290 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



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A genus of hardy and half-hardy herbaceous 

 plants and shrubs, natives of Europe and 

 Northern India. O. vulgare, the wild Mar- 

 joram, common throughout Europe, and natur- 

 alized in this country, furnishes the Oil of 

 Origanum, which is an acrid stimulant. 0. 

 Onites and 0. Majorana are included in the 

 pot or seasoning herbs, under the name of 

 Marjoram. Thej^ are natives of Sicily and 

 Portugal, respectively. There are a few orna- 

 mental species sometimes grown as house 

 plants, the more common of which is 0. 

 sipyleum, a native of the Levant, and popularly 

 known as Hop Plant. It is of easy culture, 

 and is propagated by cuttings. 



Ormoca'rpum. From ormos, a chain, and kar- 

 pos, a fruit ; referring to the narrow chain- 

 like pods. Nat. Ord. Lfginninosce. 



A genus consisting of three or four shrubs, 

 natives of tropical Africa and the Indian 

 Archipelago, nearly allied to u^nchynomene. 

 O. Coronilloides has pale yellow flowers, borne 

 in manj^-flowered axillary peduncles in May. 

 Young specimens only are adapted to pot cul- 

 ture, and are produced from cuttings. 



Ormo'sia. Bead Tree. From ormos, a neck- 

 lace ; in allusion to this use of the seeds. Nat. 

 Ord. LeguminoscB. 



A small genus of ornamental tropical trees, 

 natives of Guiana and the West Indies. They 

 are all too large for introduction into the 

 green-house. O. dasycarpa is the West Indian 

 Bead Tree, or Necklace Tree, the seeds of 

 which, like those of O. coccinea, a native of 

 Guiana and Brazil, are nearly round, beauti- 

 fully polished, and of a bright scarlet color, 

 with a black spot at one end, resembling 

 beads, for which they are substituted, being 

 made into bracelets, necklaces, or mounted in 

 silver for studs or buttons. The seeds are 

 picked up on the seacoast in various places, 

 at very great distances from where they grow, 

 having been carried by strong oceanic cur- 

 rents. The}- are usually mixed in with small 

 shells, and sold as " Sea Beans," the common 

 error being that they are the fruit of some sea 

 plant. 



Ornamental Grasses. See Grasses. 



Ornamental Leaved Plants. These are such 

 as are grown for the beauty of their foliage 

 rather than for their flowers ; such as the 

 various Crotons, Dracaenas, Coleus, Dieffen- 

 bachias, etc., with colored or variegated 

 leaves ; the numberless Palms, Ferns, Agaves, 

 Aralias, Ricinus, etc., with large showy or 

 finely divided leaves, or possessing other 

 remarkable characteristics in their foliage are 

 also placed in this class. 



Ornamental Planting. The beauty of many of 

 our country homes is sadly marred by the in- 

 judicious planting of ornamental trees and 

 shrubs. There is no branch of the land- 

 scape gardener's art that demands more sound 

 judgment, correct ideas, or refined taste, for it 

 is not enough merely to be able to admire and 

 appreciate a well defined and harmoniously col- 

 ored landscape, and to judge of its merits or de- 

 fects, but he must also be able to select the mate- 

 rials, and so arrange or dispose of them as to 

 produce an effect at once the most powerful, 

 agreeable, and perfect, that they are capable of 

 doing. To attain this end the planter requires 

 an amount of skill and knowledge onlyattaina- 



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ble by perseverance, study, and practice. 

 These remarks apply principally to large and 

 extensive country seats, but also bear weight 

 with regard to less pretentious residences. In 

 former years the rage has been altogether for 

 mixed planting, without regard to the future 

 size of the trees or shrubs planted, or to the 

 effect of the shades of color, either in the 

 summer or fall ; but now a more tasteful and 

 natural idea prevails, and planting in groups 

 with reference to the general effect, the ulti- 

 mate size of the trees, and their coloring in 

 summer and fall, is more generally carried 

 out. Trees having a resemblance to one 

 another in the size and form of their leaves 

 may be associated in groups, but it is more 

 desirable that they possess some other marked 

 characteristic in common, such as color of 

 foliage, bark, or flower, habit of growth, or 

 form, etc. Thus, Avhen depth of color in leaf- 

 age is desired, fit associates are found in the 

 Purple Beech, Elm, Oak, Hazel, or Barberry ; 

 when light colors are wanted they are at com- 

 mand in the Golden Birch, Alder, Elder, or 

 Willow, as also among the naturally silvery- 

 foliaged trees, as the Silver Poplar, Linden, 

 Maple, Huntingdon and other Willows, and 

 Sea Buck Thorn, while among strictly varie- 

 gated trees and shrubs, there exists a wide 

 field to select from. The autumnal colors and 

 tints of falling foliage deserve marked atten- 

 tion. The rich scarlet and purple of the Oaks, 

 Liquidamber, Nyssa, or Scarlet Maple ; the 

 golden-yellow of the Norway and other Maples, 

 Tulip Trees, etc. ; the Chestnut, with its yel- 

 low and brown ; gorgeous festoons of the Vir- 

 ginia Creeper and Yellow Celastrus, contrast- 

 ing beautifully with the deep green of the 

 Spruces, Hemlocks, or other evergreens. 

 Color in bark is most appreciable when 

 branches are denuded of their foliage, and 

 small groups having distinct colors tend to 

 relieve the dull monotony of the winter and 

 early spring months. White Birch, Linden, 

 Golden Ash, Purple, and Golden Willow, Vir- 

 gilia lutea, the Red Dogwood, etc., all work 

 in well ; while Deutzias, Spirseas, Weigelas, 

 Chinese Magnolias, Tartarian Honeysuckle, 

 the Dwarf Buck-eyes (Pavia), Hawthorns. 

 Japanese Judas Tree, Hydrangea paniculata 

 grandifiora, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and a 

 host of other equally desirable shrubs, either 

 singly or in groups, may fill up the foreground 

 and give lightness and beauty to the carriage 

 drive and lawn during the whole season. 

 Irregularity of outline to the lawn gives an 

 idea of size, and the margins and points may 

 be well filled up here and there by groups of 

 hardy herbaceous and other plants, Arundo 

 Donax versicolor, A. conspicua, Eulalias, Pam- 

 pas Grass, etc., in prominent positions in 

 groups, or as single specimens on the lawn. 



Ornithi'dium. From ornis, a bird, and eidos, 

 like ; the upper lip of the stigma is beak-like. 

 Nat. Ord. OrchidacecB. 



A small genus of curious little Orchids, but 

 not of sufflcient beauty or interest to warrant 

 their introduction into the Orchid house. 

 They are regarded as weeds among air plants. 



Ornithoce'phalus. From ornis, omithos, a bird, 

 and kephale, a head ; in reference to the form 

 of the column and anther. Nat. Ord. Orchid- 



