Chinese Lantern

Backlit Chinese Lantern [Abutilon hybridum]

One if my favorite day-trips is to San Luis Obispo. There is an old mill there that has been converted into a hotel they still use the water wheel to make small batches of Ice Cream. Right by the water wheel is this beautiful plant. It is called a Chinese Lantern, Chinese Bellflower or Flowering Maple. The latter because of it's Maple shaped leaves, although there is no relation.

There is another plant [Physalis alkekengi] that is also commonly called a Chinese Lantern, it's closely related to the Tomato and the Tomatillo. It's lantern is closed at the bottom, rather than open like these.

• www.thegardenhelper.com
  More info about Chinese Lanterns.
• www.extension.umn.edu
  Physalis alkekengi and friends