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Abutilon Leaves deformed #592846

Asked August 28, 2019, 5:03 PM EDT

Hello! I’m so happy to have found you! I have an Abutilon which I love, But I’m afraid a mystery “disease or insect is going to kill it! It is an indoor plant, and we have no pets. Recently, the leaves have become deformed, there are holes, and it looks like something is chewing on the plant. Although, at present, it is flowering. I have looked at the plant VERY carefully, with a magnifying glass at day and again at night, with a flashlight, but cannot find anything that might be causing the deformed leaves. In the past, the plant has had scale, so I’m familiar with that, but it definitely doesn’t have scale now. I have tried spraying it with Neem Oil, but to no avail. Can you offer some insight as to what might be causing this problem? Attached are photos of the leaves. Thank you for any advice you can provide! Leigh

Marion County Oregon

Expert Response

Thank you for your question, Leigh. There are few Extension resources available about these plants as houseplants, but here is one which counts the indoor pests most common: https://wimastergardener.org/article/flowering-maple-abutilon-spp/ Outside, they have a few more insect friends: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/abutilon.html Of those, the one least observable would be this Fuller rose beetle (since it lives in the soil), and your plant’s leaves are notched, an indication of a chewing pest: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/INVERT/fullerrosebeetle.html Perhaps you can try the sticky tape (Tanglefoot is one brand) to the stem, prune as recommended, and see if you have less of a problem. Good luck!
An Ask Extension Expert Replied September 03, 2019, 1:02 PM EDT

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