ABUTILON megapotamicum

Perennial and semi-deciduous shrub, native to South America, with a light, fluffy, ethereal stinging habit with thin, long and supple stems covered with rich and colorful blooms for many months of the year, especially in mild climates. It reaches heights of up to 2-3 meters and expands in width in almost the same way. The leaves, alternate and thin, ovate-lanceolate or even tricuspid in shape, with sharp apices and serrated margins, conspicuously petiolate, glabrous, are dark green. Between late spring and autumn flowers swing happily from the original branches: the chalice, with sepals welded almost like a funny "cap", is voluminous and red in color and almost "swallows" the corolla formed by pointed yellow petals with center a pronounced pistil. With its unusual shape, this bloom recalls oriental lamps, from which the common name of "Chinese lantern plant" derives.

It grows well in bright, sunny locations: however, it is good to avoid full sun and choose semi-shady places in warmer regions. It adapts to any type of soil, but prefers rich, humid and well-drained ones. It tolerates winter temperatures of a few degrees below zero, so in colder locations it is advisable to place the plant in a protected place or shelter it in a cool and bright environment in winter. It does not tolerate long periods of drought, and indeed takes advantage of periodic summer wetting. In coastal areas, it is good to avoid points exposed to sea winds, as their salinity could be harmful to the plant. In autumn, or sometimes at the vegetative restart in spring, however, risking a delayed flowering, it may be useful to clean this bush from dry parts, old or broken branches and with the opportunity to shorten the various stems to improve its tillering and increase its subsequent production of flowers. It lends itself to cultivation in medium-sized pots and containers on terraces and balconies; in the open ground, we can exploit its sarmentose nature and guide the stems on fences and metal nets, as well as use a single specimen as a large bush to color joyfully and elegantly any corner of our garden.