Room maple has little in common with the majestic maple species in our forests. Only the shape of the leaves of South American Abutilon species is reminiscent of sycamore maple, Norway maple or field maple. Beautiful mallows compensate for the lack of winter hardiness with a never-ending flowering period. Tips on the location and care of indoor maple show what is important when it comes to flower beauty.
How do you care for a maple tree as a houseplant?
An indoor maple tree needs a bright, warm location, constantly slightly moist substrate and regular fertilization. In March, cut back the shoots by a third and repot them. Temperatures of 19-24 degrees Celsius in summer and 12-15 degrees Celsius in winter are ideal.
Bright, warm location is ideal
A window seat with mild sunshine in the morning or evening offers the perfect lighting conditions for an indoor maple tree. The blazing midday sun, on the other hand, causes flowers and leaves to languish. A location on the south side of the house should therefore have the option of shading.
Abutilon species are not hardy, so their minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius. Pleasant temperatures of 19 to 24 degrees Celsius in summer and 12 to 15 degrees Celsius in winter are unanimously approved by Schönmalven.
Care only requires basic knowledge
Beautiful mallow is the ideal plant for beginners. As the following care tips show, the bar for a richly flowering indoor maple is not set high:
- Keep the substrate constantly slightly moist without waterlogging forming
- Let the soil dry between waterings
- In March cut back all shoots by a third
- After pruning, repot into fresh substrate
- Fertilize liquidly every 14 days from April to September
The conditions during wintering determine whether the flower show continues or your indoor maple takes a winter break. In a dark location with temperatures of 10 to 12 degrees Celsius, the plant sheds its flowers and leaves. In a bright spot near a window at 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, a beautiful mallow sees no reason to retreat for the duration of the winter.
Moisture meter indicates watering requirement
In winter, watering houseplants correctly is a particular challenge. Too wet is just as fatal as too dry. Long guesswork about the current watering needs of your indoor maple is a thing of the past when you insert a moisture meter (€39.00 on Amazon) into the substrate.
Tip
Lice don't care whether they attack an impressive maple tree or a flowering indoor maple tree. Therefore, check your garden maple and indoor maple alike for aphids. Get to the pests in good time, fight the plague with soapy water made from 1 liter of water, 50 milliliters of soft soap and 1 teaspoon of spirit.
