grown well in our hot, humid summers. The cutleaf, shiny, dark green foliage composes a large specimen clump to 3' in width. In June, the tropical-looking clump is topped with 3' tall spikes of pure white flowers (compared with the normal purple hood over each flower). For excitement value, everyone should have a few white hoods in their garden. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04732
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Acanthus mollis 'Tasmanian Angel' (Tasmanian Angel Bear's Breech)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 6b-8, guessing 20" tall Origin: SW Europe
I spent years lusting after this breathtaking plant. Finally, not only do we have it, but we have enough to share. This unusual selection of the European Acanthus mollis comes via a gardener in Tasmania. The bold-textured, dark green leaves with deeply scalloped edges are highlighted by an irregular border that emerges creamy gold, then changes to white as the leaves mature. The older leaves eventually lose most of the coloration. When the 3' wide clumps mature, they are topped with 5' tall spikes of true pink flowers...simply stunning! Acanthus mollis prefers a rich, moist soil for best performance. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07399
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Acanthus 'Summer Beauty' (Bear's Breech)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 6-8, at least 30" tall Origin: Hybrid alternate image
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We feel this import by Oregon's Chet Tompkins from a gardener in China is the finest acanthus on the market. A. 'Summer Beauty' is a hybrid (probably A. mollis x A. spinosus) that grows well in our hot summers where A. mollis fails miserably. The 4-6' wide clump of giant, glossy, dark green foliage is much more cutleaf than A. mollis. In summer, the tropical-looking clumps are topped with 6' tall spikes of white flowers surrounded by wonderful purple calyces...absolutely superb, and soon to be an industry standard! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #02526
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xAchimenantha
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xAchimenantha 'Butterfield Bronze' (Butterfield Bronze Achimenantha)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7b-9, at least 10" tall Origin: Hybrid
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This easy-to-grow hybrid of two gesneriad genera, Achimenes and Smithiantha, has proven to be a very good performer in our trials. Emerging in June, the fuzzy red stems are adorned with equally fuzzy bronze-purple leaves. Starting in early September and continuing until frost, the slowly spreading clumps are topped with 2" purple-violet (RHS 81A) flowers, each with a large white throat. We find A. 'Butterfield Bronze' is a great way to add color to the fall woodland garden. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04708
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Achimenes
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Achimenes 'Harry Williams' (Orchid Pansy)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7b-10 12" tall Origin: Hybrid
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We have trialed a number of achimenes for winter hardiness and are always thrilled when we find another cultivar to add to our list. A. 'Harry Williams' was a delightful surprise when it returned in great shape after a winter low of 8 degrees F. Emerging in June, the fuzzy green foliage adorns short stems, topped in summer with beautiful pansy-shaped flowers that emerge crimson red, then morph to crimson violet, both with a contrasting yellow throat. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06169
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Achimenes 'Purple King' (Orchid Pansy)
Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7b-10 6" tall Origin: Mexico
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Finally, a hardy achimenes! From the Tennessee garden of James Proctor comes this tropical African violet relative that has survived sub-zero temperatures without a blink. The low 12" wide mound of dark green foliage is smothered with 2" deep purple flowers from July through September. Plants are late emerging in spring, not appearing before June. A winter mulch is recommended from Zone 8 north. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #01434
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Aconitum
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Aconitum carmichaelii (Chinese Monkshood)
Sun to Light ShadeZone: 5-8, guessing 72" tall Origin: China
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(aka: A. incisofidum CY T-441/04) Since the statute of limitations has expired, I'll publicly admit to Aconitum genocide. Yes, it's a dark secret, but there's a lot less monkshoods in the world thanks to yours truly and our hot, humid climate. My point in this admission is that the Chinese Aconitum cf. carmichaelii has actually prospered, forming vigorous 6' tall clumps of cut trifoliate dark green leaves. In October, the clumps are topped with 6" spikes of helmet-shaped blue flowers. If you'd like to try an aconitum that won't try and sneak back to China on the midnight flight, give this one a shot. This is not the same as the heat intolerant A. carmichaelii of the trade. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06999
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