Admired for its gracefully tailing stems, the Weeping Chinese Lantern is also grown for its delicate lantern like blooms that last from spring until autumn. Also known as Flowering Maple, it is a member of a family of about 100 shrubs from tropical and temperate areas in South America, particularly Brazil.

This plant is grown as much for its delicate foliage as for its flowers. Its maple-shaped leaves are elongated to a pointed tip and have serrated edges. The flowers appear at the end of long and pendulous stems. At every stage the flowers are very attractive, and gardeners usually opt for this particularly delicate plant when looking for best garden decor ideas. First reddish-orange buds resembling little balloons are produced. The flowers are yellow and have no scent.

The flowering maple has a long blooming season – from spring though until the end of autumn, and in mild climates, into winter. The willowy stems can grow as much as 0.9 to 1.2m during one season. If this plant gets too out of hand for the container or the position you have chosen, snip away excessive stems. Prune it drastically to keep it in scale with the rest of the garden decor.

The Weeping Chinese Lantern (Abutilon Megapotomicum), has plain green leaves, while the most commonly grown variety has yellow markings on the leaves. You can train the stems around hoops or over a small trellis to give the plant a more upright appearance. It will look good trailing over the edge of a pedestal, but better still plant it in a hanging basket and let the stems trail down.

Repot the plant in early spring. Use tip cuttings to grow new plants. Water regularly during the growing season, but let the compost dry out between waterings. If you have enough space for a small trellis, why not train a weeping Chinese lantern to grow against it? It should thrive aundantly, but make sure it is kept out of direct sunlight.