From the extension: Check out flowering maple

Despite the name, the flowering maple (Abutilon spp.) is not a maple plant. Rather, flowering maple refers to a group of plants belonging to the Malvaceae family, which is the same as familiar hibiscus plants. Leaves of these species resemble that of the maples, resulting in the common name of flowering maple.

When the plant flowers, you will see similarities to hibiscus flowers in the texture of the petals and structure of the bud. One difference is that these flowers are bell shaped. Flowers range in color with the most common being red, pink, and orange, depending on the species. Flowering occurs during the summer, attracting both hummingbirds and butterflies.

Lake County is in the perfect location to grow these plants. Being adapted to USDA hardiness zones 8-10, our zone 9 is an ideal location to grow these interesting plants. These plants can be 18 inches to 10 feet high at maturity, depending on which species you select. It is important to know the mature height of our selected plant to ensure that you can select the best planting location in your landscape.

When selecting a location, you will need an area of full sun to part shade with well-drained soil. These plants are not adapted to drought and do best in an area that receives regular watering, such as a rain garden. If you would like to see an example, come visit our Discovery Gardens to see this plant in our demonstration rain garden. The Discovery Garden is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Maintenance requires pruning, fertilizing, and checking for pests. Pruning should occur in the spring. It is recommended to reduce the previous year’s growth by half to maintain the size. Plants may become leggy if not pruned regularly. During the summer flowering season, spent blooms can be removed to encourage additional blooms.

When fertilizing, use a ring of mulch around the dripline of the plant. You are making a mulch dish around the roots to hold water and fertilizer. Liquid or slow release fertilizers are both acceptable in the yearly feeding of these plants. Common pest problems include soft scale, oleander scale and white flies. Both oleander and soft scale produce honeydew, which can result in sooty mold. You may also notice ants on your plant. Horticultural oil can be used to manage the scale and whitefly.

If you are interested in more Florida Friendly plants, come to the Discovery Garden plant sale on Saturday, Nov. 21. We are located at 1951 Woodlea Rd, Tavares, FL 32778. Advanced tickets are required for admittance. Get yours here: lakediscoverygardensprograms.eventbrite.com (Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/ufifas-extension-lake-county-31014058283)

Extension programs are open to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, age, disability, religion, or national origin.

Jamie Daugherty is the Residential Horticulture Agent of the UF/IFAS Lake County Extension office. Email her at jdaugherty@ufl.edu.