Arghh,

Another summer has snuck up on me, and AGAIN I haven't cut back my standard trained Abutilon! It looks pretty bad. I have about 4 stems (thankfully well-spaced out) sticking out about 2- 21/2 feet long with growth and flowers mainly at the last foot or so of the stem.

Has anyone cut them back this late, or can advise me what to do. I KNOW I should have cut them back sooner, but it seems like just yesterday it was almost freezing even in the greenhouse where I overwinter the pot, and now it's out on the deck just mocking me with it's spindly arms!

Thanks for any help!

P.S. There is some new growth closer to the main stem, so I could cut it back, but it would almost be by 1/2 or more, and all the articles say don't cut by more than one third, but I guess it's not 1/3 of the total height of the plant if you count the long main trunk of the standard. I wonder if there's any chance I would still get flowers if I cut it back?