Abutilon purpurascens PFAF Plant Database

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Abutilon purpurascens - (Link.)Schum.

Common Name

Family

Malvaceae

Synonyms

A. esculentum. A.St.Hill.

Known Hazards

None known

Habitats

Not known

Range

S. America - Brazil.

Edibility Rating

Medicinal Rating

Care

Summary

Physical Characteristics

Abutilon purpurascens is an evergreen Shrub growing to 2.4 m (7ft 10in).
It is hardy to zone 9. It is in leaf 12-Jan It is in flower from Jul to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Habitats
Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Flowers. Edible Uses: Flowers - cooked. Used as a vegetable[1, 2, 105, 177].

Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally. None known

Other Uses
None known

Cultivation details

Requires full sun or part day shade and a fertile well-drained soil[200]. Plants are not very hardy in Britain, they tolerate light frosts and so can be grown outdoors in the mildest areas of the country but are best if given a minimum temperature of 10°c over the winter[133]. It is probably best to grow them outdoors in a tub during the summer and overwinter them indoors from October to April or May[1]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - sow March in a warm greenhouse. The seed germinates in 3 - 4 weeks at 15°c[133]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of young shoots in spring. Very easy, they root quickly[1]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July in a frame[200]. Very easy, they root quickly[1]. Cuttings of mature wood, November in a cold frame.

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Expert comment

Author
(Link.)Schum.

Botanical References
200

Links / References

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956

Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.

Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.

The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.

[133]Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 1.

Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation.

[177]Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption.

An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of latin names with a brief list of edible parts.

[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.

Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Readers comment

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