Chapter XLI: Some Hardy Flowering Trees and Shrubs (1)

The following are tables of hardy flowering trees and shrubs, and comprise only species and varieties suitable, unless otherwise stated, for almost all parts of the British Isles. An asterisk (*) denotes those of the first importance. This way has been adopted to compress as much information as possible into a small space.

-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME. | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Aesculus (Pavia), |Sapindaceae | |A well-known group
Horse Chestnut, | | |represented most largely by
Buck-eye | | |the Horse Chestnut, which
| | |is the tallest of the
| | |species. The Aesculi
| | |generally are of medium
| | |size, and not very
| | |particular about soil or
| | |position. The smaller
| | |growers were at one time
| | |placed in a distinct genus,
| | |Pavia, but now placed with
| | |Aesculus. The more shrubby
| | |species are welcome in the
| | |garden, where the Horse
| | |Chestnut would be out of
| | |place.
| | |
*AE. carnea |Hybrid between |Bright |This is a handsome tree for
|AE. Hippo- |red; late |the garden, and is
|castanum and AE.|May and |generally about 15 feet
|Pavia. |early June|high in Britain. Its chief
|Synonymous with | |charm is in the profusion
|AE. rubicunda | |and brilliant red colouring
| | |of the flower-spikes. It is
| | |not of quick growth, but
| | |flowers when very young.
| | |It will be found in many
| | |lists under the name of AE.
| | |rubicunda, the red Horse
| | |Chestnut. Rosea is a good
| | |variety recommended by Mr.
| | |Anthony Waterer as a "tree
| | |for planting in smoky
| | |districts." Another fine
| | |variety, peculiarly bright
| | |in flower colouring, is AE.
| | |Brioti.
| | |
AE. flava |A native of |Pale |Those who want a tree in
|Carolina and |yellow |this family of distinct
|Virginia, on | |colour will find pleasure
|mountain slopes;| |probably in this, but its
|introduced in | |colouring is dull, and the
|1764. Sanguinea | |flowers are not plentiful.
|has red flowers.| |
| | |
*AE. Hippocastanum |From the |White; |The common Horse Chestnut
(Common Horse |mountains of |late May |is too well known to
Chestnut) |Greece. Gerard |or early |describe. It is not a tree
|mentions the |June. |for very exposed places, as
|Horse Chestnut |There is |its large leaves offer
|in his "Herbal" |consider- |considerable resistance to
|in 1579 as a |able |the wind, and get torn and
|rare foreign |variation,|unsightly. The double
|tree |as many of|variety (flore-pleno) is
| |the trees |very distinct, having quite
| |in parks |double flowers. Foliis
| |and |aureis variegatis is a
| |gardens |variegated variety, as the
| |have been |name suggests, with
| |raised |blotches of yellow on the
| |from seed |leaves; and laciniata has
| | |cut foliage.
| | |
AE. indica |Nepaul, and |White, |This distinct and beautiful
|other parts of |with |tree is perhaps the rarest
|Northern India. |yellow and|of the Horse Chestnuts in
|On the Himalaya |red |cultivation, and is not so
|the tree reaches|blotches |robust as the common
|a height of 70 |at the |species. It flowered in
|feet, with a |base of |England as long ago as 1858
|trunk 3 feet |the |at Mildenhall in Suffolk,
|through |petals; |but has been little heard
| |Summer |of. It is a tree doubtless
| | |for the Cornish and
| | |Devonshire and southern
| | |coast gardens where the
| | |Himalayan Rhododendrons
| | |thrive well. Sir Joseph
| | |Hooker, during his Himalaya
| | |travels fifty years ago,
| | |saw it loaded with its
| | |white racemes, and equal in
| | |beauty to the common Horse
| | |Chestnut of English parks.
| | |Its foliage is quite
| | |distinct from that of the
| | |other species, the leaflets
| | |numbering seven or nine,
| | |and being of a dark glossy
| | |green. In the other Horse
| | |Chestnuts the leaflets are
| | |usually only five to each
| | |leaf, and never more than
| | |seven. The racemes of this
| | |Indian species are about 8
| | |inches long, the flowers
| | |being white, with blotches
| | |of yellow and red at the
| | |base of the petals.
| | |
*AE. (Pavia) |North America. |White |This is better known as P.
parviflora |On river banks |fragrant |macrostachya, and is a low,
|in Georgia. |flowers |spreading shrub 8 to 10
|Introduced to |sometimes |feet high; the leaves
|England by Mr. |tinged |consist of five to seven
|John Fraser in |with pink,|finely serrated leaflets,
|1786 |and long |covered underneath with a
| |stamens, |whitish tomentum. Although
| |and in |introduced so long ago,
| |long |this August flowering shrub
| |upright |is not common; it is a good
| |racemes |shrub for a small garden,
| | |and is not fastidious about
| | |soil or even situation if
| | |not too shady. It is
| | |increased by suckers thrown
| | |up around the plant. These,
| | |when detached with a
| | |portion of root, soon form
| | |good plants.
