NATIVE DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. 429 



NATIVE DECIDUOUS SHRUBS. 



F. H. NUTTER, MINNEAPOLIS. 



When accepting- my appointment on this special committee, I did 

 it with the hope that during- the summer season I would be able to 

 make some personal observations which might prove of interest, 

 but circumstances have combined to prevent this; therefore, I will 

 for a few moments call your attention to a point which is too often 

 overlooked by those who are engaged in the ornamental planting of 

 home grounds, parks, cemeteries, etc., that is, the number of species 

 of shrubs and small ti'ees which are native to our woods and thick- 

 ets and, therefore, are "ironclad," as we say in regard to fruit trees, 

 but which for their varying beauties are well worthy of a place in 

 decorative work. 



An examination of the catalogues of leading nurserymen has 

 given me a list of about thirty varieties of shrubs recommended by 

 them, all of which our state botanist records as native with us, and 

 which with one or two exceptions have all been collected in Henne- 

 pin county and within a very few miles of our present place of meet- 

 ing. My principal object in enlarging upon this fact is to encour- 

 age observation on the part of those interested in such matters, for 

 a twofold reason. First, it cannot be doubted that specimens pro- 

 pagated from plants that have for generations survived the vicissi- 

 tudes of our climate will prove much more hardy than those ob- 

 tained from southern or eastern nurseries; and, second, as many 

 of our most valued ornamental varieties, especially in the way of 

 dwarf, weeping, cut-leafed or variegated shrubs, have been propa- 

 g-ated from natural "sports" from the typical form of the plant, so, 

 doubtless other valuable forms may be awaiting us, as yet undis- 

 covered, in our woods and swamps. 



With this introduction let me briefly notice some of our native 

 species which may repay care and cultivation. 



Among our maples, two dwarf varieties rarely seen in cultivation 

 are in no way lacking in attractiveness where the soil may be pro- 

 pitous, preferring, as they do, moist, rocky hillsides and, a rare vir- 

 tue among shrubs, flourishing in the shade of larger growths. 

 These are the mountain maple (Acer spicatum), with its upright 

 spikes of flowers and drooping clusters of red-brown seeds, and the 

 moose wood, or striped maple, (Acer Pennsylvanicum), beautiful at 

 all seasons with its striped bark, bright colored twigs in winter and 

 brilliant yellow leaves in autumn. 



The Juneberry (Amelanchier Canadensis) adds much to the cheer- 

 fulness of our woodland thickets in spring, and selected specimens 

 in our gardens and shrubberies would yield a satisfying crop of 

 beauty, even if the birds did harvest all the berries. 



Not at all to be classed as a shrub, though when growing in groups 

 often branching so close to the ground as to give all the effects of 

 shrubberies, is the tree commonly known as the rum cherry (Cera- 

 sus serotina). Its virtues are many; of rapid growth, flourishing 

 in most soils and climates, attractive in appearance, carrying in its 

 bark and roots healing virtues and, last but not least in the minds 



