SUMMER CLIMBING PLANTS. 



559 



der or half-hardy vines, which may he ob- 

 tained in pots, and which, when turned 

 out in the open holder, in good rich soil, by 

 the side of the veranda, the latticed porch, 

 or the trellis in the flower garden, will soon 

 clamber to the top of such supports, and 

 look gay and fresh all summer. Late in 

 the autumn they may either be left to their 



Fig. 119.— Climbing Cobea. 



fate — a supply for the next season having 

 been provided for at mid-summer, by making 

 cuttings of some of their young shoots — or 

 some particular sorts, as Passion flowers, 

 may be taken up and kept in the green- 

 house during the winter, to be turned out 

 again in the spring. 



I. The Climbing Cobea, (Colca scandens.) 



— The most luxuriant and rapid growing of 

 all summer climbers. A single small 

 plant — such as may be had in a pint pot 

 at any of the principal florists on the first of 

 June — may be planted out in a good soil, 

 and will cover the side of a house, wall or 

 trellis, 20 or 30 feet square, by November, 

 growing and blooming till the black frosts 

 overtake it. The Cobea is not a new plant, 

 having been discovered in Mexico by a 

 Spanish botanist, Cavanilles, in 17S9, and 

 named by him after his friend, Cobo. The 

 flower is large, (nearly three times the size 

 of the annexed figure,) and has the curi- 

 ous habit of coming out quite green, and 

 changing colour gradually till it is a fine 

 dark purple. As the plants bloom abun- 

 dantly in a sunny exposure, it is quite 

 showy for a long time. Having little ten- 

 drils at the ends of all the shoots and side 

 branches, it will catch hold of a rough wall 

 or trellis, and support itself without tying. 

 Altogether, the Cobea is one of the most 

 useful of summer climbers, — especially to 

 those who wish something to " cover up 

 fast," and produce an immediate effect. 

 Only give it rich soil, and it will go on at 

 an astonishing rate. It ripens seeds about 

 Philadelphia ; but here, is usually propa- 

 gated by cuttings. 



II. The Maurandias, (Maurandya Bar- 

 claya?ia.) The prettiest of climbers are the 

 Maurandias; their foliage is so neat, and 

 their flowers so beautiful in form and 

 colour. They are borne, too, in the great- 

 est profusion ; so that every day during the 

 whole summer the plant is in bloom. The 

 habit of growth is also elegant, — clamber- 

 ing over the slender trellis to the height of 

 six to ten feet. The oldest and hest known 

 sort is the purple flowering Maurandia, 

 ( I/. Bardayana.) But we have now two 

 other beautiful varieties, viz., the Whiti-: 

 Maurandia, (M. B. alba,) and the Rose- 



