July IS, 1908 



HORTICULTURE 



65 



Notes from the Arnold Arboretum 



Among the handsomest shrubs blooming in mid- 

 summer Aesculus parviflora (A. macrostachya ) is to be 

 classed; it is the latest of all the Buckeyes to flower 

 and is now covered with its slender cylindric spikes of 

 white slightly fragrant flowers furnished with long pro- 

 truding stamens which give the whole inflorescence a 

 light and graceful appearance. The spikes, often more 

 than a foot in length, are borne well above the bright 

 green foliage and remain in bloom for several weeks, as 

 the flowers expand gradually from the base upwards. 

 The dwarf Buckeye is an excellent shrub for borders of 

 shrubberies or for planting as single clumps on the 

 lawn, as it assumes when standing alone a regular dome- 

 shaped habit, the lowest branches almost horizontal and 

 meeting the greensward and the central stems growing 

 upright. Though a native of the southern Alleghan- 

 nies it is perfectly hardy in the neighborhood of Boston. 



Another southern shrub hardy in this section of the 

 country, but rarely seen in gardens is Stuartia penta- 

 gyna: it bears white cup-shaped flowers from two to 

 three inches in diameter with prettily fringed petals, but 

 as the flowers are not produced very freely and are some- 

 times partly hidden by the foliage, they are not as effec- 

 tive, as one would imagine from the size of the flowers. 

 It is interesting as being besides the Japanese S. Pseudo- 

 Camellia the only representative hardy in our climate of 

 the subtropical Tea-family. 



Several species of St. Johns-wort are now showing 

 their golden yellow flowers ; the largest flowers of all. 

 measuring two inches in diameter, has Hypericum au- 

 nuiii, while H. prolificum has somewhat smaller and 

 H. Kalmianum still smaller flowers; the smallest only 

 about one-half inch in diameter, has H. densiflorum, 

 but they are arranged in larger and dense clusters to 

 make up for their smaller size. These shrubs rarely 

 exceed three feet in height and are well suited for bor- 

 ders of shrubberies which they will brighten up during 

 late summer with their golden flowers; they prefer light 

 and sandy soil and grow well in partial shade. 



Another shrub now in bloom with yellow flowers is 

 the well-known native Potentilla fruticosa. There is 

 also a closely allied white-flowered species, P. davurica, 

 but it does not flower very freely and one rarely sees 

 it in good shape; it usually looks more or less ragged. 

 A hybrid between the two species, P. Fridrichsenii. re- 

 sembles much P. fruticosa, but has paler flowers and a 

 somewhat more spreading habit. 



Sorbaria. Aitchisonii (S. angustifolia) is certainly 

 much more graceful and handsomer than the old S. sor- 

 bifolia and equals in beauty the tender S. Lindleyana. 

 It is a shrub attaining six feet in height or more, of 



rather loose and open habit with graceful light green 

 foliage and the usually red colored stems topped by 

 ample and lax panicles of white flowers. It is, however, 

 not perfectly hardy here, but if partly killed in more 

 severe winters, it sprouts again vigorously from the 

 base. 



A shrub of about the same hardiness is Vitex incisa, 

 the hardiest species of the genus; it is a graceful shrub 

 with finely cut foliage and large and lax panicles of 

 lilac flowers. 



The trailing Ro»i Wichuraiana follows in time of 

 flowering the Prairie-Rose and is now very beautiful 

 with its clusters of large white flowers and its glossy 

 dark green foliage. It is well suited for trellis-work 

 as a climber and for covering rocky and gravelly banks. 



As one of the most showy of the late flowering climb- 

 ing shrubs the Trumpet Vine, Tecoma radicans, is to be 

 mentioned, which is now beginning to expand its large 

 trumpet-shaped orange and scarlet flowers borne at the 

 end of nodding or pendulous branchlets. It is excel- 

 lent for covering rocks and walls to which it fastens 

 itself by means of aerial rootlets or it may be allowed to 

 climb into trees, as it usually does in its natural state. 

 Tecoma hybrida, a hybrid between T. radicans and T. 

 chinensis, does not climb high, but usually forms a 

 spreading shrub with arching branches in the manner 

 of the Blackberries, its flowers are borne in larger pani- 

 cles and are shorter and wider; it is sometimes culti- 

 vated under the name T. radicans grandiflora atropur- 

 purea. 



Among the late flowering Honeysuckles Lonicera 

 Heckrottii and L. plantierensis fuchsioides may be 

 named as some of the best. The former is similar to 

 L. Capri folium or L. Periclymenum, but more free- 

 flowering, though without fragrance ; the two-lipped 

 flowers are pink and yellowish. The second resembles 

 L. sempervirens, but the scarlet flowers are slightly two- 

 lipped and appear in greater profusion. Both are sup- 

 posed hybrids of garden origin; the first between L. 

 sempervirens and /-. italica and the second between L. 

 sempervirens and L. liirsuta. 



A native shrub rarely seen in gardens and parks, but 

 very handsome in its fruiting state is the Mountain 

 Holly, Nemopanthes mucronata (N. fascicularis) ; its 

 dull crimson fruits have about the size of a pea and are 

 hanging on slender stalks from the branches between the 

 pale green foliage which turns yellow in fall. Like 

 other Hollies it is polygamo-dioecious and care must be 

 taken to select fertile shrubs for planting to enjoy the 

 ornamental fruits. 



THE CONVENTION NUMBER 



Will be Issued August 15, 1908. 



THIS Annual Special Issue of Horticulture has proved to be a good 

 business getter. It is circulated freely at the S. A. F. Convention 

 and is also distributed by mail to a large number of new addresses. 

 Open the fall season with a special advertisement. S. A. F. business is 

 worth having. 