| | |
AE. californica |California. 40 |Erect |This is not much known,
|feet in its |spikes of |but is a handsome shrub or
|native country, |white or |tree.
|but not much |delicate |
|more than a |rose; |
|shrub here |sweet- |
| |smelling |
| |flowers; |
| |May |
| | |
*AE. Pavia (P. |North America |Red; |This is the Red Buck-eye,
rubra) | |early |and will grow 15 feet high,
| |summer |but is more often simply a
| | |big shrub. The flowers are
| | |very bright red in colour,
| | |and in loose clusters,
| | |unlike the dense spikes of
| | |the common Horse Chestnut.
| | |The varieties are even
| | |dwarfer. Humilis, for
| | |instance, is only 4 feet.
| | |Atrosanguinea has very dark
| | |red flowers, and those of
| | |whitleyana are brighter
| | |than the type.
| | |
AE. turbinata |Japan |Yellowish |As this has not yet
|(introduced by |white, not|flowered in this country,
|Messrs. Veitch |so large |as far as we are aware, but
|& Sons) |as those |will probably become
| |of the |popular here, the following
| |common |account of it by Professor
| |Horse |Sargent in his "Forest
| |Chestnut |Flora of Japan" will be
| | |interesting:--
| | |
| | |"This, however, is a noble
| | |tree--one of the largest
| | |and stateliest of all the
| | |horse chestnuts. In the
| | |forests of the interior
| | |mountain regions of Central
| | |Hondo, at elevations
| | |between 2000 and 3000
| | |feet, horse chestnuts 80 to
| | |100 feet tall, with trunks
| | |3 or 4 feet in diameter,
| | |are not uncommon. These
| | |were, perhaps, the largest
| | |deciduous trees on the main
| | |island growing naturally in
| | |the forest--that is, which
| | |had not been planted by
| | |men--and their escape from
| | |destruction was probably
| | |due to their inaccessible
| | |position, and to the fact
| | |that the wood of the horse
| | |chestnut is not
| | |particularly valued by the
| | |Japanese. In habit, and in
| | |the form, venation, and
| | |colouring of the leaves,
| | |the Japanese horse chestnut
| | |resembles the horse
| | |chestnut of our gardens,
| | |the Grecian Aesculus
| | |Hippocastanum, and at first
| | |sight it might easily be
| | |mistaken for that tree, but
| | |the thyrsus of flowers of
| | |the Japanese species, which
| | |is 10 or 12 inches long,
| | |and only 2-1/2 to 3 inches
| | |broad, is more slender; the
| | |flowers are smaller, and
| | |pale yellow, with short,
| | |nearly equal, petals,
| | |ciliate on the margins; and
| | |the fruit is that of the
| | |Pavias, being smooth, and
| | |showing no trace of the
| | |prickles which distinguish
| | |the true horse chestnuts.
| | |The Japanese horse chestnut
| | |reaches Southern Yezo,
| | |finding its most northern
| | |home near Mororan, on the
| | |shores of Volcano Bay, at
| | |the level of the ocean; it
| | |is generally distributed
| | |through the mountainous
| | |parts of the three southern
| | |islands, sometimes
| | |ascending in the south to
| | |an elevation of 4000 or
| | |5000 feet. There seems no
| | |reason why this tree, which
| | |has already produced fruit
| | |in France, should not
| | |flourish in our northern
| | |states, where, as well as
| | |in Europe, it is still
| | |little known. In Northern
| | |Japan the fruits are
| | |exposed for sale in the
| | |shops, although they are
| | |probably used only as
| | |playthings for the
| | |children."
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-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME. | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Amelanchier |Rosaceae | |A charming family of
| | |spring-flowering trees,
| | |graceful in growth, and of
| | |moderate stature. There are
| | |four species, but dozens of
| | |names in catalogues; in
| | |fact, the genus is much
| | |mixed up in many books and
| | |lists.
| | |
*A. alnifolia |North-West |White; |This is usually about 8
|America |Spring |feet high; it is very
| | |beautiful with its wealth
| | |of white flowers in compact
| | |clusters or racemes,
| | |followed by purple berries.
| | |In the Kew "Arboretum"
| | |Hand-list no less than ten
| | |synonyms are given.
| | |
*A. canadensis |Canada |White; |This flowers about a month
| |April |before A. alnifolia, and is
| | |one of the first trees to
| | |greet us with its wealth of
| | |snow-white blossom in
| | |spring. It should be
| | |planted in a free group.
| | |Juneberry and Snowy
| | |Mespilus are its popular
| | |names. Eighteen synonyms
| | |are given in the list
| | |referred to, the most usual
| | |being A. Botryapium. No
| | |small garden should be
| | |without this lovely small
| | |tree; it is between 6 and
| | |8 feet high, spreading,
| | |and has purplish fruits,
| | |whilst the leaves die off
| | |deep golden yellow, so that
| | |the Snowy Mespilus has many
| | |beautiful phases. There are
| | |several varieties, but the
| | |species is as beautiful as
| | |any.
