Abutilon 'Kentish Belle' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Abutilon 'Kentish Belle' — 17cm / 2L17cm / 2L
Abutilon 'Kentish Belle' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Hardy Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'

Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'

£17.99
Protect from hard frostSun-lovingLoved by pollinators
Pot size
17cm / 2L £17.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up
Description

Abutilon 'Kentish Belle' strings a warm wall with lanterns for half the year: pendent apricot-gold bells hanging from wine-red calyces on dark, wiry stems, opening from early summer until the first real frosts. Bumblebees climb inside them all season, and in mild gardens the show barely stops for winter.

It is the classic hardy abutilon for British outdoor growing: rated H3, to around -7C with a south or west wall at its back, regrowing from low wood after a rare harder winter. Semi-evergreen, fast, and generous beyond reason.

How and where to grow

  • Position: full sun on a warm wall or fence.
  • Soil: fertile, free-draining.
  • Size: to around 2-2.5 m trained on wires.
  • Hardiness: H3 with wall shelter; mulch the base in cold gardens.

Train it with its ember-toned sibling 'Patrick Synge' and trailing A. megapotamicum for a wall of mingled lanterns above an exotic border. It feeds pollinators deep into autumn and slots into our hardy exotics range and plants for pots alike.

Nursery-grown, well-branched plants. Winter honesty in our seasonal expectations guide.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Hardy Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Hardy Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'

Abutilon 'Kentish Belle' needs full sun and well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Semi-Hardy (H3): down to around −5°C. Half-hardy; reliable in mild or coastal gardens, protect in colder areas.

Rated H3, to around -7C on a warm wall; the classic UK abutilon for outdoor growing. In cold gardens it may cut back and regrow from low down; mulch the base. Read moreShow less

Rated H3, to around -7C on a warm wall; the classic UK abutilon for outdoor growing. In cold gardens it may cut back and regrow from low down; mulch the base.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Full sun against a south or west wall or fence; flowers on and on with warmth. Read moreShow less

Full sun against a south or west wall or fence; flowers on and on with warmth.

Soil

LoamSandChalkWell-drainedMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Fertile, free-draining soil; dislikes winter wet at the root. Read moreShow less

Fertile, free-draining soil; dislikes winter wet at the root.

Watering

Water through the first summer; established wall plants need little beyond a spring mulch and feed. Read moreShow less

Water through the first summer; established wall plants need little beyond a spring mulch and feed.

Mature size

Height1.5-2.5 m
Spread1.5-2 m

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Climbing

Flowering

Jun-Oct · Yellow, Orange, Red

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Semi-evergreen

Pruning

In spring, shorten last year's shoots by a third, remove winter-damaged wood and tie in; flowers come on new growth.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets; flowers are edible as a garnish.

Native range

Garden origin (S. America)

Family

Malvaceae

Also known as

Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'

Genus

Abutilon
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'?

The best-loved hardy abutilon: a lax, wiry shrub dripping from summer to the frosts with lantern flowers of soft apricot-gold hanging from wine-red calyces on dark stems. Trained on a warm wall it flowers for five months and more.

How hardy are abutilons outdoors?

'Kentish Belle' is one of the toughest, H3, to around -7C with a warm wall at its back. Hard winters may cut it to low wood, from which it usually regrows. Our seasonal expectations guide explains what a cold winter can mean.

How do I train it on a wall?

Tie the flexible stems to wires or trellis as they extend, fanning them out so light reaches every shoot. In spring, shorten last year's growth by a third and remove weak shoots; flowers come on the new wood.

How long does it flower?

From early summer until the first proper frosts, five months in a good year, and nearly year-round in the mildest gardens. Bees climb right inside the lanterns.

What does it pair with?

Its trailing cousin Abutilon megapotamicum and the deeper-toned 'Patrick Synge' make a lantern-covered wall; below, use the exotic border palette.

Is abutilon safe for pets?

Yes, abutilons have no reported toxicity to dogs or cats, and the flowers are even edible as a salad garnish. A worry-free wall shrub for family gardens.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Abutilon 'Kentish Belle'
£17.99