I had one of the Bellas outside (zone 8) for a few years until I got tired of the color and dumped it. It was in a huge plastic pot, and under cover.

The rest of my abutilons I bring into the garage for winter--they cost me more than the Bella. Killed a couple by not watering them, though. At this time, I have 3 or 4 outside and blooming, all in pots. I will bring them in before long. Obviously they can take a light frost or two.

They put on just about all new growth each year, and are certainly more shrubby than single trunked. I prune enough to get thru the door into the garage and wait for new growth in spring before I prune off dead branches. If I had room in the house I'd bring them in and coax some flowers over the winter. I love abutilons and all the variances in petal and bud shades. Haven't seen "Huntington Red". "VooDoo" is a dark red and supposedly hardy in zone 8.

Megapotamicum is reliably hardy here - I've grown one for several years in an unprotected container without even significant dieback - as is vitifolium. I grew pictum 'Thompsonii' for a number of seasons before it finally succumbed to a tough winter. 'Nabob', 'Apricot Sorbet', 'Voodoo' and others similar are best treated as annuals or tender perennials and given winter protection. IME, none of these grows sufficiently tall enough to be much appeal to hummers but they love the vining megapotamicum.

There are hardier species of Flowering Maples. I've seen many nice estblished specimens growing here on our island. Some planted more than 12 years ago. I have to dig up some pics. so I can e-mail you Brian. I have small specimens out in my garden I grew from seed. I planted them 6 years ago. Joe

6 years, 12 years ... not much of a trial for a shrub to be "reliably hardy". Thing is, these grow so quick and are so comparatively insubstantial that when they do freeze out or get old they won't be that hard to remove and replace anyway.

Thanks everyone.

Hey Ron, your comment on freezing out and being replaced is hitting the nail on the head. I don't need anything that is going to persist forever. I am simply trying to find plants to fill in all gaps in flowering during winter. Mainly for my wintering hummingbirds. I thought some PNW growers might know of some Abutilon varieties that attract hummers, and have a winter blooming habit. Both of these things have been documented by a couple of online nurseries, but I just wanted to hear from someone with real garden experience. Hey, if they die back, or simply die, it won't be any different than replacing a tender Fuchsia, only the hardier Abutilon hybrids should persist for quite a few more years with luck. Thanks again.

-Brian

Yesterday I heard a hummingbird attending the open flowers of a loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) in Seattle.

Brian, unless they were grown in a conservatory or greenhouse (which kinda defeats the hummer attracting purpose), I'm not sure you'd find many abutilons flowering here in winter. I get the impression you might be into some iffy kind of plants.....have you considered Correa, aka Australian fuchsia? These are for sure winter bloomers and have the shape, color and nectar content that appeals to hummingbirds. They will definitely be marginal for this area, but I've grown Marian's Marvel for several years in a somewhat protected location, moving into cover for only the coldest periods. Starts blooming in mid to late fall and will continue through spring. Not the easiest plant to locate locally - I got mine from Heronswood some years ago and I've not seen another anywhere else except California, but I'm sure you could locate online.

Hi Gardengal.
I do have quite a few unusual plants. Some may say iffy, but most are just uncommon. I have many plants that have survived in the Arboretum for years. Many of the trees in my collection live in Bothell at my parents house. It gets much colder there, and Maytenus, many live Oaks, Embothrium, large Persea yunnanensis etc..have survived for many years, despite people in the nursery trade ( master gardeners ) telling me most are not hardy here. I will try almost anything once at my house in Bremerton though, so I guess iffy would be accurate. Thanks for your suggestion, I have found Correa pulchella 'Pink Flamingo' online, and they claim it has survived undamaged into the teens in Portland area, and blooms from fall to spring. I will probably wait until spring to order this one. I will keep the feeders full until next fall. Thanks again.

Hi Ron.
I have a Eriobotrya japonica, but the question is: will it ever flower? Take care. Guess I just have to hope for the best with some of these plants. Only time will tell.

-Brian

Well - I take my abutilons inside each winter, but I could swear that there's a really big one growing outside by the ocean here in Campbell River (on Vancouver Island)! It's a mauve or lavender-coloured one and it was in full bloom early this summer. It's so big that it must have been there for many years. I plan to stop and ask about it, but with the lack of parking, I never seem to get around to it. Must get on to that task!

By the way, I've looked up this type of flowering maple and it seems they're reliably hardy in parts of England, so I don't see why they wouldn't grow here.

-Gord

Abutilon vitifolium. More hardy than others, but still not fully hardy (none are). In this climate we are right on the border for it. Also likes a warm position with an open soil. I have seen several fail in recent years, probably from a pathogenic problem.

Another that has held up for some years is on ordinary soil in an unwantered garden. A ceanothus that has grown out over it is now the size of a tree.