| | |
A. oligocarpa |Northern United |White; |This is quite a dwarf
|States, |April and |shrub, 3 feet to 4 feet,
|and found in |May |and the individual flowers
|bogs and swamps | |are 3/4 inch across. As it
| | |is found in moist places it
| | |should be tried in such
| | |positions in Britain.
| | |
A. vulgaris |Europe |White; |This has been in English
| |April |gardens about 300 years.
| | |It is like the Canadian
| | |Juneberry or Snowy
| | |Mespilus, but not so
| | |beautiful. If only one
| | |Amelanchier is required,
| | |choose A. canadensis.
| | |
*Andromeda |Ericaceae; |Pink; |A small shrub about a foot
polifolia |widely |Summer |high, with pretty pink
(Moorwort) |distributed. | |wax-like flowers in summer.
| | |Moist, peaty soil. See
| | |Cassandra, Leucothoe,
| | |Cassiope, Lyonia,
| | |Oxydendron, Pieris, and
| | |Zenobia.
| | |
*Berberis acuminata|Berberideae; |Bronzy |Evergreen shrub with red
|China |yellow |young wood. Introduced by
| | |Messrs. Veitch.
| | |
*B. Aquifolium (Ash|Introduced 1823.|Yellow; |A common, but handsome
Barberry, Syn. |Spread widely |early |evergreen shrub, reaching a
Mahonia Aquifolium)|over the |Spring, |clothed height of 3 to 5
|western side of |dark green|feet, and with dark green
|North America |leaves of |pinnate and leathery
|from Nootka |Summer |leaves. The flowers
|Sound |have a |are bright golden; they are
|southwards. |purplish |succeeded by berries,
| |tinge |purple when ripe, which add
| |after |to the ornamental features
| |frost |of the plant. It is one of
| | |the best shrubs for growing
| | |under trees, and in many
| | |places is planted for game
| | |cover. Distinct varieties
| | |are _fascicularis_, which
| | |is usually 2 feet to 4 feet
| | |high and has narrower
| | |leaflets of a duller green
| | |than the type.
| | |
*B. buxifolia |Chili |Yellow; |An upright evergreen bush 5
(Box-leaved | |April and |feet high, clothed with
Barberry, Syn. B. | |early May |small box-like leaves, and
dulcis) | | |bearing drooping blossoms
| | |borne on unusually long
| | |stalks. It is not so
| | |handsome as B. Darwinii or
| | |B. stenophylla, but
| | |flowering before them is on
| | |that account valuable. A
| | |dwarf variety (nana) is a
| | |pretty rock-work plant.
| | |
B. concinna |Himalaya |Pale |A little deciduous shrub
| |yellow |not more than 18 inches
| | |high, and with silvery
| | |undersides to the leaves.
| | |It needs a sheltered spot
| | |in good soil.
| | |
B. congestiflora |Chili |Bright |A large interesting bush,
var. hakeoides | |yellow |with masses of flowers.
| | |Rare.
| | |
B. aristata |Himalaya |Yellow |A strong-growing deciduous
| | |shrub, somewhat after the
| | |style of the common
| | |Barberry, but chiefly
| | |remarkable from the bright
| | |red of the young bark,
| | |which thus forms a fine
| | |winter feature.
| | |
*B. Darwinii |Chili |Orange |This ranks with B.
(Darwin's | |yellow; |stenophylla as the most
Barberry) | |May |handsome of all Barberries;
| | |and, indeed, it is in the
| | |very front rank of
| | |flowering shrubs. It is of
| | |bold, wide-spreading growth
| | |6 to 8 feet high, and the
| | |masses of dark evergreen
| | |leaves serve admirably as a
| | |setting to the clusters of
| | |orange-coloured blossoms
| | |which are at their best in
| | |May. The purple berries are
| | |very attractive towards the
| | |end of the summer. This
| | |Barberry forms a delightful
| | |lawn shrub, particularly in
| | |a fairly moist soil.
| | |
B. empetrifolia |Chili |Yellow; |A little evergreen bush
| |Spring |less than 2 feet high, and
| | |flowering about the same
| | |time as B. Darwinii. With
| | |this just-named species it
| | |shares the parentage of B.
| | |stenophylla, which is
| | |unsurpassed in the entire
| | |genus.
| | |
B. nepalensis, Syn.|Nepaul |Yellow |The stateliest of the Ash
Mahonia nepalensis | | |Barberries, forming a
| | |specimen 6 feet high, and
| | |regularly furnished with
| | |long compound leaves. It
| | |is, however, tender, except
| | |in the West of England and
| | |Ireland, where, in a moist,
| | |fairly open soil, it does
| | |well. Even there a
| | |sheltered spot should be
| | |chosen for it.
| | |
B. repens, Syn. |North America | ,, |Related to B. Aquifolium,
Mahonia repens | | |and, like that, will do
| | |well in shady spots. It is
| | |dwarfer than the other
| | |just mentioned.
