EVERGREEN TREES AND SHRUBS. 587 



from two to six inches. The colors range from pure white to 

 pink, yellow, lilac, crimson, and deep purple, and their variegations. 

 Period of bloom about one month, varying in time on different 

 varieties from May to August, but mainly in June and July. 



The following are the principal species from which the varieties 

 now in cultivation have sprung ; but the various products of hybrid- 

 ization have so far surpassed the originals in beauty and hardiness, 

 that the latter are of little importance practically, except to the 

 growers of new seedling varieties, and to show what the gardener's 

 skill can effect : 



The Pontic Rhododendron, R. ponficiim, is a native of Ar- 

 menia, in Asia Minor, and in England becomes a spreading bush 

 from six to fifteen feet high, and of greater breadth. It does best 

 in shade, and cool, moist or tenacious soils ; and is not hardy in 

 our northern States. Flowers in June, of a purplish color. 



The American Rhododendron, Ji. maximum, is almost a 

 tree, but of a straggling, open growth. It is oftenest found wild in 

 shady, moist, rocky ground, contiguous to the humid atmosphere of 

 running streams, where it grows ten to fifteen feet high, and blos- 

 soms from June to August. Flowers a pale red color. Found 

 from Canada to the Gulf States. There is a wild native variety 

 with larger leaves, which attains greater size, and bears purple 

 flowers in May and June, known as the R. m. purpiirciun. 



The Catawba Rhododendron. R. catawbaensis. — This is a 

 native of the mountains from Virginia to Georgia, and forms a 

 lower and more compact bush than the preceding ; and, though not 

 indigenous so far north, is yet the parent of varieties that are the 

 hardiest and most beautiful in the northern States. Its leaves are 

 the handsomest, and hybrids from it bear full exposure to the sun 

 in common soils better than most others. 



The Dotted-leaved Rhododendron, R. pjinctatum, is an- 

 other wild variety of the south, with pink flowers. 



The Golden-flowered Rhododendron, R. crysant/iemu7n, is 

 a very dwarf variety, with yellow flowers ; found in Siberia and 

 Kamtschatka. 



The Caucasian Rhododendron, R. caucasiaim, is a dwarf 

 sort, which grows only a foot in height on its native mountains. 



