{"product_id":"abutilon-megapotamicum","title":"Abutilon megapotamicum","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eAbutilon megapotamicum\u003c\/strong\u003e, known as the \u003cstrong\u003eTrailing Abutilon\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBrazilian Bell-flower\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003eChinese Lantern\u003c\/strong\u003e, is one of the most charming wall shrubs you can grow for a long, exotic display. A lax, arching, semi-evergreen shrub from Brazil, it carries slender stems hung with dainty pendent lanterns, each a rich red calyx opening to clear yellow petals and a tuft of protruding purple stamens. The flowers appear from early summer well into autumn and are magnets for bees, making it a standout in any \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic border\u003c\/a\u003e or trained against a warm wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a plant that rewards a little thought about position. Rated \u003cstrong\u003eRHS H3\u003c\/strong\u003e, it is borderline hardy in the UK and happiest in mild, coastal and city gardens. Position matters here because it is a cold, wet winter, not simple cold, that does these plants in: waterlogged ground together with frost is what kills them, not a dry chill. Grow it against a warm, sheltered south or west facing wall with sharp drainage, or plant it in a pot that can be moved to a bright, frost-free place over winter, and it will sail through where a soggy, exposed plant would fail. See our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ehardy exotics seasonal guide\u003c\/a\u003e for what to expect through the year.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun for the best flowering, in a sheltered spot against a warm, sunny wall.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e fertile, free-draining loam or sand, acid to neutral, with drainage the single most important factor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e reaches around 2 to 2.5 m in height and spread over time, easily kept in check by pruning or in a container.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e RHS H3, tolerating roughly -5C in mild gardens; shelter it from cold, sodden winters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater regularly through the first summer to settle the roots, then keep it on the drier side, especially in winter when soggy soil is the main risk. It is superb trained on wires as a flowering wall shrub, tumbling from a raised bed, or trailing over the edge of a large pot on a sunny patio. For pot culture see our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eplants for pots and containers\u003c\/a\u003e, and its bee-friendly flowers make it a lovely addition to \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pollinators\"\u003eplants for pollinators\u003c\/a\u003e. Its loose, arching habit also makes it useful for softening and clothing a fence or trellis among other \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/screening-plants\"\u003escreening plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of our wider range of \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003ehardy exotic plants\u003c\/a\u003e, every Abutilon we supply is nursery-grown, carefully selected for a healthy root system and packed with care to arrive in top condition, ready to bring months of colourful, exotic flower to a warm corner of your garden.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"9cm \/ 0.5L","offer_id":57976134762879,"sku":"ABUTMEGA9","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/iStock-1336495236.jpg?v=1784325232","url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/products\/abutilon-megapotamicum","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}