February, 1913 



THE CANADIAN HOSTICULTUEIST 



33 



Everlasting Flowers* 



F.'E. Buck, B. S. A., Experimental Farm, Ottawa 



In our experiments with annuals at 

 the Central Experimental Farm we in- 

 cluded this year a collection of Ever- 

 lasting Flowers. The collection includ- 

 ed the most important of the everlast- 



Helichrysum3(Golden iGloba) 



ings. We found that these everlastings 

 when judged on a comparative basis had 

 to be rated high amongst the several 

 hundred annuals which were this year 

 tested at Ottawa. Besides this, they 

 have to be allowed points on account of 

 their usefulness for bouquets during the 

 winter. They may be dried for winter 

 use by methods of the simplest kind and 

 when cut at the right stage they retain 

 their attractiveness for long periods. 



The seed used was obtained from two 

 firms, Messrs. Sutton, of Reading, Eng- 

 land, and Messrs. Vaughan, of Chicago. 

 It was sown on the twelfth and 

 eighteenth of April, and the plants put 

 out into their permanent positions dur- 

 ing the first and second weeks of June. 

 The soil in which they were planted was 

 sandy in character, but owing to the 

 large amount of rain that fell it appear- 

 ed to suit them remarkably well. 



All varieties made good growth and 

 were flowering freely before the end of 

 July, many of them by the middle of 

 July. The length of the flowering sea- 

 son for most of them was an average 

 of ten weeks, while some varieties of 

 the Helichrysums bloomed during twelve 

 weeks, and would have probably con- 

 tinued in bloom two weeks longer had it 

 not been that they had to be pulled up 

 early in November to make room for 

 other things. The Gomphrenas suc- 

 cumbed to the early frosts, but the Am- 

 mobiums and Helichrysums were but 

 slightly affected by frosts ranging from 

 four to eight degrees. 



'An addreee delivered at the recent annne,! oon- 

 vention of tbe Ontario Hortionltural Association. 



The following order in which they are 

 here discussed coincides with that m 

 which they should be placed with regard 

 to merit. It should be mentioned that 

 the Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth) is the 

 only one of these Everlastings which has 

 a common name. 



Helichrysums : These included Sut- 

 ton's Golden Globe, Silver Globe, Fire- 

 ball, pink and cream shades, and large 

 flowered mixed. In our opinion the best 

 three are the Golden Globe, Fireball 

 and a white one from the mixed pac- 

 ket. They grew to heights ranging 

 around four feet six inches to five feet, 

 and were encouraged to further growth 

 by repeated cutting. It is generally con- 

 sidered that these plants do best in ^andy 

 loam, and judging fix>m the fact that 

 they grew with us this year much higher 

 than usual, it is safe to assume that they 

 will do well in soil of even less than 

 average quality if it be well watered. 



Acrocliniums : The acrocliniums are 

 often placed under the genus Helip-i 

 terum. These both for bedding and for 

 cutting are in some ways superior to 

 the Helichrysums. The varieties are, 

 double rose, single rose, and single 

 white. There is very little difference be- 

 tween the single and doubles, both be- 

 ing as a matter of fact mostly semi- 

 double. The variety single rose is of a 

 particularly pleasing shade of pink, and 

 either by itself or mixed with other 

 everlastings is really attractive and 

 pleasing. These plants are benefited by 

 judicious cutting, and used either for 

 that purpose or for bedding they are 

 eminently satisfactory apart from the 

 fact that they are everlastings. 



Rhodanthe (Maculata) 



, Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth) 



Rhodanthe is the second of these ever- 

 lastings, which belong to the genus 

 Helipterum. More accurately stated, 

 Rhodanthe is used as a synonym of 

 Helipterum. It is graceful in habit of 

 growth and the nodding heads on long 

 pedicles retain their grace when dried. 

 Its rose pink color is pleasing. Its 

 blooming season is not quite so long as 

 the two former plants. It grows about 

 one foot high and is rather fragile in 

 appearance. 



Ammobium is our fourth everlasting, 

 and this variety is known as alatum. 

 Its habit of growth as a plant is strag- 

 gling and the broadly winged branches 

 gives it a distinctive appearance. The 

 flowers are pure white, rather small, but 

 pleasing in the effect they produce in 

 bouquets. 



Gomphrenas : Our fifth flower does 

 not belong to the family Gompositae, as 

 the four former Gomphrenas known 

 as Globe Amaranths, and belong 

 to the family Amaranthaceae. We grew 

 six varieties and recommend these three. 

 G. globosa roseo, G. globose rubra, and 

 G .Haageana aurea superba. These are 

 tender to early frost, which takes all the 

 color out of the flower heads. Both 

 growing and when cut the flowers have 

 a rather stiff appearance. 



Helipterum Sandfordii is the only 

 other everlasting tested and cannot be 

 recommended to the same extent as the 

 others. When growing it very much re- 

 sembles a dwarf type of golden rod, and 

 is not at all attractive. It has, however, 

 some value in a bouquet of dried flow- 

 ers, as its bright golden color is pleas- 

 ing. Its blooming season was not more 

 than eight to ten weeks, and its height 

 about one foot. 



