This abutilon was featured in my first Bloom Day post almost a year ago. It is in bloom nearly every month of the year and a pleasure every day. I was so happy to discover May Dreams Gardens and Carol’s generous community of bloomers. I was a new blogger and it was my first experience of community and help with a new enterprise.
My large Christmas cactus which was so maginificent a few days ago is starting to look a bit bedraggled, but this smaller plant, which was living in a much cooler room, is just now coming into its own. It was interesting to see how cool temperatures can retard blooming, and extend it.
I am also forcing bulbs, but perhaps I’ve kept them in the cool too long. I just brought them out into our main living space where it is warmer and growth is more active. Maybe I’ll have a forced bloom in February.
That first plant is so neat. Love Christmas cactuses and Ihope your bulbs will do well, I sure the will.
I remember my grandmother used to have several Christmas cactus’s in her unheated back porch. They did great their. Thanks for sharing – nice blog!
Darla, the abutilon or parlor maple is indeed a great plant.
Alan, Surprisingly Christmas cactus can take a lot of cold, short of freezing. Glad you stopped by.
Pat,
I love abutilon. I really should add one to my indoor garden, don’t you think?
Colleen, You absolutley should have an abutilon. It is no trouble and nearly 12 months of bloom.
I want an abutilon. In fact, I think I bought a packet of seeds of some kind of abutilon. Now I wonder where they are? I need to find them, sow them, and then maybe next January, I’ll have some blooms on them.
Thanks for joining in for bloom day!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
I have a Christmas Cactus too — S. bridgesii. Yours is lovely. I like the Flowering Maple too. I must try one of those.
I admire that in your climate you still garden inside.
I have this same abutilon but left it outside. Our weather is mild enough that it will come back this spring but it would have been nice to have blooms right about now.
Your smaller Christmas cactus looks great. Puts my one little bloom to shame!
Lydia – I don’t do much gardening inside, and although I welcome the winter respite I can’t seem to stop completely.
Grace – I enjoy the abutilon tremendously and I think it loves its summers outdoors on the piazza.
Kathy, all your small Christmas cactus needs is more time – but less than you think.
Abutilons are very generous with their blooms, aren’t they? My pink one blooms for most of the year too. I bought a variegated leaved variety with apricot flowers last summer (Gold Dust). This one so far hasn’t bloomed much. I’m hoping it’ll start soon.
Your Christmas cactus put on a great show.
Kerri, Thanks for visiting. I’ve seen that variegated abutilon and I think it is just beautiful.