CENOTHERA. 



THE ENGL ISH FLOWER GA RDEN. 



CENOTHERA. 



ous and somewhat " starved," so that they 

 are best when confined to large groups. 

 In any flower garden not confined to flat 

 beds only, an isolated bed of them looks 

 well. Amongst them we have tall erect 

 sorts like CE. Lamarckiana, prostrate, as 

 in trichocalyx and ca;spitosa, and white 

 flowers, as in the last-named two, while 

 coronopifolia and speciosa often change 

 with age to pink or rose. Few plants 

 have finer yellow blooms than missourien- 

 sis and Lamarckiana ; and, moreover, 

 they are very large— 4 to 6 in. across. 

 Nearly all are more or less fragrant, par- 

 ticularly ca^spitosa, marginata, fragrans, 

 and eximia. 



(E. biennis is a handsome biennial, 3 

 to 5 ft. high, with large bright yellow 

 flowers. Its variety grandiflora or 

 Lamarckiana should always be preferred 

 to the ordinary kind, as the flowers are 

 larger and of a finer colour, having a 

 fine effect in large masses, and it is well 

 suited for the wild garden. 



(E. fruticosa 'ySnndrops).—T\n?, and 

 its varieties are among the finest of hardy 

 perennials, i to 3 ft. high, with showy 

 yellow blossoms. There are about half- 

 a-dozen distinct varieties, the best being 

 linearis, or, as it is usually called, riparia, 

 about \\ ft. high, bearing an abundance 

 of yellow blossoms. It is one of the best 

 of yellow Evening Primroses for small 

 beds, for edgings, or as a groundwork for 

 other plants, and it goes on flowering 

 even after the first frosts. It is always 

 prudent to lift a {&\y or strike a potful of 

 cuttings in case of accident, though in 

 spring the old plants may be divided to 

 any extent. Given sandy loam, these 

 plants thrive in borders or in the margins 

 of shrubberies. N. America. 



CE. glauca is a handsome N. American 

 species similar to fruticosa. It is of sub- 

 shrubby growth, becomes bushy, and 

 bears yellow flowers. The variety 

 Fraseri is a still finer plant, and where an 

 attractive mass of yellow is desired through 

 the summer there, are few hardy plants of 

 easy cultivation so effective. In a large 

 rock-garden a i&w plants here and there 

 give good colour, and the plants bloom 

 long. 



CE. marginata.— A dwarf plant, never 

 more than 12 in. high, with flowers in 

 May, 4 to 5 in. across, from white gradu- 

 ally changing to a delicate rose ; as even- 

 ing approaches, coming well above the 

 jagged leaves, retaining their beauty all 

 night, and emitting a Magnolia-like odour. 

 It is a hardy perennial, and is increased 

 by suckers from the roots, and by cuttings, 

 which root readily. An excellent plant 



for the rock-garden and for borders. Syn.^ 

 Oi. c;espitosa. (E. trichocalyx, a similar 

 species, but probably only an annual, is a 



beautiful plant well worth growing. 



CEnothera marginata. 



CE. missouriensis. — A handsome herb- 

 aceous plant from N. America, with pros- 

 trate downy stems and clear yellow 

 flowers, sometimes 5 in. in diameter, 

 and borne so freely that they may be 

 said to cover the ground with gold. 

 There is no more valuable border flower, 

 and when well placed in the rock- 

 garden it is effective, especially if the 

 luxuriant shoots are allowed to hang 

 down. .A.S seed is rarely perfected, the 

 plant is better increased by careful divi- 

 sion, or by cuttings taken in April. As 

 a border plant it does not grow so freely 

 in cold clayey soils as in warm light 

 ones. The blooms open best in the 

 evening. Sy)i.^ Qi. macrocarpa. 



(E. speciosa. — A handsome plant, with 

 many large flowers, at first white, chang- 

 ing to a delicate rose. The plant is erect 

 and its stems almost shrubby, 14 to 18 in. 

 high. A true perennial, valuable for 

 borders, or the rougher parts of the rock- 

 garden in good loam. It is a native of 

 North America, and is increased by 

 division, cuttings, or seeds, but does not 

 seed freely in this country. 



(E. taraxacifolia, a Chilian plant, is 



