996 . ARBORETUM. AND FRUTICETUM. PART lll. 
corymbs large. (Don’s Mill., iii. p. 233.) 75) cei: 
A native of Florida, growing from 4 ft. = ask 
to 6ft. high. It was introduced in 1803, 
and flowers from June to September. 
This is by far the most interesting of the 
North American hydrangeas, from its large, 
deeply lobed, and sinuated leaves; and its 
fine, large, nearly white corymbs of flowers, 
which are sterile, and appear from June 
till they are destroyed by frost. Culture 
as in the preceding species ; but it is essen- 
tial that the situation be sheltered, and the 
soil kept somewhat moist, otherwise the 
leaves are not perfectly developed, and the 
branches are apt to be broken off by high 
winds. Price of plants in the London nur- : 
series, 2s. 6d. each. 


B. Species Natives of Asia. 
% 5. H.nereroma’tLta D. Don. The diverse-haired-/eaved Hydrangea. 
Identification. D. Don Prod. Fl. Nep., p, 211.; Don’s Mill., 3. p. 233. 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves oval, acuminated, sharply serrated, tomentose be- 
neath, 5 in. long, and nearly 3in. broad. Corymbs supra-decompound, dif- 
fuse, pilose. Sepals of sterile flowers roundish-oval, quite entire. Flowers 
white. (Don’s Mill, iii. p.233.) A native of Nepal, at Gosainthan ; 
where it forms a shrub, growing from 4 ft. to 6 ft. high, Introduced in 1821. 
App. i. Half-hardy Species of Hydrangea. 
% H. Horténsia Sieb., H horténsis Smith, Horténsia opuldides Lam., H. specidsa Pers., Pri- 
mula mutdbilis Zour., Vibirnum serratum and V. tomentdsum Thunb., the Chinese Guelder 
Rose (Bot. Mag., t. 438. ; and our fig. 752.) is well known by its ample Ps wae 
corymbs of snow-ball-like flowers, which are of a whitish green when 
they first appear, but which afterwards become of a fine rose-co- 
lour, and finally die off with a purplish tinge. It is called Temeri- 
hona (that is, the globe flower) by the Japanese, and Fun-Dan-Kwa 
by the Chinese. In Europe, it was named, by the celebrated Com- 
merson, in honour of Madame Hortense Lapeaute, the wife of his 
most particular friend M. Lapeaute, a watchmaker. Commerson first 
named it Lapeatitéa; but, in order that the compliment paid to Ma- 
dame Lapeaute might be the more direct, he changed the name to 
that of Horténsza, from her Christian name, Hortense. The plant 
was afterwards discovered to be a species of Hydrangea, a genus pre- 
viously established by Gronovius: but the name of Horténsia was 
retained as its specific appellation ; and it is still the common name 
by which the plant is known in French gardens. In Britain, it is 
so hardy, that, in the neighbourhood of London, and in all mild situ- 
ations not far distant from, and not much above the level of, the 
sea, it will stand as a bush in the open ground, dying down to the rvots 
in severe winters, but springing up again with great luxuriance the following year; and, if the soil 
be rich, and kept moist, flowering freely during grea~ part of the summer. 
The hydrangea is said, in the Nouveau Du Hamel, to have been cultivated in the Isle of France, in 
1789 or before; and it was brought to the Kew Garden, from China, in 1790, by Sir Joseph Banks. 
It soon became popular throughout England, and eminently so about Paris. 
The Culture of this kind of Hydrangea is remarkably easy; and the plant is particularly suitable 
for persons who have little else to do than attend to their garden, or their green-house; because it 
cannot receive too much water, and droops immediately if water has been withheld ; reviving rapidly, 
when apparently almost dead, very soon after water has been given toit. Cuttings may be put in at any 
season ; and, if this be done when the plant is in a growing state, they will root in a fortnight; and, 
if transplanted into rich moist soil, they will flower in a month. Few shrubby plants make a more 
magnificent appearance on a lawn; particularly when planted in peat or boggy soil, in a moist situ- 
ation, partially shaded. To keepthe plant in a vigorous state, none of the wood should ever be more 
than three‘years old ;‘and there should, therefore, be a succession of two years’ old shoots kept up, to 
supply the place of those which are cut out annually. 
Blue Hydrangeas. A remarkable circumstance in the culture of the hydrangea is, that, when 
it is placed in certain soils, the flowers, instead of being of the usual pink colour, become of a fine 
blue. ‘This we have already noticed (p. 216.) as affording an example of what De Candolle calls 
a variation in plants, as contradistinguished from a variety; the latter being capable of being 
continued by propagation, but not the former. Various conjectures have been made as to the cause 
of this blue colour. The most general seem to be, that it is owing either to the presence of alum, or 
that of oxide of iron ; but, nevertheless, watering the plant with alum, or chalybeate water, will not 
produce it in every soil, though it appears to doso in some. The flowers are sometimes blue in 