| | |
*B. stenophylla |Garden form |Yellow; |This is a hybrid between B.
| |Spring |Darwinii and B.
| | |empetrifolia, and a shrub
| | |of rare beauty. The slender
| | |arching shoots are very
| | |graceful, and during the
| | |flowering period are
| | |completely wreathed with
| | |golden blossoms. Standing
| | |singly on a lawn, or near
| | |water, it is delightful.
| | |It should be in the
| | |smallest collection of
| | |flowering shrubs.
| | |
*B. Thunbergi |China and Japan |Pale |A spreading shrub 3 or 4
| |yellow and|feet high, with flowers not
| |red; |particularly showy, and
| |Spring |borne on the undersides of
| | |the shoots just as the
| | |young leaves are expanding.
| | |The bright-red berries are
| | |very showy, but they are
| | |surpassed by the brilliant
| | |scarlet of the decaying
| | |leaves.
| | |
*B. vulgaris |Europe |Yellow; |The common Barberry is an
(Common Barberry) | |Spring |ornamental deciduous shrub
| | |8 to 10 feet high, and is
| | |valuable from the fact that
| | |it will thrive in dry,
| | |stony soils. Apart from the
| | |pale-yellow flowers in
| | |spring, the scarlet berries
| | |are very showy, and by some
| | |are used for preserves.
| | |There are many varieties,
| | |the best being the
| | |purple-leaved (purpurea)
| | |and white-fruited (fructu
| | |albo).
| | |
B. wallichiana |Himalaya and |Sulphur |A dense evergreen bush,
(Syn. B. Jamesoni, |China |Yellow; |with dark green spiny
B. Hookerii) | |June |leaves and pale yellow
| | |blossoms. It grows 4 or 5
| | |feet high.
| | |
*B. Wilsonae |China |Rich |A fine shrub, the leaves
| |golden |changing to an intense
| |colour |crimson colour in autumn.
| | |Spines an inch long.
| | |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME. | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
*Buddleia Colvillei|Himalaya; |Rosy |A beautiful tree, reaching
|Loganiaceae |crimson; |a height of 30 feet in its
| |June |native country, but it is
| | |hardy only in the extreme
| | |West.
| | |
*B. globosa (Orange|Chili |Orange |A deciduous shrub, 10 to 12
Ball tree) | |yellow; |feet high, with long,
| |Midsummer |willow-like hoary leaves,
| | |and flowers borne in
| | |globular clusters about
| | |midsummer. It is perfectly
| | |hardy in warm soils in the
| | |South of England, and is
| | |much admired.
| | |
B. japonica, Syn. |Japan |Lilac; |This has several
B. curviflora | |August |well-marked features,
| | |forming as it does a
| | |deciduous shrub about 4
| | |feet high, with curiously
| | |winged stems and long
| | |curved spikes of blossoms.
| | |
B. variabilis |China |Rosy |A free-growing shrub, 6 to
| |purple, |8 feet high. The variety
| |Yellowish |Magnifica was introduced by
| |throat; |Messrs. Veitch from Central
| |Midsummer |China; rich rose purple.
| | |Prune well back each
| | |autumn. Veitchiana is
| | |lighter in colour and
| | |flowers a fortnight sooner.
| | |
Caesalpinia |Japan; |Canary |A very interesting shrub,
japonica |Leguminosae |yellow; |rambling and with long
| |Summer |flexible shoots with red
| | |prickles. The leaves are a
| | |foot long, and of a
| | |pleasing green; the
| | |flowers, which are in
| | |partially erect racemes,
| | |are about 1 inch across,
| | |and bright canary yellow in
| | |colour, against which the
| | |reddish anthers are
| | |conspicuous. It must not
| | |be planted where it is
| | |likely to get smothered. It
| | |has stood out unharmed for
| | |many years in the
| | |Coombewood Nursery
| | |(Kingston).
| | |
*Calycanthus |North America; |Purplish |A deciduous, much-branched
floridus (American |Calycanthaceae |red; |shrub from 5 to 6 feet
Allspice) | |July |high, well worth growing
| | |for its highly fragrant
| | |flowers, about a couple of
| | |inches in diameter. It
| | |needs a fairly cool, moist
| | |soil.
| | |
C. occidentalis |California |Crimson |Much like the preceding,
(Californian | | |but of more vigorous growth
Allspice) | | |with larger flowers.
| | |
Cassandra |North America |White; |An evergreen under-shrub,
calyculata (Syn. | |April and |growing from 1 to 2 feet
Andromeda | |May |high. The shoots are
calyculata) | | |arching, and the waxy
| | |Lily-of-the-Valley-like
| | |flowers are suspended from
| | |the undersides in
| | |considerable numbers. It is
| | |a pretty but by no means
| | |showy shrub, and needs
| | |moist, peaty soil.
