Hi, I am

Bella

WHO'S

THIS

CUTIE?

Hi! I am Bella.

My Latin name is Abutilon. You may also know me as the Chinese Lantern, since my flowers resemble little lanterns. At Plantanious, I grow in three different varieties. Yellow has, as the name suggests, yellow flowers. Red Trumpet has red flowers. Big Bell has larger multicoloured flowers in red and yellow.

Originally, I come from the tropical regions of Central and South America, but nowadays I can also be found in Africa, Asia and Australia. In nature, I can grow up to 3 metres tall! I am a member of the Malvaceae family.

Quick guide

meetlint

Height: 70 - 80 CM

plantenpot

Diameter: 19 CM

zon

Semi-shade to sunny

water

Water: very frequent watering during blooming season

voeding

Twice a month, not during winter

schaar

remove spent flowers

Monstera blad

MORE INFO

  • What is my fave spot?
  • I like to stand in a bright place where I can also catch some sunrays. This way, you can enjoy my floral splendour until autumn. Be careful with the fierce midday sun. I also like a warm place that is well protected from the wind. You can put me in a pot as well as in the full ground.

  • Am I winter hardy?
  • I am not winter hardy. If you have me in a pot, you can also bring me inside to hibernate. In this case, bring me inside in the garage before the temperature drops below 10 degrees. As soon as the days get longer, the sun shines again and the temperature rises, you can bring me outside again. This is usually from April onwards. Be careful with night frost!

  • How much water do I drink?
  • It is important that, during the flowering season from April to September, my soil stays moist at all times. In the open ground I have a larger water storage than when I’m in a pot, so in a pot I need more water. When I am in a pot, it is very important to have holes in the bottom of the pot so excess water can drain away. If water stays on the bottom of the pot, my roots will rot. If you let me hibernate, I will need less water during this period.

  • How much fertilizer do I need?
  • During the flowering season, which runs from April to September, I like to have fertilizer every two weeks. Please stick to the recommended amount that’s stated on the packaging. Outside the flowering season you don’t need to give me any fertilizer.

  • When do I need to be repotted?
  • If you’ve planted me in a pot, it is helpful to know that I need a new, larger pot with fresh potting soil every year to keep growing. Do this in spring when I can go outside again, so I can quickly recover from my move. I grow best in standard potting soil.

  • When do I need to be pruned?
  • If you have me in a pot, you can prune me in spring once I can go outside again. During the flowering season, you can remove my dead flowers to encourage new growth.

  • Did you know that...
  • My flowers look like lanterns! Take a good look. Aren't they festive?

  • Am I edible?
  • No, I am not edible.

I like to stand in a bright place where I can also catch some sunrays. This way, you can enjoy my floral splendour until autumn. Be careful with the fierce midday sun. I also like a warm place that is well protected from the wind. You can put me in a pot as well as in the full ground.

I am not winter hardy. If you have me in a pot, you can also bring me inside to hibernate. In this case, bring me inside in the garage before the temperature drops below 10 degrees. As soon as the days get longer, the sun shines again and the temperature rises, you can bring me outside again. This is usually from April onwards. Be careful with night frost!

It is important that, during the flowering season from April to September, my soil stays moist at all times. In the open ground I have a larger water storage than when I’m in a pot, so in a pot I need more water. When I am in a pot, it is very important to have holes in the bottom of the pot so excess water can drain away. If water stays on the bottom of the pot, my roots will rot. If you let me hibernate, I will need less water during this period.

During the flowering season, which runs from April to September, I like to have fertilizer every two weeks. Please stick to the recommended amount that’s stated on the packaging. Outside the flowering season you don’t need to give me any fertilizer.

If you’ve planted me in a pot, it is helpful to know that I need a new, larger pot with fresh potting soil every year to keep growing. Do this in spring when I can go outside again, so I can quickly recover from my move. I grow best in standard potting soil.

If you have me in a pot, you can prune me in spring once I can go outside again. During the flowering season, you can remove my dead flowers to encourage new growth.

My flowers look like lanterns! Take a good look. Aren't they festive?

No, I am not edible.

Fave spot

Where should you place me?

Put me in a light, sheltered spot, but beware of the intense midday sun.

Care tips

Medic heart

What do I like?

Give me a good drink of water regularly, I need it during the flowering season! Some fertilizer twice a month is also very welcome. Outside the flowering season, I do not need any fertilizer and less water.

Adopt Rainforest

Plantanious works together with the Work with Nature foundation. Our tropical rainforests are disappearing at a rapid pace and an enormous biodiversity is being lost along with the trees. If it were up to us, the jaguar would soon walk around again in the rainforest in Costa Rica protected by 'Adopt Rainforest'! The place where many of our special plants originate. In order to make an important contribution to the goal of the foundation - to protect 2,000 hectares of rainforest in the next ten years - we donate part of our turnover to protect part of the tropical rainforest. To achieve their goal, the foundation puts money into protection, conservation, reforestation, education and research.