Abutilon x milleri
Abutilon x milleri
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Abutilon x milleri is a hybrid plant of garden origin that can be grown outdoors in the milder regions of the temperate zone. It can tolerate occasional temperatures down to between -5 to -10°c, especially when given the protection of a warm, sunny, sheltered wall, and is probably hardier than either of its parents[1, 2]. Plants are often deciduous in cold winters[3]. A deep mulch in winter and tying in growth to the wall will maximise protection in winter[2]. If the plant is cut back by cold weather, it will normally resprout from the base in the spring and can flower on the current year's growth[4]. Requires a sunny position or part day shade in a fertile well-drained soil[2]. Dislikes drought[2]. Dead-heading plants to prevent seeding can enhance longevity[2]. Tip-prune young plants to promote a bushy habit, older plants can be cut back hard annually as new growth commences in late winter or early spring if required[2]. There are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[2]. There is a variegated form in cultivation, this variegation is as a result of infection by abutilon mosaic virus[5, 2]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[2].
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse[2]. Germination should take place within a few weeks. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots. Grow them on for at least the first winter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This species is a hybrid, so the seedlings will not be true to type. Cuttings of young shoots, early summer in a frame[2]. Grow on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[2]. Grow on in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant out in spring after the last expected frosts. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Abutilon+x+milleri>
Pollinators
Insects
References
- [1]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
- [2]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
- [3]Gardening on Walls — Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. · Collins · 1983 · ISBN 0-00-219220-0 ↩︎A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
- [4]Climbers and Wall Shrubs. — Davis. B. · Viking. · 1990 · ISBN 0-670-82929-3 ↩︎Contains information on 2,000 species and cultivars, giving details of cultivation requirements. The text is terse but informative.
- [5]Shrubs. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1989 · ISBN 0-330-30258-2 ↩︎Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1,900 species and cultivars.
- [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