Velvetleaf

Abutilon theophrasti

Velvetleaf grows 3 to 8 feet tall on stout, branched stems and is covered with very soft, velvety hairs. It is a summer annual, which means that it germinates in the spring and flowers in the summer, typically from July to September in this area.

Leaves are large and heart-shaped with pointed tips. Leaves are alternate (grow at different points along the stem), have long, stout leaf stalks and have a distinct odor when crushed.

Flowers are yellow, up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, with five petals that are fused at the base. Flowers grow on stalks and are found singly or in clusters where the leaf stalk meets the stem.

The plant produces pod-like capsules that consists of a cuplike ring formed by 12 to 15 woody segments. The segments stay joined when the seeds mature and they release the seeds through vertical slits on the outside of the capsule.