October 28, 1911 



HORTICU LTU RE. 



591 



Autumn Flowering Shrubs 



Id my tasl notes on this subject I referred entirel] to 

 the varieties of Buddleia variabilis and other species re 

 cently introduced to this country Prom China and [now 

 proposi to give a furthei election of shrubs n hich ran 



be recommended for beautify ens and open 



spaces. Some few of these are als w introductions 



from the far East but the majority, though Ear from 

 well-know n in this counl ry, are quite old inhab- 

 itants of European gardens. This is. no doubt, owing 

 to the fad thai horticulture in general and hardy plants 

 in particular are more fu] ' rei iated on the ol her 



side and the various nurserymen, who are largely re- 

 sponsible for their popularization, have been quicker to 

 real e I heir value. 



The opinion is often expressed that the climate is 



i 'e temperate and suitable in Europe than here, bul 



this is really nut the case so far as the varieties men- 



i: >l are concerned; in fact, exactly the opposite ob 



tains. Owing in tli«' brighter summers ami better gen 

 eral conditions foi ripening the wood all hardy decidu- 

 ous trees ami shrubs flower and fruit much more freely 

 here. In parks ami open spaces where sufficient space 

 i- at command the practise of grouping many of these 

 deciduous flowering shrubs has much to commend it as 

 much finer effects are produced h\ massing one variety 

 than by planting a single spei imen. Win good exam- 

 ples of this method mm ho seen in the Arnold Arbor- 

 etum ami throughout the Boston Pari System. 



The Sorbaria secti >f the Spiraeas contributes 



largely to the number of fall-flowering varieties, ami 

 these have recently received two important additions 

 from China, viz.: S. arborea and S. arborea var. 

 glabrata. Although these two are in general respects 

 similar the species is easily distinguished from its va- 

 riety, being clothed with short hairs on the underside of 

 tin' leaves. These both produce a large inflorescence of 

 white flowers at the termination "I' the season".- growth. 

 Sorbaria Aitchisoni, a native of Afghanistan, i- a very 

 handsome species growing f>rom eight to ten feet in 

 i with dark red stems and white flowers. S. as- 

 surgens, sorbifolia and stellipila should also be included. 

 All the Sorbarias are largi growing shrubs with fine 

 pinnate foliage ami require but little attentii 

 that some of tli'' "id wood can be removed occasionally. 

 .'I' hand ;ome member Spiral i is Holodis- 



eus discolor, a native ol \ W. America, which pro- 

 duces large numbers o e racemes of creamy white 

 ■ 'ii gracefully drooping stems during August 

 ami is almosi equall] prett; in 1 he seeding stage. As 

 a specimen plant in the shrubbery or on grass this shrub 

 i- well suited ami needs but little attention except to 



keep the old Wl od cut a u a \ . 



Oni of the most important and useful of recent intro 

 Auctions i' i l scholtzia Stauntonii which 



was found growing alon° Great Wall near Pekin 



and introduced to the \ etum by J. G. .lack, lien- 

 it proves sub-shrubby, I' rfectly hardy, making a 



bush from three to four feet in height with branching 

 stems of - 1 1 < i w \ rosy-purple flowers. It is easily prop- 

 agated by cuttings, seed or by division of the roots, and 



Eor planting in groups to produce a good displi 

 color it i- a most desirable plant. 



Ealemodendron ai gi nteum, commonl) called 



Salt Tree, from S a beautiful n I E Le- 



gum sae deservin ce in all garden-, on act 



of it- wealth of pink. -in- « huh are 



prod 1 in such p as to hide i he bram I es. Tim 



foliage being i rasts ttily with 



the flowers and thi 



ati racl ive. 1 1 can seeds, wine: 



two years to germinate, i most satisfactory mi 



is in graft in using I aragana arboresi • ns 



as a stock. Lespedeza bicolor is well-known as a grace- 

 ful and pretty shrub for fall blooming. Am 



- is is L. i nd I here are also several very 



promising new varieties among Mr. Wilson's < 

 mi roductions. 



Vites incisa, an uncommon shrub fro East, 



makes a pleasing bush from six to eight feet in h 

 and has pretty blue and whip' Blowers in Light pyramidal 

 -pikes on the current season's growth. Vitex Agnus 

 Castus i- not so tall growing as its congenor but has 

 .ii gi i foliage and dei p blue flowei -. 'I here is also a 



uhiic form. Although both of these shrubs are, 



in this locality, more or less herbaceous in character, this 

 i- no drawback to them as thej both --row freely from 

 the base and make eonsph nous hit fall. Hibiscus 



syriaeus and its numerous varieties are among the best 

 of shrubs for planting in sunny position- as they are 

 able to withstand a con di rable drought and never fail 

 to produce a wealth of blossom. Very little attention 

 is required, and in a few years they make good spei imi d 

 bushes from six to eight feet in height. Among the 

 numerous varieties there is a wide selection of color. 

 some of the most desirable being totus albus, Lady Stan- 

 ley. Hamabo, paeoniflora, purpurea and violacea. 



A considerable number of Spiraea- flower during the 

 late summer and autumn and the dwarfer growing sorts 

 are specially valuable, producing masses of color. Spi- 

 raea Japonica and it- m rous varietes are thi 



desirable and these all grow from two to four feet in 

 height, with quantities of flattened flower heads. To 

 keep them vigorous the old flower stems should be re- 

 moved at least every two years. Anthony Waterer, a 

 variety with rich dark red (lowers, is the best, but one 

 should also include alba Bumalda, ruberrima, tnperba 

 ami Froebelii. 



The shrubby Potentillas are also valuable for group- 

 ing purposes. P. fruticosa is the best known, with 



bright yellow flower.-. Its varietj icier Ira is dwarfer 



and the flowers ai and brighter in color. P. 



Freidrichseni is extremely floriferous and the color 

 primrose-yellow. Veitchii is perhaps the best and for 

 tin- we have to thank B. H. Wilson. It gri 

 three feet hig pure 



■ ica is also white n ith a dwarf. 

 hit. 



Several net ' ematises have flowered this autumn 



for the first I ime in the Arboretum and I 



worth; nutans. This i- a 



variety well suited for clothing pergolas and 

 places where rapid clin required. The fj 



.n.' produced in great numbers, are pale yellow in color 



deliriously is is also one of \\ 



finds. 



.1 mold .1 rboretum. 



