ERYNGIUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



ERYNGIUM. 



463 



the two upper ones have each a dark spot. 

 This plant should be exposed to the full 

 sun, in crevices situated between two 

 rocks, and where the roots can penetrate 

 gritty or stony soil to the depth of 3 feet. 

 The flowers come in abundance during 

 the summer months, and the plant has 

 an aromatic fragrance. 



E. MANESCAVI is a vigorous herbaceous 

 plant, and the most showy kind. It grows 



1 to iij feet high, and throws up strong 

 flower-stalks above the foliage, each with 

 seven to fifteen purplish flowers, i to i 

 inches across. It is not fastidious as to 

 soil or situation, but its best place is in 

 dry soil, fully exposed. If the soil be too 

 rich, the plant bears so many leaves that 

 the flowers are hidden. Seed or careful 

 division. 



E. PETR^EUM (now MOLTKIA PETR^A). 



This has three to five purplish-rose flowers 

 on each stalk, which are 4 to 6 inches 

 high. The leaves and flower-stalks are 

 densely clothed with minute hairs. It 

 thrives best among the dwarfer alpine 

 plants, in warm positions, in deep sandy 

 or gravelly soil. 



E. REICHARDI. A miniature species 



2 to 3 inches high when in flower. The 

 small heart-shaped leaves lie close to the 

 ground, and form little tufts from which 

 arise slender stalks, each bearing a solitary 

 white flower, marked with delicate pink 

 veins ; flowering for many weeks. It 

 should be grown in gritty peat mixed with 

 a small portion of loam. 



To the foregoing may be added : E. 

 caruifolium, 6 to 10 inches high ; 

 flowers red, about | inch in diameter, 

 and in umbels of nine or ten blos- 

 soms. E. romanum, 6 to 9 inches 

 high ; flowers purplish, in spring and 

 early summer. E. trichomanefolium, a 

 pretty kind, 4 to 6 inches high, with 

 leaves deeply cut ; flowers flesh- 

 coloured, marked with darker veins. 

 E. chrysanthum, with lemon-yellow 

 flowers, and E. guttatum, these being 

 mostly fitted for the warmer parts of 

 the rock garden. E. daucoides. E. 

 supracanum. 



Erpetion. See VIOLA. 



ERYNGIUM (Sea Holly] .Hand- 

 some perennials or biennials of the 

 Parsley order, but so unlike that class 

 of plants in general appearance as to 

 be often mistaken for Thistles. For 

 the garden whether the decoration 

 of the border, or rock garden, or the 

 lawn few plants yield a greater 

 charm from the size and colour of 

 involucres and stems. The stems are 

 so singularly beautiful with their vivid 

 steel-blue tints, surmounted with an 

 involucre even more brilliant, that the 

 effect of good large groups is hardly 



excelled by that of any plants that 

 live in our climate. The great diver- 

 sity in the form of the leaves is very 

 interesting, ranging from the great 

 Pandanus-like foliage of E. pandani- 

 folium to the very small thistle-like 

 leaves of E. dichotomum. Those be- 

 longing to the Pandanus set, such as 

 E. Lasseauxi, eburneum, bromelics- 

 folium, are less hardy than some, but 

 are useful among fine-leaved plants, 

 their leaves being mostly of a thick 

 succulent nature, and not liable to be 

 damaged by the cold nights in early 

 autumn ; indeed, in all but very damp 

 places or heavy soils they continue 

 effective as regards foliage all through 

 the winter season. E. alpinum, Oli- 

 verianum, and giganteum are very useful 

 for borders, and all are the more valu- 

 able for this purpose owing to the 

 length of time they continue in bloom, 

 and retain their handsome blue tints. 

 They are hardier, too. A good rich 

 and well-drained soil suits most of the 

 species ; damp carries off more of the 

 tender species during winter than cold. 

 Protection is not needed, as the Sea 

 Hollies will stand any exposure so long 

 as the drainage is good. E. alpinum 

 may be made an exception to the above 

 directions, as in the south of England ; 

 at any rate, it prefers a shady spot in 

 a good stiff soil. Much the same 

 treatment will also answer in the case 

 of E. Oliverianum. 



The best way of increasing perennial 

 Sea Hollies is by root cuttings. They 

 may also be easily raised from seed. 

 Sow the seed in pans as soon as 

 gathered, and place in a cold frame. 

 The seeds will germinate in the spring, 

 and if properly managed will be ready 

 to plant out the following year. These 

 plants often " sow themselves," afcd 

 seedlings come up in all sorts of places. 



The under-mentioned are a few of 

 the best kinds : 



E. ALPINUM (Alpine Sea Holly). This 

 is found in the alpine pastures of Switzer- 

 land, and when well grown is not surpassed 

 in beauty by any plant. The involucres, 

 as well as the stems, are of a fine blue, and 

 its flower-stems, about 2 feet high, arise 

 during July and August. 



E. AMETHYSTINUM (Amethyst Sea 

 Holly). This- has been confounded with 

 the much more robust E. Oliverianum, 

 although they have little in common. 

 E. amethystinum rarely exceeds i foot to 

 i feet in height, is of a somewhat strag- 

 gling habit, and has flower heads and 

 stems of the finest amethyst blue. It can 

 be increased by division, and easily raised 

 from seed. Dalmatia and Croatia. 