| | |
Cassiope fastigiata|Himalaya; |Pink; |A pretty little erect
|Ericaceae |Summer |growing shrub about a foot
| | |high, suggesting a Club
| | |Moss or a small Conifer,
| | |with tiny bell-shaped
| | |blossoms. It is suitable
| | |only as a rock-work
| | |shrub in moist, peaty
| | |soil.
| | |
C. hypnoides |Siberia |White |Even smaller than the
| | |preceding, and needs the
| | |same treatment.
| | |
C. tetragona |North America |White |The tiny scale-like leaves
|and | |of this are arranged in
|Northern Europe | |four rows, thus giving the
| | |branches a curious square
| | |appearance. Succeeds under
| | |the same conditions as the
| | |others. The Cassiopes are
| | |difficult to grow.
| | |
Catalpa |Bignoniaceae | |This genus of large
| | |deciduous trees is
| | |represented in both
| | |the eastern and western
| | |hemispheres, and contains
| | |about a dozen species. Only
| | |five of these are at
| | |present in cultivation in
| | |Britain or are known to be
| | |hardy, two being natives of
| | |North America and three of
| | |China. The Catalpas are
| | |some of the most striking
| | |and beautiful of all hardy
| | |trees, both in regard to
| | |foliage and to flower. The
| | |leaves are large and bold
| | |in outline, and the flowers
| | |borne in large terminal
| | |panicles towards the end of
| | |summer. Catalpas love a
| | |rich soil and abundant
| | |moisture. They are
| | |particularly well adapted
| | |for planting on the margins
| | |of ponds and water-courses.
| | |All the species have this
| | |peculiarity: they never
| | |form a terminal winter bud.
| | |In consequence of this,
| | |every shoot branches at its
| | |apex into two or three
| | |every spring, with the
| | |result that the trees
| | |naturally acquire a broad,
| | |spreading habit. This is
| | |especially apparent in the
| | |case of isolated trees
| | |growing on lawns--a
| | |position, it may be
| | |mentioned, in which
| | |Catalpas are seen to
| | |exceptional advantage. In
| | |the forests of North
| | |America, where they are
| | |drawn up by other trees,
| | |the Catalpas occasionally
| | |attain to heights of 50
| | |feet to 100 feet. In
| | |gardens it may sometimes be
| | |advisable to help them to
| | |reach a moderate height, by
| | |keeping them to a single
| | |lead when young. All the
| | |species can be increased by
| | |cuttings of the roots, or
| | |of the fairly matured leafy
| | |growths.
| | |
*C. bignonioides |Introduced from |Creamy |This species is by far the
(Syn. C. |North America in|white |commonest and best known of
syringaefolia) |1726 |blotched |the Catalpas in Britain. It
| |with |does not often attain a
| |yellow, |stature of more than 30
| |and |feet, although in its
| |spotted |native woods it is met with
| |with |twice as high. The broadly
| |purple in |ovate leaves are in healthy
| |the |trees of mature age about 6
| |throat; |inches long and 4 inches to
| |July and |five inches wide. The
| |August |flower panicles are erect,
| | |branching, and pyramidal,
| | |frequently 1 foot in
| | |diameter at the base. The
| | |flower is 1-1/2 inches
| | |across, with a broad
| | |bell-shaped base, the
| | |reflexed limb being
| | |elaborately frilled. The
| | |thin, kidney-bean-like
| | |fruits are 9 inches to 12
| | |inches long, but in most
| | |parts of the country are
| | |only produced after
| | |exceptionally sunny
| | |seasons. The following
| | |varieties are in
| | |cultivation: Aurea, with
| | |rich yellow foliage; nana,
| | |a remarkable low shrub, 2
| | |feet to 3 feet high, which
| | |never flowers, and can only
| | |be regarded as a curiosity;
| | |purpurea, with
| | |purple-tinged leaves and
| | |shoots.
| | |
C. Bungei |Northern China |White, |Whether the true C. Bungei
| |spotted |is in cultivation at the
| |with |present time is very
| |purple; |doubtful. Certainly the
| |they, as |plants supplied by some
| |well as |nurserymen under this name
| |the |are only the dwarf variety
| |panicles, |(nana) of C. bignonioides.
| |are larger|In any case the true C.
| |than in |Bungei has not flowered in
| |Kaempfer's|Britain. It is a tree 30
| |Catalpa |feet high, with either
| | |entire or lobed leaves;
| | |they are 4 inches to 8
| | |inches long, and about
| | |three-fourths as wide.
| | |
C. cordifolia (Syn.|United States. |White, |This is probably the finest
species) |It inhabits a |with |species of Catalpa, but is
|more western |yellow |not yet well known in
|region than C. |blotches |Britain. In the United
|bignonioides, |in the |States it is often 50 feet
|and is found in |throat; |high, and in exceptional
|the States of |but the |cases over 100 feet. Owing
|Kentucky, |purple |to its having been for a
|Louisiana, |spots are |long time confounded with
|Tennessee, |not so |C. bignonioides, this
|Missouri, Texas,|abundant |species was probably
|&c. |in C. |introduced unknowingly, and
| |bignon- |it may exist in some
| |ioides, |gardens under the other
| |whilst the|name. It is said to be
| |panicles |somewhat the hardier of the
| |are large,|two.
