The delightful bell-shaped pendant flowers come in luminescent yellows, pinks, oranges and reds.
Watch: How to add colour to your winter garden
Hanging like sweet little petticoats on a tree, the flowers of Chinese lanterns (Abutilon sp.) are certainly a sight to behold. Their delicate, lantern-like blooms open in spring and continue right through to autumn, profusely covering the graceful, slender branches in cheerful single and bi-coloured shades of red, orange and yellow, as well as white, pink and lilac.
How to grow Chinese lantern
Chinese lanterns are drought-tolerant plants suitable for growing in most parts of Australia, except cold, mountainous regions.
When Chinese lanterns are not in bloom, the handsome, evergreen maple-like foliage provides the garden with year-round appeal.
Popular Chinese lantern varieties Australia
This fast-growing shrub can reach between 1.5-2m tall, although there are dwarf forms that grow less than 1m high, ideal for courtyards and balconies. Several varieties of Chinese lanterns are available in Australia; the most common is Abutilon x hybridum, which grows into a graceful shrub with distinct pendulous lantern blooms. Other varieties include Abutilon vitifolium and Abutilon megapotamicum. All grow well in the garden or pots and are a highlight for any backyard – give them a go!
Chinese lantern plant care
Chinese lanterns grow well in most parts of Australia, and can tolerate light to moderate frosts once established. To protect Chinese lanterns from frost in colder areas, grow in pots and move somewhere warm for winter.
Soil
Rich, well-drained. In pots, use a good-quality potting mix.
Aspect
Full sun but will tolerate part shade with morning sun.
Water
Dry-tolerant but will need extra watering and mulching in arid zones. Take care not to flood them though – they don’t like wet feet! You may need to increase watering frequency in summer, but water sparingly in winter. If growing in pots, check plants often, as potting mix tends to dry out faster than garden soil.
Food
In spring and autumn with controlled-release fertiliser.
Size
When mature 2-3m.
Pests/Disease
The hibiscus beetle makes holes in leaves and flowers. Heavy frosts damage plant tissue.
Pruning
In winter (or spring in frost-prone areas) to keep from getting leggy.
Flowering time
Late winter to summer.
How to fertilise Chinese lantern plants
Feed annually in spring and autumn with a controlled-release fertiliser.
During the flowering season, feed periodically with a liquid fertiliser designed to promote flowering.
How to prune Chinese lanterns
Prune young plants to encourage bushiness and flowering. For established plants, remove old twigs and dead wood and roughly prune back by one-third in late winter or early spring, just before plants put on new growth.
If your plant starts to look leggy, give it a hard prune – cut branches back to around 20cm from the main trunks.
Lucky strike
Abutilons propagate easily from cuttings. Simply take a firm tip cutting in late spring or summer and remove the flowers and lower leaves, leaving at least 3-4 leaves at the top. Fill a pot with propagating mix, then use your finger to make a shallow planting hole in mix – insert cutting, backfill and water.
Position pot in an area with filtered sunlight and the cutting should take root within 4-6 weeks. You can also strike cuttings by sitting them in a few centimetres of water for several weeks, until roots form at the base.
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