December 9, 1911 



HOKTICULTUHE 



79» 



New Winter-Flowering Shrubs 



Although we already have a considerable numbei o 



i nil- which arc capable of being utilized for winter- 

 flowering purposes i tani thai any new addi- 

 tions should iv, eive i it tention and I be varieties 

 mentioned below are capable of proving of greal value 

 to the florisl and those who have to provide lowering 

 plant.- during the dull months of the year. Variety is 

 a matter of paramount importance. The varieties I 

 mention are all more "i less new introductions Erom 

 China Imt some have already abundantly proved their 

 wort !i a- h mil c flowering plants. 



Jasminum primulinum is undoubtedly one of t tie 

 finest greenhouse plants in existence. For the florist 

 it is a plant of great value and for all forms of decora- 

 tive work has a great future before it. In its native 

 habitat this jasmine creates a wonderful display and 

 in this country it can be grown verj successfully in the 

 open cither as a bush or wall shrub where il is not sub- 

 jected to more than fifteen degrees of frost and cold 

 winds are not likely to prove a disadvantage. 



Propagation is verj simple from cuttings taken, if 

 possible, with a heel attached and inserted in a sandy 

 compost. These can be taken ai any time when growth 

 is active. As soon as well rooted they should be potted 

 off singly into small pots and the most suitable size 

 for flowering them in for decorative purposes will be 

 three and five-inch, using a compost of loam, decayed 

 leaf-mold and .-and. During the summer months the 

 plants can be grown outside, bringing them in aboui the 

 end of October wben the growths will be in good con- 

 dition for flowering. 



'Two other great additions to our winter-flowering 

 plants are Buddleia officinalis and 13. asiatica, both of 

 which come from the East, where they are well-known 

 and highly appreciated. Their cultural requirement - 

 are the same a- advised for .lasminum but five or six- 

 inch pots will be the best size to flower them in and 

 after placing in a warm greenhouse I hey will respond 

 well to liberal feeding and flower more freely if pot- 

 bound. The foliage of B. officinalis adds much to its 

 attractiveness, both this and the stems being covered 

 with dense white hairs. The flowers are produced in 

 narrow racemes at the end of the main stems and also 

 from the numerous side branches. These are lilac in 

 color with an orange eye and very sweetly scented. The 

 -aine remarks apply to B. asiatica with one important 

 difference — the flowers are pure white and also delirious- 

 ly fragrant. Both of these make attractive plants for 

 pot culture and their value for cut flower work is en- 

 hanced by the great leu time they remain in good 

 i ondition. 



Deutzias have alwi □ among the most popular 



of shrubs for forcing and among the new Chinese in- 

 troductions we have some mosl welcome additions. D. 

 Wilsonii, a large pure white flower, is the finest of all, 

 with gracefully arching stems along which the flowers 

 are produced with great freedom. D. discolor major 

 has been used for forcing quite largely, though not com- 

 mon here yet. This also has white flowers and the long 

 arching sprays are particularly valuable for cut work. 

 other new sp om China include some with rose- 



colored flowers and these when plentiful are sure to be 

 much appreciated. In growing Deutzias for winter- 

 flowering it should be remembered that the principal 

 factors arc a restricted rooting area, well ripened wood 

 and very gentle forcing. 



Loropetalum chinense 



Medium - ed shrubs that can be made to flower dur- 

 ing the dull winter months are of great value for decora- 

 tive work. The difficult] is that the trade arc addicted 

 to working on similar lines and so few are willing and 

 courageous enough to break fresh ground. The system 

 in vogue produces keen and Legitimate competition but 

 it so limits the variety of the output that there is a 

 decided sameness everywhere in florists' windows and 

 market s. 



The subject of this note is not a new plant: on the 

 contrary, it is quite an old plant but it is seldom seen 

 and by no means appreciated at its proper worth. It is 

 nol hardj and will only bear with impunity a few de- 

 grees of frost. For fori Lng il should be grown in pots 

 and after flowering given a short rest, then pruned light 

 ly, repotted and grown on in moderate heat. About 

 mid-June plunge outside. A fair amount of sun, re- 

 stricted root-room, plenty of water and iced are the 

 essential-. Eouse the plants before the early frosts 

 set in and keep well up near the light. By regulating 

 the temperature the plant can be had in flower con- 

 tinuously fr Christmas to March. 



Though closely allied to the witch-hazel this plant 

 its long strap shaped pure white petal- superficially re- 

 sembles the Chinese fringe-tree (Chionanthus retusus). 

 Every short and tiny twig terminates in a cluster of 

 snow-white flowers. So profusely are these flowers 

 borne thai thej almost hide the small, neat foliage. 

 The flowers lasi well, and the plant withstands a fair 

 amount of rough ti lis well adapted for con- 



ion and general decorative work. 

 Loropetalum chinense is native of rocky places in 

 eastern and central China, between sea-level and 2,500 

 iltitude, where it forms a twiggy, much-branched, 

 ergreen bv ' to 5 feet tall. It was introduced 

 to cultivation by the late Charles Maries, about 1860. 



Arnold Arboretum, BttUm. 