| |and appear|
| |about a |
| |fortnight |
| |before. |
| | |
C. Fargesii |China. |...... |Little known of this
|Introduced to | |species yet.
|France by M. | |
|Maurice de | |
|Vilmorin, and | |
|sent by him to | |
|Kew in 1899 | |
| | |
C. hybrida |A hybrid between|White, |In the United States this
|C. cordifolia |with |appears likely to prove the
|and C. |yellow and|finest of all the Catalpas,
|Kaempferi. |purple |exceeding even C.
|Raised nearly |markings |cordifolia in the vigour of
|thirty years ago|on the |its growth and the size of
|by Mr. John C. |throat |its panicles. Four hundred
|Teas in Indiana,| |flowers have been borne on
|U.S.A. | |a single panicle.
| | |Generally, the plant is
| | |intermediate between the
| | |two species that share its
| | |parentage.
| | |
C. Kaempferi |China; |Flowers |Whilst this species--named
|introduced by |1 inch |in honour of Engelbert
|Siebold in 1849 |across; |Kaempfer, who visited Japan
| |reddish- |in the seventeenth
| |brown and |century--bears a strong
| |purple |resemblance to the American
| |markings |C. bignonioides, it is
| | |neither so fine nor so
| | |ornamental a tree. It has
| | |naturally the same rounded
| | |habit, but is never so
| | |large. The leaves differ
| | |in frequently being more
| | |or less lobed. Kaempfer
| | |noted this tree in Japan,
| | |and until a recent date it
| | |was regarded as indigenous
| | |to that country. Recent
| | |travellers have, however,
| | |concluded it to be (like
| | |many other popular trees in
| | |Japan) of Chinese origin
| | |solely. It is frequent in
| | |the grounds surrounding
| | |Buddhist temples in Japan.
| | |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------

-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME. | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
*Ceanothus |Eastern United |Whitish; |A deciduous shrub, 3 to 4
americanus (New |States; |July and |feet high, that dies
Jersey Tea) |Rhamneae |August |partially back during the
| | |winter. The flowers, which
| | |are borne in good-sized
| | |racemes, are at their best
| | |in July and August, and on
| | |that account are very
| | |valuable. It is one of the
| | |hardiest of the
| | |Ceanothuses, and in the
| | |South of England it will
| | |flower as a shrub in the
| | |open ground.
| | |
*C. azureus |Mexico |Light |This is not quite so hardy
| |blue; July|as the preceding, and it
| |and August|cannot be regarded as a
| | |shrub for the open ground,
| | |except in particularly
| | |favoured districts. It is,
| | |however, a delightful wall
| | |shrub. There are many
| | |garden varieties of this,
| | |mostly of Continental
| | |origin, of which may be
| | |especially mentioned Gloire
| | |de Versailles, blue; Marie
| | |Simon, pink; and Indigo,
| | |deep blue, very beautiful.
| | |
C. divaricatus |California |Pale blue;|Suitable only for a wall.
| |May and |With this amount of
| |June |protection it will reach a
| | |height of 10 feet.
| | |
C. papillosus |California |Blue; |Like the last, it is,
| |May and |except in the extreme west,
| |June |essentially a wall plant;
| | |it is one of the best.
| | |
C. rigidus |California |Purplish |The leaves of this are
| |blue; |small and neat, and its
| |Spring and|charming blossoms are on a
| |early |wall borne sometimes as
| |Summer |soon as April, and are kept
| | |up through May to June. It
| | |will reach a height of 6 to
| | |8 feet.
| | |
C. thyrsiflorus |California |Bright |In its native country this
| |blue; |attains to the dimensions
| |Summer |of a small tree, but here
| | |it is essentially a wall
| | |plant. The flowers are in
| | |large racemes.
| | |
*C. veitchianus |California |Bright |A species with neat
| |blue; May |dark-green leaves. It forms
| |and June |a delightful wall plant.
| | |
*Cercis |South Europe and|Rose |Throughout May and early
Siliquastrum |West Asia; |purple, |June the Judas Tree is very
(Judas Tree) |Leguminosae |but |beautiful, being smothered
| |varies; |with pretty pear-shaped red
| |May and |blossoms. At Kew it flowers
| |June |well in numerous places. It
| | |grows to a height of 20
| | |feet or more in the
| | |Mediterranean region,
| | |though in gardens here it
| | |is more often represented
| | |by bushes of less than half
| | |that height. It thrives in
| | |sandy loam, and likes
| | |plenty of sun and air. The
| | |flowers are produced from
| | |all parts of the stems,
| | |much of the old wood being
| | |often smothered with
| | |flowering spurs. A variety
| | |with white flowers is in
| | |cultivation, and this may
| | |also be seen in flower at
| | |Kew. It is very free, and
| | |the flowers are of the
| | |purest white. A beautiful
| | |variety. In addition to
| | |this species, C.
