Common Name:

General Information

Abutilon incanum is a perennial plant with erect stems that become more or less woody and persist; it can grow 100 - 240cm tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of fibre.
Abutilon incanum has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southwestern N. America - Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico to northern Mexico (Baja California, Sinaloa, Sonora); Pacific - Hawaii

Habitat

Open, arid habitats, hills and plains; at elevations up to 1,000 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Shrub
Height	1.80 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a sunny position[]. Grows best on rich bottom lands[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

A fibre is extracted from the bark[].
The native Zotlahuacar people, who live 40 miles south of Manzanillo, are said to utilize the firer in making hammocks, ropes, and carrying nets, which are so durable that they last from seven to ten years in constant use[].
When the plant is mature, the lateral branches are cut away and the stems are buried in the mud at the edge. Three or four days afterwards the plants are removed and washed, and are then ready for the stripping of the inner bark or fibre. This is done in the following manner: The workman, standing upright, with the stem, which rests lirmly upon the ground, in his left hand, presses the right thumb firmly upon the stick, and taking the fibre between the fingers, he pulls steadily, bending gradually to the work until he falls upon his knees. When the fibre is removed, the stem rebounds and flies over the shoulder of the operator, stripped of half its bark. This seems a very slow process, but jute was formerly cleaned as slowly, and it was only after many and repeated trials that machinery was perfected to perform this tedious work. Probably if this, like jute, is allowed to die before cutting, it would become brittle and fit only for paper manufacture; therefore, in more northern latitudes, it may be best to cut the plants before frost. Experiments will be necessary to ascertain the proper time for cutting, the length of time it should be immersed, if water will accomplish the same result as mud, rendering the bark soft and pliable[].

Propagation

Seed -