ABUTILON KENTISH BELLE
FOR NEXT AVAILABILITY SEE ABUTILON AV LIST. Kentish Belle is a lovely and deservedly popular abutilon cultivar whose tall arching habit lends it well to growing against a fence or wall or over a pergola. There it will produce a seemingly continuous display of dangling orangey yellow flowers with a dark red calyx. Semi-evergreen and hardy to around -5C (RHS H3) or perhaps a little more. Pot size - available ex 1 litre or 2 litre pot.
Position : sun or semi-shade.
Soil : any reasonable soil.
Height : 150 to 200 cm / 5 to 8 ft.
Abutilons are subject to being pruned back in the following circumstances: in spring and intermittently throughout the growing season to promote new growth, and when required for packing of online orders.
Kentish Belle is one of the older varieties of abutilon, dating back to the 1950s when it was raised and named by Mr A V Pike, then head gardener at Hever Castle in Kent (hence the Kentish Belle bit). The same man was also responsible for another abutilon hybrid, A. Cynthia Pike (named after his daughter), as well as Buddleia Pikei Hever. Kentish Belle is a hybrid of Abutilon Megapotamicum, from which it inherits its flower shape and growth habit, along with its good degree of frost resistance. It is indeed properly hardy outdoors down here in the south of England, particularly if grown against a wall, which suits this plant well.
There is a helpful and interesting article on growing Abutilon Kentish Belle by Noel Kingsbury of the Daily Telegraph which you can read here.
Care is easy. If growing against a wall or fence, wire the main leading stems in a fan or espalier style and keep the side shoots pruned as required; if you have it in a pot, bush style, hard pruning in the spring and routine trim backs thereafter will keep it suitably compact. As suggested above, Kentish Belle is hardy enough in a sheltered spot in most locations, but if in doubt or should severe winter conditions prevail, use fleece as protection or, if in a pot, bring it in to a conservatory, greenhouse or shed. The RHS rate it as H3 (ie to -5C): our experience suggests it will take lower than that, and Bob Brown of Cotswold Garden Flowers goes so far as to suggest it could be H5 (ie as far down as -15C).
All the usual abutilon care advice applies - prune hard in spring, lightly through the season, water well and feed regularly. Grow in a sheltered position or large pot in free-draining soil and protect or bring in, if necessary, in harsh winter conditions. For more information and advice, see our other site abutilons.uk.
Abutilon Kentish Belle is a fairly hardy evergreen shrub with hanging bell shaped orangey yellow flowers on arching stems in spring, summer and autumn.
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