MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 119 
objection is only temporary and the individual flowers of 
the spike are very beautiful. 
Aralia spinosa.—This is known also as the ee thal 
and is a shrub usually planted for high backgrounds, 
although in time it assumes the- proportions of a small tree. 
Its general effect is tropical and each season masses of luxuri- 
ant, dark green lolage are produced from the spiny stems. 
The tree grows rapidly and for quick effects is even better 
than the sumacs. It produces large clusters of small white 
flowers in midsummer, but is more used as a foliage than as 
a flowering plant. 
Catalpas.—These are quick growing, broad-leaved trees 
with light green foliage and are chiefly valuable as fillers 
between other trees when effects are desired quickly. Their 
masses of flowers are very showy and when properly cared 
for, these trees often attain great size. However, they are 
extremely brittle and usually become disfigured by the high 
winds long before maturity. The dwarf species known as 
Bungei is commonly seen about St. Louis, especially on ter- 
races and in front of houses. Their use in gardening, except 
in formal gardens, should not be mua and in this con- 
nection the same may be said of the so-called “weeping 
mulberry.” 
Cercis canadensis.—The redbud (Cercis canadensis) is 
one of the best of our native spring flowering trees. It begins 
to bloom when only shrub size and really does not become 
tree-like until very old. The red flowers appear on the 
branches before the leaves and are very showy. There is 
also a white flowering variety of this tree which is but little 
known, a specimen of which stands in the Garden just south 
of the main entrance. The foliage of the redbud is fairly 
plentiful and light green in spring but in late summer it 
usually takes on a rusty appearance and looks shabby, al- 
though this does not in any way interfere with the growth 
of the flower-producing wood. This tree is typical of this 
region and no garden in St. Louis is really complete with- 
out it. 
Chionanthus or White Fringe-tree.—This is a small tree 
or large shrub that often reaches 15 to 20 feet in height. It is 
valuable because of its dark poe foliage and its trusses of 
fringe-like, white flowers. When once established the chion- 
anthus is a good grower but is difficult to transplant. 
Cornus.—Springtime — brings with it the showy 
cornus or flowering dogwood. Like the rédbud, this tree 
blooms when comparatively young and it is not generally 
known that the showy part of the flower cluster is not the 
