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Photo Credit: Lane Greer

These hybrids show the range of bloom colors that flowering maples provide.

Ever wonder how plants get their names? Some just don’t seem to fit when you first hear them. But then you think about it, and bam – it’s right on! Take flowering maple, for example. The plant sure does have wonderful flowers, but it isn’t actually a maple. (Heck, it’s not even a tree.) But if you take a good look, you’ll notice the plant’s lobed leaves look a lot like the foliage of many maple trees. So its name actually fits.

In fact, flowering maples (Abutilon x hybridum and other species) are tender shrubs that are used as annuals. The plant’s showy flowers are similar to hibiscus blooms, and they come in shades of white, yellow, orange, pink or red. (The big difference between hibiscus and many flowering maples, however, is that flowering maples have down-facing flowers that never fully open.)

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Photo Credit: Lane Greer

Flowering maples are often cherished for their variegated leaves.

Flowering maples come in all shapes and sizes. (You may notice that the main species name is “hybridum,” meaning “hybrid.” This is a clue as to why there are so many different-looking flowering maples.) Some have large, outward-facing blooms, while most have small, pendent ones. Growth habits also vary greatly: Some varieties are vining, some are shrubby and tall, and others remain short and happy all their lives. Their height, which depends on the cultivar, varies from 1-6 feet, although most plants average around 1½-3½ feet tall.

No matter which you choose, flowering maples need full sunlight (or give them just a teensy bit of shade). Make sure they’ve got good garden soil, too. They combine beautifully with a variety of plants. Consider mixing Abutilon with white and yellow plants, oranges and blues, or shades of red in your garden. (Depending on bloom color and leaf variegation, flowering maple might clash with hot pinks and muddy purples.)