Overview

Bring a burst of tropical color and intricate beauty to your garden or patio with the exquisite Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant. Also commonly known as Flowering Maple, despite not being a true maple, this plant (scientifically Abutilon pictum ‘Tiger Eye’) is celebrated for its truly unique and captivating blooms. Each flower is a delicate, bell-shaped marvel, showcasing a vibrant orange hue intricately veined with deep crimson, resembling a tiger’s eye. This particular specimen arrives as a robust plant, standing between 2 to 3 feet tall and rooted in a convenient 3-gallon pot, ready to be a focal point in your outdoor space. Its upright, bushy growth habit makes it an excellent choice for adding vertical interest and continuous floral display throughout much of the year in warmer climates.

The Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant is a fast-growing, semi-tropical shrub that can thrive in a variety of settings. Whether you’re looking to enhance a sunny border, create a stunning container arrangement, or even grow it as a seasonal indoor plant in cooler regions, its charm is undeniable. Its vigorous growth and prolific flowering capability mean you’ll enjoy its distinctive blooms for an extended period, attracting hummingbirds and admiring glances alike. The ‘Tiger Eye’ cultivar is particularly prized for its vivid coloration and strong performance, making it a favorite among gardeners seeking something beyond the ordinary.

Key Benefits

The Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant offers a multitude of benefits, making it an excellent addition to almost any garden or home. Its unique aesthetic and relatively easy care ensure it stands out.

• Exotic Floral Display: Enjoy a continuous show of unique, bell-shaped orange flowers adorned with striking red veins. These captivating blooms provide a tropical ambiance and are a conversation starter in any setting. The distinctive pattern of the flowers truly makes the Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant a visual delight.

• Attracts Pollinators: The vibrant flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds and other beneficial pollinators, bringing life and movement to your garden space. This makes it an excellent choice for a wildlife-friendly garden.

• Versatile Growing Options: This plant thrives whether planted directly in the garden, used in large patio containers, or even grown as an indoor houseplant in regions with colder winters. Its adaptability makes it suitable for various gardening styles and climates.

• Fast Growing & Prolific Bloomer: The ‘Tiger Eye’ cultivar is known for its relatively fast growth rate and its ability to produce an abundance of flowers over a long season, ensuring a prolonged period of beauty.

• Adds Vertical Interest: With its upright growth habit and mature height of 2-3 feet, this plant adds significant vertical dimension and structure to garden beds and container arrangements.

• Low Maintenance: Once established, the Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant is relatively easy to care for, requiring moderate watering and occasional feeding to maintain its vigor and bloom production.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant is straightforward, ensuring a beautiful display with minimal effort. This semi-tropical shrub thrives in conditions that mimic its native habitat. For optimal growth and prolific flowering, consistent care regarding sunlight, water, and soil is key. Provide your Abutilon with a location that receives full sun to partial shade. In hotter climates, some afternoon shade is beneficial to protect the delicate flowers and foliage from scorching. Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily for the best bloom production. If growing indoors, place it near a bright, south-facing window.

Watering should be consistent, especially during the active growing and flowering season. The soil should be kept moist but never waterlogged. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out slightly between waterings, then water deeply until it drains from the bottom of the pot. Reduce watering frequency during cooler, dormant periods. Well-draining soil is crucial to prevent root rot; a rich, fertile potting mix amended with compost is ideal. Fertilize your flowering maple plant every 2-4 weeks during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer, reducing to once a month or stopping entirely in fall and winter. Pruning can be done to maintain shape, size, and encourage bushier growth and more blooms. Remove any dead or leggy stems, and pinch back new growth to promote branching.

The Abutilon care also includes protecting it from extreme cold. This plant is generally suited for USDA zones 9-11. In colder regions, it can be grown as an annual or brought indoors before the first frost. Watch out for common pests like aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites, especially when grown indoors; address them promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Good air circulation also helps prevent fungal issues. With proper care, your Abutilon will be a stunning addition to your plant collection.

Size & Details

This offering features a robust Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant, expertly grown and ready for transplanting. Each plant stands impressively between 2 to 3 feet tall, providing immediate impact and a substantial presence in your garden or container. It is shipped securely in a 3-gallon nursery pot, ensuring its root system is well-established and healthy for a smooth transition to its new home. The plant exhibits a vigorous, upright to slightly spreading growth habit, reaching a mature height of approximately 6-10 feet and a width of 3-5 feet when planted in the ground in ideal conditions. In containers, its size can be more easily managed through pruning. Expect this orange bell flowers variety to begin blooming from late spring through fall, and even year-round in frost-free climates, offering an extended period of vibrant color.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: This Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant typically grows to a height of 6-10 feet and a width of 3-5 feet when planted in the ground. When grown in a container, its size can be maintained smaller with regular pruning.

• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The plant is shipped in a 3-gallon nursery pot, providing a healthy and established root system for easy transplanting into your garden or a larger decorative container.

• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant can be grown outdoors in USDA Zones 9-11. In colder climates, it is best grown as an annual or brought indoors to overwinter, making it a versatile plant for many environments.

• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This plant thrives in full sun to partial shade, preferring at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily for the best flowering. In very hot climates, partial afternoon shade is beneficial.

• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Abutilon care requirements are relatively straightforward. It needs consistent watering, well-draining soil, and occasional feeding to flourish, making it suitable for gardeners of various experience levels.

• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your Abutilon ‘Tiger Eye’ will arrive as a healthy, live plant, standing 2-3 feet tall and securely rooted in its 3-gallon pot, carefully packed to ensure safe transit.

• Q: When is the best time to plant? A: For outdoor planting, spring after the last frost is ideal. If growing indoors, it can be planted any time of year. This gives the plant ample time to establish before extreme weather.

• Q: What’s the minimum temperature it can tolerate? A: The Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant is sensitive to frost. It can tolerate temperatures down to about 25-30°F (-4 to -1°C) for short periods, but it is best protected or brought indoors when temperatures drop below freezing.

• Q: Why is it called a ‘Flowering Maple’? A: It’s called a flowering maple plant because its leaves resemble those of a maple tree, although it is not botanically related to true maples. This common name helps describe its foliage.

• Q: Does this plant attract butterflies? A: While primarily known for attracting hummingbirds, the vibrant and nectar-rich flowers of the Abutilon Tiger Eye live plant can also attract various species of butterflies to your garden.