Vermont Shrubs and Woody Vinks 



173 



of color of the flowers of the true rhododendron, but the plant 

 excels it in grace and merits more attention than has yet been 

 given it for ornamental planting". 



KiioDORA. Rhododendron canadense (L.) B S. P. (R. rhodora L.) 

 This also is a swamp-loving plant found occasionally in 



low thickets and bordering cool 

 ;bogs. It is an upright branch- 

 ing shrub rarely rising above 

 two or three feet in height. 

 The flowers are borne in showy 

 terminal tufts, usually appearing 

 the latter part of May and just 

 preceding the leaves. They are 

 smaller than the other rhodo- 

 dendrons, scarcely an inch long 

 ^J and of a purplish rose color. The 

 leaves are about one-half inch or 



less in width by one to two 

 inches in length, dark green and 

 smooth above, ]:)aler beneath and 

 with minute, rusty hairs. While 

 not as desirable an ornamental as 

 the others of its class, rhodora 

 is worthy a place in the garden 



Branch with fruit capsules, X ^l;. ^^ any one fond of hardy, na- 

 tive, ornamental shrubs. 



OLIVE FAMILY. OLEACEAE 



The ash is our only native representative of this family 

 of trees and shrubs. Since all of the ashes are trees they 

 were discussed in "Trees of Vermont." Several of the shrubby 

 species are introduced in cultivation, including the privets 

 (Li^^iistniiii), the fringe-tree (ChioiiaiitJuis), and forsythia with 

 its golden bells in earliest spring. More coinmon almost than 

 the ashes are the lilacs, and these are indeed so frequent and 