| | |canadensis, from North
| | |America, and C. chinensis,
| | |a native of China and
| | |Japan, are also grown,
| | |whilst a fourth species, C.
| | |reniformis, from Western
| | |China, has lately put in an
| | |appearance.
| | |
*Chionanthus |Japan; |Pure |This Chionanthus furnishes
retusus |Oleaceae |white; |one of the many
(Fringe Tree) | |Early |illustrations of the close
| |Summer |affinity that exists
| | |between the flora of the
| | |United States and that of
| | |Japan, for it is very
| | |nearly related to the
| | |American Fringe Tree
| | |(Chionanthus virginicus),
| | |from which, however, it
| | |differs in being a smaller
| | |and more slender plant,
| | |while the clusters of
| | |flowers are rather less
| | |dense. When in bloom there
| | |is no danger of
| | |confounding these
| | |Chionanthuses with any
| | |other tree or shrub, as the
| | |pure white drooping
| | |fringe-like inflorescence
| | |is totally distinct from
| | |anything else. They are
| | |quite hardy, and not
| | |particular as to soil,
| | |though a fairly deep loam
| | |suits them best.
| | |
C. virginica |North America |White, |An interesting bush, but
(American Fringe | |narrow, |taller in its native
Tree) | |fringe- |country.
| |like |
| |petals; |
| |hence the |
| |name |
| | |
*Choisya ternata |Mexico; |White; |This is a shrub for warm
(Mexican Orange |Rutaceae |Summer, |soils and sunny position,
Flower) | |but much |when it makes a big, leafy,
| |depends |glossy-leaved bush,
| |upon |smothered with clusters of
| |position |white flowers that, from
| | |their appearance and
| | |fragrance, have earned the
| | |shrub the name of Orange
| | |Flower. At Munstead in
| | |Surrey it grows so
| | |rampantly that it has to be
| | |cut away to keep it within
| | |reasonable bounds. In "Wood
| | |and Garden," p. 63, it is
| | |mentioned, the month is
| | |May; "The Mexican Orange
| | |Flower (Choisya ternata)
| | |has been smothered in its
| | |white bloom, so closely
| | |resembling orange blossom.
| | |With a slight winter
| | |protection of fir boughs it
| | |seems quite at home on hot
| | |dry soil, grows fast, and
| | |is very easy to propagate
| | |by layers. When cut it
| | |lasts for more than a week
| | |in winter."
| | |
Cistus albidus |South-West |Bright |A shrub 4 to 5 feet high,
|Europe; |rose; |with whitish leaves (hence
|Cistineae |June and |the name of albidus) and a
| |July |profusion of blossoms 2
| | |inches across. It needs a
| | |dry, warm soil, hence will
| | |succeed on sloping banks,
| | |but even then, in the South
| | |of England, it is apt to be
| | |killed by a very severe
| | |winter. This last paragraph
| | |will apply to the genus
| | |Cistus in general.
| | |
C. crispus |Southern Europe |Reddish |Reaches a height of a
| |purple; |couple of feet, and bears
| |Summer |its saucer-shaped blossoms
| | |in great profusion. The
| | |individual flowers are
| | |about 2-1/2 inches in
| | |diameter.
| | |
*C. ladaniferus |South-West |White; |A bush 4 to 5 feet high,
(Gum Cistus) |Europe |Summer |with large, white, solitary
| | |flowers. The variety
| | |maculatus has a crimson
| | |blotch at the base of each
| | |petal.
| | |
*C. laurifolius |South of Europe |White; |A sub-evergreen shrub 5 to
(Laurel-leaved | |July and |6 feet high, and the
Cistus) | |August |hardiest of all the Cistus.
| | |Of this there is also a
| | |variety maculatus blotched
| | |at the base with purple
| | |crimson, which forms a
| | |delightful shrub.
| | |
C. monspeliensis |South of Europe |White; |A compact bush 4 feet high,
| |Summer |with flowers about an inch
| | |across.
| | |
C. populifolius |Levant |White; |The leaves of this are very
(Poplar-leaved | |Summer |distinct, being
Cistus) | | |heart-shaped and
| | |long-stalked, whilst the
| | |plant itself will attain a
| | |height of 6 feet.
| | |
C. purpureus |South-East |Reddish |This is only suitable for
|Europe |purple |planting in the West of
| |with a |England, but where not
| |maroon |injured by frost it is a
| |blotch |delightful shrub, a little
| | |over a yard high.
| | |
*C. villosus |Mediterranean |Reddish |A compact shrub, whose
|region |purple |reddish-purple blossoms are
| | |about 2-1/2 inches across.
