Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Painted Flowering Maple (Abutilon pictum)— schedule & NPK

Also called Painted Flowering Maple, Redvein Abutilon, Red Vein Indian Mallow, Redvein Flowering Maple.

More about painted flowering maple

About Painted Flowering Maple

Abutilon pictum · also called Painted Flowering Maple, Redvein Abutilon · flowering

Abutilon pictum is a fast-growing evergreen shrub native to Brazil and Argentina, grown widely for its pendulous bell-shaped orange-yellow flowers with prominent deep red veins and its attractive maple-like lobed leaves. The most commonly grown form, 'Thompsonii', features striking yellow-mottled variegated foliage caused by Abutilon mosaic virus. It thrives in a bright, sheltered position and flowers almost year-round in warm conditions; the key care requirement is a minimum winter temperature above 5°C, making it a conservatory or houseplant in most of the UK. Abutilon is not listed on the ASPCA toxic plants database and is not considered toxic to cats or dogs, though mild gastrointestinal upset may occur if large quantities are consumed.

Growth habit: Upright, fast-growing evergreen shrub with maple-like lobed leaves and pendulous, lantern-shaped flowers borne along the stems.

What fertiliser painted flowering maple actually wants — and why

Painted Flowering Maple is a heavy-blooming flower with a big appetite — a regular high-potash feed through the season is what drives a long, dense display.

A high-potassium ("high-potash") flowering feed — tomato-style or a dedicated bloom/rose feed. Potassium powers flowering; a high-nitrogen feed gives you a leafy plant with disappointing bloom.

For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for painted flowering maple: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.

How often to feed painted flowering maple, and which months

Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For painted flowering maple:

Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser during the growing season from spring to early autumn; a high-potash feed in summer encourages heavier flower production. For a hungry bloomer that means feeding regularly — monthly — right through flowering across the main season (spring through early autumn), tapering as blooming ends.

The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when painted flowering maple is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.

What strength to mix for painted flowering maple

Follow the flowering-feed label rate for painted flowering maple, or half strength if feeding very frequently. These plants genuinely use the nutrients — under-feeding shows up fast as a thin display.

Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water painted flowering maple first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the painted flowering maple watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding painted flowering maple

Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for painted flowering maple:

Lots of lush leaves but few flowers (too much nitrogen).
Scorched leaf edges and salt crust from too-strong or too-frequent feeds.
Soft, sappy growth prone to aphids and mildew.

Signs you are under-feeding painted flowering maple

Sparse, small, short-lived flowers and pale foliage.
A tired plant that stops blooming early in the season.
Weak growth and poor repeat-flowering after the first flush.

If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full painted flowering maple care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.

Flushing and leaching the salts

Container-grown painted flowering maple accumulates feed salts fast with frequent feeding — water until it drains each time and flush pots with plain water every few weeks to prevent scorch.

Organic vs synthetic feeds for painted flowering maple

Organic options

A liquid comfrey or seaweed feed (naturally potassium-rich) plus compost or well-rotted manure as a mulch. UK: comfrey feed, organic Tomorite, or rose feed; US: Espoma Rose-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Feeds and improves soil.

Synthetic / liquid feeds

A high-potash flowering feed on a regular cadence — UK: Tomorite (Levington), Phostrogen or a specialist rose feed; US: Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster or a rose food. Fast, reliable bloom response.

Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.

Fertilising painted flowering maple — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does painted flowering maple need?

A high-potassium ("high-potash") flowering feed — tomato-style or a dedicated bloom/rose feed. Potassium powers flowering; a high-nitrogen feed gives you a leafy plant with disappointing bloom. Painted Flowering Maple is a heavy-blooming flower with a big appetite — a regular high-potash feed through the season is what drives a long, dense display.

How often should I feed painted flowering maple?

Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser during the growing season from spring to early autumn; a high-potash feed in summer encourages heavier flower production. Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser during the growing season from spring to early autumn; a high-potash feed in summer encourages heavier flower production. For a hungry bloomer that means feeding regularly — monthly — right through flowering across the main season (spring through early autumn), tapering as blooming ends.

What strength of feed for painted flowering maple?

What does over-feeding painted flowering maple look like?

Lots of lush leaves but few flowers (too much nitrogen). Scorched leaf edges and salt crust from too-strong or too-frequent feeds. Soft, sappy growth prone to aphids and mildew. Using a high-nitrogen general feed on painted flowering maple is the headline mistake — you grow a big leafy plant with few flowers. The second is simply under-feeding a genuinely hungry bloomer and getting a sparse, short display.

Should I flush the soil of painted flowering maple?