About
Abutilon x milleri hort. 'Variegatum' is an evergreen shrub characterized by its slender, arching stems and variegated leaves featuring yellow mottling. During the summer and autumn months, it bears drooping, bell-shaped flowers in shades of red and orange. This plant thrives when positioned against a sunny wall in protected locations; however, in less sheltered areas, it is advisable to cultivate it in a container and bring it indoors during winter.
About the genus
Abutilon encompasses a variety of growth forms, including evergreen and deciduous shrubs, trees, perennials, and annuals. The foliage can be either simple or palmately lobed, and the flowers are typically bell-shaped or bowl-shaped, frequently featuring prominent stamens.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H3
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 1-1.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.5-1 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Under glass, grow in peat-free, loam-based compost in full light. While in growth water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly. Water sparingly in winter. In milder areas train against a warm wall
- Pruning
- Pruning group 9 or pruning group 13 for wall-trained specimens
- Propagation
- Propagate by softwood cuttings in spring
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly, glasshouse red spider mite, mealybugs and scale insects
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely) or a virus