GROUPS OF GARDEN VINES 253 



valley heat if well treated. They, too, are apt to be rank growers and 

 need training. 



Passion Vines. Passifloras also succeed over large areas of the 

 state. Perhaps the best for foliage and color is the scarlet passion 

 vine (manicata) but it needs to be out of the frost. More hardy, and 

 yet not out of reach of frost, is the pink passion vine (Tacsonia molli- 

 sima) which will range over fences, buildings and away, making rods 

 of growth and thousands of great flowers, followed by large yellow, 

 edible fruits, which both the chickens and the children enjoy, but it 

 gets very shabby if not resolutely pruned and trained. And there are 

 many other passion vines grown in thermal places. 



Solanums. Two potato-blossom vines are widely grown and their 

 blooms in white and blue very beautiful the latter (Wendlandii) can 

 hardly be overpraised for a nearly frostless place. 



Clematis. The free growing white clematis (paniculata) and the 

 deep purple (Jackmannii) are most widely grown and they have quite 

 a different blooming season. They are good everywhere, while the 

 improved more tender varieties need the attention of a specialist. 



Honeysuckles. Honeysuckles are for everybody and everywhere. 

 The old sorts most popular at the east are far less satisfactory in 

 California than the Japanese and Chinese varieties. 



Jasmines. Some of these species have been briefly discussed in 

 Chapter XXII. They are good climbers also and they can be trained 

 either way. Another, which is a near-jasmine, is Mandevillea suaveo- 

 lens is a rapid-growing deciduous vine blooming freely in the sum- 

 mer. The large clusters of pure white flowers are borne on long stems 

 and are very beautiful. Another is the Malayan jasmine, Rhyncosper- 

 mum jasminoides. The flowers are borne in pretty, graceful clusters. 

 Its cultivation is easy, and where trained over a low trellis, is lovely. 



Plumbago. Both white and blue are good, low climbers the latter 

 more strikingly beautiful. It endures heat and drouth very well and 

 blooms all summer. 



Climbing Fig. Ficus repens is interesting as a very clbse climbing 

 vine which tries to preserve the form it covers and is not obtrusive. 

 It is good for decorating a house wall or a porte-cochere. 



Ampelopsis. Perhaps no vines are more popular than the ampel- 

 opses. We enjoy the old Virginia creeper for its autumn effects chiefly, 

 but the vine which is going everywhere on public and private build- 

 ings, stone fences and concrete retaining walls, etc., as the Japanese 

 ampelopsis veitchii, which has been re-named "Boston ivy." It is 

 widely planted in California, where it succeeds admirably and is much 

 admired. It preserves the outline of the wall and thus heightens 

 architectural effect. It needs little trimming except to remove trailers 