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------

-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| COUNTRY OR | COLOUR |
NAME | ORIGIN AND | AND | GENERAL REMARKS.
| NATURAL ORDER. | SEASON. |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------
| | |
Cladrastis |Amoorland; |Whitish; |A very distinct shrub or
amurensis (Amoor |Leguminosae |July |small tree, which is
Yellow Wood) | | |perfectly hardy, and has
| | |peculiarly greyish-green
| | |leaves. The dense spikes of
| | |small, pea-shaped blossoms
| | |are showy when at their
| | |best. This has deep
| | |descending roots, and holds
| | |its own in sandy soils
| | |better than most shrubs.
| | |
*C. tinctoria |North America |White |A tree, 30 feet high,
(Virginian Yellow | | |clothed with large
Wood. Syn. Virgilia| | |ornamental pinnate leaves,
lutea) | | |which die off a rich
| | |yellow. The flowers are
| | |white, and in dense
| | |drooping racemes. A fairly
| | |moist soil is necessary for
| | |this.
| | |
Clethra alnifolia |United States of|White; |In the United States of
|America; |August and|America the White Alder or
|Ericaceae |early |Pepper Bush, as Clethra
| |September |alnifolia is called, occurs
| | |as a native over a
| | |considerable area; hence
| | |several forms exist, but do
| | |not possess any strongly
| | |marked features, unless it
| | |be the variety tomentosa,
| | |which is certainly the most
| | |widely removed of all from
| | |the typical kind. As a rule
| | |the flowering period of the
| | |common White Alder extends
| | |throughout August and a
| | |little way into September,
| | |at which last-named period
| | |the variety tomentosa is
| | |just unfolding its earliest
| | |blossoms. As the number of
| | |flowering shrubs that are
| | |at their best during the
| | |latter part of September is
| | |very limited, the blooming
| | |of this variety of the
| | |Clethra at that time makes
| | |it valuable. The varietal
| | |name of tomentosa is
| | |derived from the whitish
| | |down on the undersides of
| | |the leaves, which serves to
| | |readily distinguish it from
| | |the other forms. The
| | |flower-spikes, too, are
| | |rather larger, while the
| | |blossoms are as in the
| | |others--white. The Clethras
| | |all form rather
| | |loose-growing bushes from 3
| | |feet to 5 feet high, and
| | |delight in a moist soil of
| | |a peaty nature, such as
| | |that in which
| | |Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and
| | |others of that class
| | |flourish.
| | |
C. canescens (Syn. |Japan |Milky |A very handsome species
C. barbinervis) | |white; |with dark-green leaves and
| |Summer |panicles of blossom. Well
| | |worth attention, but is yet
| | |rare.
| | |
Colutea arborescens|Mediterranean |Yellow; |A perfectly hardy, free
(Bladder Senna) |region; |May and |growing, deciduous shrub,
|Leguminosae |June |reaching a height of 8 to
| | |12 feet, clothed with
| | |pretty divided leaves, and
| | |with a profusion of
| | |pea-shaped flowers,
| | |succeeded by large inflated
| | |seed-pods, which form a
| | |very noticeable feature.
| | |These pods are green,
| | |tinged with red. The
| | |Coluteas are very useful,
| | |as they will thrive in dry
| | |sandy soils where many
| | |shrubs would perish.
| | |
*C. cruenta, Syn. |Orient |Reddish |After the manner of the
C. orientalis, and | | |last, from which it differs
C. sanguinea. | | |in its glaucous leaves,
| | |reddish flowers, and
| | |deeper-tinted seed-pods. It
| | |is also somewhat dwarfer.
| | |
Coronilla Emerus |Southern Europe;|Yellow- |A free-growing bush 6 feet
(the Scorpion Senna|Leguminosae |tinged |high, with a profusion of
Coronilla) | |red; May |pea-shaped blossoms. It
| |and June |needs a well-drained, warm
| | |soil.
| | |
C. juncea (the |South of France |Bright |An erect shrub less than a
Rush-like | |yellow |yard high, with rush-like
Coronilla) | | |shoots, suggesting those
| | |of the Spanish Broom, and
| | |also almost devoid of
| | |leaves. When in full bloom
| | |it is decidedly pretty.
| | |
*Corylopsis |Japan; |Primrose; |This delightful little
pauciflora |Hamamelideae |Spring, |shrub, when fully grown,
| |before the|makes a dense bush, with
| |leaves |branches 6 feet high. The
| | |leaves are small, thin in
| | |texture, prettily tinted
| | |when young, and again in
| | |autumn. The flowers are
| | |primrose-yellow in colour
| | |and fragrant. They are
| | |arranged from two to four
| | |together in drooping
| | |catkins from every node on
| | |the previous season's wood.
| | |Though it is quite hardy in
| | |other respects the flowers
| | |are easily damaged by
| | |frost.
| | |
C. spicata |Japan |Also |A shrub between 3 and 4
| |cowslip- |feet high, and better known
| |coloured |than C. pauciflora. It
| |and |flowers in spring before
| |scented |the leaves appear.
| | |
*Crataegus | | |
(Thorns). See p. | | |
376. | | |
-------------------+----------------+----------+---------------------------