776 



VIBURNUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. VIBURNUM. 



V. FURCATUM. A handsome species, a 

 native of N. Japan at low levels, and of 

 the mountains of the more southern por- 

 tions, and one of the finest of shrubs for 

 autumn colour. The large and broad 

 leaves turn brilliant scarlet and reddish- 

 purple before they fall, and it grows 12 to 

 15 feet in height. Japan. 



V. HENRYI. A lax-habited hardy ever- 

 green shrub from C. China, attaining to 

 10 feet or so high. It is both distinct and 

 choice, and of high fruit ornament in 

 autumn, when the pretty panicles of coral- 

 red and black fruits are coloured. The 

 smooth lanceolate leaves are shining 

 green ; flowers white. 



V. LANTANA (Wayfaring Tree). One of 

 the two kinds native of Britain, and fre- 

 quent in hedgerows and copses, especially 

 in chalk or limestone soils. At its best 

 it is almost a small tree, 12 feet to 15 feet 

 high. The flowers are white during May 

 and June, on flat clusters at the ends of 

 the branches. The fruit is red at first, 

 ultimately black, and the leaves often 

 die off a rich red. There is a variegated 

 form of no particular value. 



V. LANTANOIDES (Hobble Bush or Moose- 

 wood). A N. American kind, a large 

 shrub, the leaves are almost round, 

 and whilst averaging 3 to 4 inches 

 across are sometimes over 6 inches. The 

 truss has its outer flowers sterile, and they 

 are i inch or more in diameter ; both they 

 and the smaller ones that fill the centre 

 are white. The fruit is at first coral-red, 

 afterwards dark purple or almost black, 

 and the foliage dies off a rich claret. 



V. LENTAGO. A large bush or low 

 tree of 30 feet, common throughout N. 

 America in moist woods. Its broadly- 

 oval pointed leaves are of deep shining 

 green, changing in autumn to varied tints 

 of purple, red, and yellow. The white 

 flowers appear in stemless clusters during 

 May and June, followed by large black 

 berries, bluish with a delicate bloom, 

 pleasant to the taste, and hanging for 

 several months. It is sometimes grown 

 as a standard with good effect. A variety 

 in which the flower-heads have short 

 stems is known as subpedunculatum. 

 Allied to this is V. prunifolium, which 

 also attains large size in dry stony places. 

 Its leaves are Plum-like and shining, 

 with saw-like edges, and the flowers pure 

 white, fragrant, with prominent yellow- 

 tipped stamens. The berries are bluish- 

 black with a grey bloom. 



V. MACROCEPHALUM (Great Snowball 

 Bush). A Chinese species, not very hardy, 

 with enormous flower clusters. In some 

 places it thrives against a wall, and in 

 the south as a bush. Fortune saw it 

 20 feet high in Chusan. The wild plant 

 from which it has been derived is in culti- 

 vation, and is known as V. Keteleen. This 

 has the centre of the truss (which is much 

 lluttcr than in V. macrocephalum] filled 



with fertile flowers, the outer ones only- 

 being sterile. 



V. ODORATISSIMUM. As a rule, when 

 grown out of doors this is given a place 

 on a wall, as it is not hardy in all winters. 

 It is evergreen, foliage is handsome, each 

 leaf 3 to 6 inches long, leathery, and of a 

 lustrous dark green. The flowers are in 

 corymbs, and although small and dull 

 white, are charming for their fragrance. 

 China. Syn., V. Awafuhi. 



V. OPULUS (Guelder Rose). A hand- 

 some and often rather tall native bush, 

 frequent in the underwoods of many dis- 

 tricts. In the wild form the outer flowers 

 only of the cyme are sterile, and these are 

 about three-quarters of an inch across ; 

 the centre is filled with small perfect 

 flowers. In autumn this plant is valued 

 for its clusters of fine red fruits and the 

 colour of its leaves. Of its best known 

 varieties is the var. Sterile (Common 

 Guelder Rose) . This has few or no perfect 

 flowers, the whole truss consisting of the 

 more showy barren ones, which makes it 

 much more rounded, and, together with 

 the pure whiteness of the flowers, has led 

 to its being popularly known as the Snow- 

 ball Tree. A yellow-fruited kind differs 

 from the type in the fruits being yellow 

 instead of red when ripe. 





V. PLICATUM (Japanese Guelder Rose). 

 A very sturdy, robust, flowering shrub. I 

 have seen young, newly - rooted plants 

 injured the first year after being put out, 

 but when once established it will stand 

 any frost up to 30 without lasting injury. 

 It is a shrub of neat yet graceful habit, 

 well clothed with dark green, rather 

 plaited leaves. It bears its fine trusses, 

 3 inches or more across, on short branches 

 springing from the whole length of the 

 previous year's growth, thus forming fine 

 sprays of pure white blossom. Syn., V. 

 Tomentosum Var. 



V. RHYTIDOPHYLLUM. Perhaps the 

 most distinguished and ornamental ever- 

 green of the whole race. The leaves, 



