HEl.IANTHUS. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



HELIANTHUS. 



the upper leaves always alternate, dis- 

 tinctly three-nerved and veined. The 

 lower ones are opposite, broader, thinner, 

 often serrated, and rarely pointed. All 

 the leaves narrow to a winged petiole, and 

 are easily distinguished from those of any 

 other species. The flowers, bright yellow 

 and very showy, are produced very freely. 

 It is a native of the plains and prairies of 

 Georgia and Texas. The varieties of this 

 species, most of which have undoubtedly 

 originated in gardens, are superior to the 

 type as garden plants. 



H. gra?idiflorus, semi-plejius, elegans, 

 and cestivus are all worth a place in the 

 flower border. All should, however, be 

 grouped by themselves, as they form 

 underground tubers, which spread a con- 

 siderable distance from the parent plant in 

 the course of a year. Some of these 

 varieties have been tried at Kew and else- 

 where grouped singly in beds, and are 

 always much admired in the autumn 

 months when the members of this genus 

 are so much in evidence. — D. D. 



Annual Sunflowers. — All the larger 

 kinds are noble plants, requiring plenty of 

 space, a sheltered position, and a good 

 background. They are all easily raised 



Annual Suiillowcis. 



from seed, which may be sown in pans in 

 early March or in the open air in April 

 where they are intended to flower, and 

 thinned out to from a foot to a yard apart 

 according to the vigour of the plant. The 

 regulation row of Sunflowers along a 

 choice mixed border often ruins its effect, 

 but there are various ways of arranging 

 the Annual Sunflowers with excellent effect 

 — among large beds of fine-leaved plants 

 being one of them. 



H. ANNUUS {Common Sunfiower).— 

 Although often regarded only as a 

 cottagers' flower, the Annual Sunflower is 

 one of the noblest plants we have, and 

 one of the most effective for various 

 positions. In order to dispense with 

 support, it should be planted in a sheltered 

 place, as among tall shrubs. Here it 

 assumes a dense branching tree-like habit, 

 and often produces flowers each over a 

 foot in diameter. It requires a strong rich 

 soil, to which may be added a quantity 

 of old cow-manure just before planting. 

 There are many varieties in gardens, the 

 most notable hemgomcaWed calif or?iicus, 

 a more robust and darker-flowered form. 

 Macrocarpus, laiticularis, and ovatus are 

 synonyms or slight varieties of the culti- 

 vated Annual Sunflower ; sulphiweus, 

 viidtifloriis., globosus, graitdifloriis., and 

 fistulosus are garden variations. The 

 sulphur-coloured variety is charming, and 

 less strong in growth than the richer 

 yellow forms. North America. H. argo- 

 phylhts, little more than a variety of H. 

 ammus, is a charming plant from Texas, 

 for the back of mixed borders, open 

 borders, and in thin shrubberies. The 

 whole plant is white, being covered with 

 soft and silky wool, the flowers large with 

 very broad ray florets. H. Dainmanni 

 and H. D. var. sidphureus are said to be 

 garden hybrids between H. argophyllus 

 and H. antiinis. H. aiaemenfoliies, the 

 Miniature Sunflower, is a good annual, 

 growing from 2 to 3 ft. high, usually with 

 purple mottling on the stems, the leaves 

 thin, and bright apple-green. The stems 

 are much branched, and when allowed 

 plenty of room the plants form perfect 

 symmetrical specimens. The flowers are 

 yellow, about 3 in. in diameter, nicely 

 set off with the almost black disc. Sandy 

 soil in woods from Texas westwards. 



H. EXiLis.— A very slender species, 

 rarely more than a couple of feet in height, 

 with lance-shaped leaves and yellow 

 flowers about 2 in. in diameter. N. Cali- 

 fornia. 



H. PETIOLARIS. — A fine kind rarely 

 seen in gardens, though from its neat 

 habit and profusion of flowers it should 

 be a welcome addition to the mixed 

 border. It grows about a yard high, 

 loosely branched, the stem as well as the 

 leaves being covered with stiff hairs ; 

 flowers yellow, 3 to 4 in. in diameter. 

 The variety canesccns is covered with 

 white pubescence. Texas. 



H. SCABERRIMUS. — A very distinct 

 plant with large deep yellow flowers 

 stout branching stems, and broad, oval, 

 coarsely-toothed leaves. California. — D. 



