For .iiisit>.t, 1923 



201 



Rambling Remarks on Shrubs and Trees 



FLORUM AMATOR 



T( ) this genus of shrubs, Eleaynus, is well given the 

 common name. Silver Thorn, because of the silvery 

 under color of the leaves. The thorns of this shrub 

 happily are not real thorns, but thorn-like growths devoid 

 of the sharp points of true thorns. The small fragrant, 

 dull yellow or yellowish white flowers, which are borne 

 in thick clusters along the branches, are not particularly 

 pleasing to the eye. In addition, to the silvery under 

 color of its foliage and the fragrance of its flowers, 

 another still more pronounced characteristic of the Ele- 

 agnus is its wealth of salmon-colored, or as in some 

 cases, red or mottled berries ripening on its diiTerent 

 species all the way from June to October. These num- 

 erous barlierry-shaped lierries are not only attractive 

 because of their brilliant coloring but are useful as well 

 for making tarts and sauce, and for eating out of hand, 

 children especially being fond of them in the last wav. 

 This shrub, however, is primarily planted for ornamental 

 purposes and not as an edible fruit-bearing bush. Other 

 valuable characteristics of the Eleagnus are its free 

 growth in sandy as well as other soil, along the sea coast 

 as well as in the interior, the fruiting of the different 

 species in different months covering a long range of time, 

 and the fact that there are both evergreen and deciduous 

 species. 



E. longipes is the most widely known species of 

 Eleagnus and is the most esteemed for its berries, which 

 are red, and over one-half inch in length, ripening in 

 June just after strawberries and just 1)efore currants and 

 raspberries. The neat foliage with its silvery undercolor 

 and the red fruit of this deciduous shrub, which attains 

 a height of about eight feet, make it most valuable in 

 mass effects. 



E. parviflora is an older species than longipes ; its 

 leaves are smaller but have the beautiful silvery under 

 color which is so noticeable a feature of this genus. 

 Another feature of parviflora is its stiffness of growth 

 which suggests its use as a hedge plant : in fact, it is 

 often so used. Its pretty mottled salmon edible fruit, 

 not as large as that of longipes. is dead ripe in August. 

 This fruit which has the same pleasing acid taste as that 

 of the other species of Eleagnus, is eagerly sought by 

 children. 



E. umbellata has the usual dtill yellow fragrant flowers 

 of the genus. When, however, its mottled salmon berries, 

 thickly studding its branches, are ripe in October, it 

 surpasses in beauty all the other species. The tall growth 

 and late fruiting of this species place it among the orna- 

 mental lierried shrubs of Autumn. Taken all in all, it 

 is an ornamental shrub worthy of being freely planted. 



E. argentea is. we think, our only native species ; the 

 rest are nearly all from Japan. The specific name, ar- 

 gentea, emphasizes the silver tmder color of the leaves : 

 its value as an ornamental shrub is well known. 



E. Simoni is an evergreen, hardy with some protection 

 as far north as Philadelphia. Besides its evergreen char- 

 acter, Simoni bears its deliciously fragrant flowers. Jas- 

 mine-scented, some say. in October. These occasionally 

 set a few red berries which rijien in Spring. This late 

 flowering habit puts it in a class with Hamamelis vir- 

 ginica. 



Some species of Fraxinus, the Ash. are planted for 

 shade either as single specimens in suitable locations or 

 as street or park avenue trees, where Plane and EIni 

 would be too large. One species is grown as an orna- 



mental flowering tree and one is best grown as a shrub 

 for its handsome foliage. Several species grown as shade 

 trees are valuable as timber. 



Fraxinus Americana and F. viridis are both grown as 

 single specimen shade trees. F. Americana or alba, as 

 it is sometimes called, the White Ash, may be distin- 

 guished from \'. viridis in the following way : Ameri- 

 cana, or alba, grows taller than viridis ; its leaves, which 

 are retained much later than those of the latter species, 

 are a grayish green on the under side and its seeds are 

 in the lower and plainly bulging ends of the samara, or 

 wings. E. viridis, on the other hand, has leaves oi vivid 

 green on both sides, which it sheds earlier than Ameri- 

 cana, and its seeds extend half way up the samara, or 

 wing, which does not bulge but tapers into a needle- 

 like point. F. Americana is really the better tree because 

 it holds its foliage longer. The planting of the White 

 Ash as a lawn or street tree would be no experiment, as 

 it has been used for that purpose and given entire satis- 

 faction. Besides these shade tree ashes, there are E. 

 pubescens. considered by some a variety of F. Americana, 

 but smaller and with leaves of a reddish under color; 

 F. quadrangulata, the Blue Ash, and F. sambucifolia, the 

 Black Ash. The last two named may be planted with 

 Americana for variety and, like the latter, are also valu- 

 able timber trees. 



Then there is the European Ash, F. Excelsior, which 

 is a good tree to plant as a single specimen in a suitable 

 location, and its variety, called aurea, on account of its 

 golden yellow bark which, as is the case with most trees 

 with bright colored bark, is highest colored in the Winter. 

 F. aucubi'efolia, so called because its leaves are vellow 

 and green like those of Aucuba variegata, is best grown 

 as a shrub or dwarf tree, since, when so grown, its pretty 

 foliage — which, Ijy the way, is Ijest in Spring and early 

 .Summer — shows to far better advantage. 



F. ornux, the Flow^ering Ash. the only species grown 

 especially for its floral display, attains a height of only 

 twenty or thirty feet. In Jtme this Ash bears a wealth 

 of handsome flowers, ever}^ twig being crowned with 

 a cluster of fleecy white blooms. Hence it well deserves 

 its name. 



There are many species of Euonymus, some deciduous, 

 others evergreen, growing mostly in shrub but some in 

 tree and vine form. Generally the Euonymus is hardy, 

 especially along the coast, south of the state of New 

 York. The handsome foliage of the evergreen species, 

 the berry-bearing habit of this genus, and the close cling- 

 ing feature of the vine form make the Euonymus desir- 

 able for planting". 



E. japonica comes to us from Jap>an. and is one of 

 the most attractive of the broad-leaved evergreens ; its 

 shining green leaves and red-berried fruit strongly com- 

 mend it to favor. In the north, it is better planted in 

 sheltered locations, and for this reason is a good shrub 

 for city gardens. Fine specimens of this species may 

 be seen in southern New Jersey and in sea shore gardens 

 from New York south. There is a beautiful variety of 

 japonica. namely, aureo-marginata. whose glossy green 

 foliage is margined with gold. There is another variety 

 of E. jajxmica named albo-marginata, whose handsome 

 evergreen leaves are edged with white. E. japonica and 

 its varieties thrive in sandy soil, and are valuable, there- 

 fore, for sea shore ]")lanting. They are also excellent sub- 

 jects for growing in tubs and pots. 



