The flowering maple (not a true maple) may drop its buds due to insufficient light--or too much sun. When first put out of doors, the temperature change may cause such drop. It should be given casual changes--out for a short stay, brought back in, out for longer stays until well adapted. The amount of sunlight at either place--in or out--may be too much or too little when the change takes place. Improper watering or maybe fertilized at the wrong time or in the wrong amounts may bring on bud drop as well. Changing the individual cause might show a change for the good.

A plant's negative reaction to root disturbance can be due to a number of reasons. For some plants, root disturbance lays the plant's roots open to infection by soil borne pathogens that can kill the plant. (Proteas!) For others, a change in soil level can do it. This is because the oxygen level in the soil changes. Too much deeper and the roots don't get enough oxygen and they fail. For Abutilon which is a relatively thirsty plant it could be that the roots stop taking up moisture, or the top growth needs considerably more moisture than the disturbed roots can provide. In addition, the Abutilon root system is relatively large, so losing some of it is very stressful to the plant. What I do when transplanting just about anything is to provide temporary shade via a shade cloth covering a cylinder of wire fencing until the plant can once again take the level of hot California sunshine that it could previously handle. I try to get as much of the root ball as is physically possible. I keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. If the plant fails, well then...garden center retail therapy for the plant owner is advised. ;^)

Thank you, guys! Joyce, the variegated plant in the first row is Nicandra "splashes of cream" reseeded itself. The 2nd one is an Abutilon from Karyn. Lucy, Precious will keep you smiling!:) Kristy,hope it cools off a little, so you can get outside & weed. Siam, The yellow flower is lanceleafed coreopsis. It really is a happy color!There are single and double flowers. I can save seeds for you:)I have 2 waterlilies, one is a beautiful white and the other is Berit Strawn,a changeable yellow/peach/pink waterlily. I ordered a tropical one named"Colorata". Should be here anyday. *** I have seedlings of VKMOTTG & BALFOURI IMPATIENS(purple orchid-looking flower), ANISE HYSSOP & WATERLILY TUBERS if anyone wants them.LMK ;) THERESA

I know this is an older thread but thought I would post my info. I have two,one was purchased at a local garden center and was labeled Abutilon pictum 'Thompsonii' (Wrong label I think) and the other was from cuttings sent to me from a hummer gardener in the Houston area. The one from Houston that I started from the cuttings is about 7ft. tall and is in a 10 inch container. The nursery purchased one is about 12 inches tall in a 10 inch container. I was advised not to put them in the ground and then dig them up because it is too stressful on these plants to dig them up AND bring them inside to adjust to lower light and drier air. I was also advised to only go up one pot size if I repot and to repot in spring. The taller one has adjustes perfectly to being indoors and continues to bloom. I keep it in front of my patio doors (west facing) in the kitchen where the humidity is a little higher from cooking than in the rest of the house. I need to prune out the top as it is really too tall right now but it is still full of blooms at the top also and I hate to lose them but I know it is inevitable. Penny