Flowering Maple
Abutilon pictum
Pickup available at Aiken Nursery
Usually ready in 2-4 days
Two things the common names get wrong: it is not Chinese, and it is not a maple. Abutilon pictum comes from the warm river country of southern Brazil and its neighbors, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and the maple lives only in the leaves, which are lobed and toothed enough to have fooled people into "flowering maple." It belongs instead to the mallow family, in good company with hibiscus, hollyhock, okra, and cotton, and it carries that resemblance in every five-petaled bloom.
pictum means painted, and the painting is in the veins: bell-shaped flowers of warm orange, each petal overlaid with fine crimson lines, hung on long thin stalks like lanterns strung along the branch. They open from spring well into fall, are sweet enough to eat, and hummingbirds find them without being told. The Victorians kept this as a parlour plant, a tender thing for the conservatory shelf, and a century and a half on it still has that faintly old-fashioned, hothouse charm. One confession from the family album: several of its speckle-leaved cousins owe their gold-dusted foliage to a virus, kept on purpose and passed plant to plant. This one stays honestly green.
In zone 8 they behave as a dieback shrub, cut hard after the first frost, mounded against the cold, rising again with the heat to hang lanterns from May clear through October. A sheltered corner and a little sun are the whole of the asking. For all the misnamings, it is still one of the surest ways to keep a hummingbird returning to the same warm wall, summer after summer.
Standing on: It is native to southern Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, in the family Malvaceae; "Chinese-lantern" and "flowering maple" are common names, and pictum means "painted." The flowers attract bees and hummingbirds and are edible with a sweet flavor; A. striatum/'Thompsonii'-type relatives develop prized variegated foliage from Abutilon mosaic virus, while A. pictum itself does not. It is in the mallow family alongside hibiscus and is grown as a greenhouse or conservatory plant in cooler climates.
- Hardiness
- USDA Zones 8–10
- Sun
- Full Sun, Part Shade
- Soil
- Moist, Well-drained
- Mature size
- Height 8–10 Feet · Spread 4–6 Feet
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Seasonality
- Dies back, depends on zone
From rooting to shipping, our top priority is ensuring you receive healthy, thriving plants for your garden’s success.
Because most of our plants are grown from rooted cuttings — alongside seed, air layering, and grafting chosen for each variety — you receive a stronger, true-to-type plant that establishes quickly in your garden.
Raised on organic soil blends and eco-friendly pest management — never harsh chemicals — your plant arrives healthy for your garden, your family, and the pollinators they feed.
Every purchase gives back. We donate to the Aiken Arboretum and support local wildlife conservation, so growing your garden helps protect the wider ecosystem too.
All our plant material is carefully propagated, grown, and nurtured at our humble nursery in Aiken, South Carolina.
Your plant arrives carefully packed and ready to settle in. Unpack them promptly, give them a day or two to acclimate, then plant following the notes we include — that’s all it takes. Clear care guidance comes with every order, so success is the easy part.
What to expect upon delivery
All our plants are sold in 1-gallon sizes, though the height of each plant can vary depending on its growth rate and seasonality, typically ranging from 1/2 to 2.5 feet.
Each plant is carefully packaged with its roots enclosed in a secure plastic bag containing moist soil, forming a compact root ball. To ensure safe transport, the box is padded with recycled newspaper, providing both stability and eco-friendly protection from weather during shipping.
What is your return policy?
Review our full return policy information on our SHIPPING AND RETURNS POLICY page.
What payment methods can I use?
We offer 35 different payment methods including major providers like Mastercard, Visa, PayPal, American Express and Diners as well as many different local payment methods including Klarna, iDEAL, AliPay, Sofort, giropay, and many more.
Can I make changes to my order after it’s been placed?
At Woodlanders, we strive to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. Therefore, we can only accommodate changes to your order within the first 24 hours after it has been placed. These changes include adding or removing products and modifying the delivery address. If you need to make any changes or if there has been a mistake with your order information, please reach out to us promptly via our CONTACT page with your order number for the quickest resolution.
Your satisfaction is our priority, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.