Chinese Lantern Abutilon
abutilon pictum

days to maturity:
plant spacing: 1 plant per 6 square feet
sunlight requirements: 8-14 hours
look out for: nothing!
harvest notes: not edible 
perennial

Since this plant has so many names we are often combining them improperly and making up fake ones by accident. Flowering maple, Chinese Lantern, red veined Indian Mallow and Abutilon are the most common ones for this beautiful mallow variety. You may recognize the flower shape as a hibiscus variety, and you would be correct, since all hibiscus varieties (even roselle and okra) are in the mallow family. Since all hibiscus flowers are edible, that means this cutie is too! Expect your Chinese Lantern shrub to get about 8 feet tall and flower year round. It will respond well to pruning for shape and will make lots of flowers on its new growth. When harvesting the flowers to eat keep an eye out for bees hanging out in the bell shaped flower, they love the pollen!