Hardy and Half-hardy Plants 



pale bluish -purple; A. japonicum, 2-3 ft., deep blue; A. Lycoctonum, 

 yellow; A. Fischeri, blue. 



Actsea spicata. This is the British Baneberry or Herb Christopher, 

 having shortish black rootstocks, much-divided leaves, and erect racemes 

 of white flowers in May, afterwards followed by black, red, or white 

 poisonous berries. This plant sells well with nurserymen, but is not a 

 market flower. It is easily grown in moist sandy peat and loam in 

 shady spots, and may be in- 

 creased by division. 



Adonis. This genus con- 

 tains several species of orna- 

 mental rock and border plants 

 with finely divided fern -like 

 foliage, and mostly with bright- 

 yellow or golden blossoms in 

 such species as A. amurensis, 

 9-12 in., with its double variety 

 flowers in January and Febru- 

 ary; A. distorta, which flowers 

 in April; A.pyrenaica (fig. 180), 

 about July; and A. vernalis, 

 1-2 ft. high, which has bright- 

 yellow flowers about 3 in. across, 

 from March to May. A. autum- 

 nalis the "Red Morocco" or 

 "Scarlet Adonis" has scarlet 

 flowers from July to Septem- 

 ber, and A. cestivalis has scarlet 

 flowers in June both kinds 

 being annuals. The perennial 

 yellow-flowered forms are popu- 

 lar with nurserymen, and are 

 best increased by seeds and 



division in early spring. They flourish in any good garden soil, but do 

 not like to be too much disturbed. 



^Ethionema. A genus of pretty little free-flowering alpines, easily 

 grown in ordinary garden soil, and increased from seeds or cuttings. The 

 kinds mentioned here grow from 6-12 in. high, and flower from April to 

 July, viz.: coridifolium, rose pink; grandiflorum, deep rose; Iberidiwin, 

 a shrubby spreading species with heads of small white fragrant flowers; 

 persica, rose lilac; pulchellum, rose purple. There are a few annual species, 

 like Buxbaumi and saxatile, which are sometimes grown. 



Ajuga reptans (BUGLE). The purple-leaved variety of this common 

 British plant is largely used for carpet-bedding work and for borders. It 

 has heads of deep-blue flowers and is easily increased by division. The 

 variegated form is also valuable for similar purposes. 



Fig. 180. Adonis pyrenaica 



