Commercial Gardening 



glandulosum) is only about 6 in. high, and has pale- violet or flesh-coloured 

 flowers veined with crimson purple, the two upper petals having a dark 

 blotch at the base. There are several other species very little known. 

 They thrive in warm well-drained soil, and dislike cold damp spots. They 

 are best increased by seeds sown when ripe, or by cuttings or division of 

 the tufts with pieces of root. Trade limited. 



Erynglum amethystinum. This is a fine European Sea Holly, 2-3 ft. 

 high, having spiny lobed leaves, and bright-blue or amethyst-purple flowers 



and bracts. Closely related is 

 E. Oliverianum, a taller plant 

 with amethyst-blue flower heads. 

 Other less-attractive species are 

 alpinum, 3 ft., pale blue; Bour- 

 \-%> gati, 1 ft., small, blue ; giganteum, 

 3-4 ft., glistening white (should 

 be treated as a biennial); ma- 

 ritimum, 1-2 ft, the common 

 British Sea Holly with grey- 

 green leaves and bracts; and 

 planum, small blue. Such spe- 

 cies as agavcefolium, bromelice- 

 folium, eburneum, and pan- 

 dancefolium (fig. 197) have long 

 strap -shaped spiny leaves in 

 rosettes, with the flower heads 

 standing well above them. All 

 species are easily raised from 

 seeds, but the plants may vary 

 a good deal in colour. Root 

 cuttings and careful division 

 may be practised in spring for 



particularly fine varieties to keep them true. In a cut state the plants 

 last a long time, and are used as " everlastings ". 



Erythronium. A fine genus of bulbous plants, all natives of North 

 America, except the well-known European species, E. Dens-canis, the Dog's 

 Tooth Violet. They flourish in well-drained sandy soil, but in partially 

 shaded and sheltered spots. The flowers, more or less drooping on long 

 stalks, stand well above the leaves, which in many species are beautifully 

 marbled with bronzy green and white. The chief trade is done in the 

 bulbs in autumn, but some species are still very rare. The following kinds 

 are in cultivation: E. albidum, white; americanum, golden yellow, tinted 

 with purple; californicum, creamy white; citrinum, lemon yellow; Dens- 

 canis, rose purple; giganteum, pure white; grandiflorum, bright golden 

 yellow; Hartwegi, creamy white to yellow; Hendersoni, rose purple; 

 Howelli, pale yellow; Johnsoni, rose pink; mesochoreum, white; mon- 

 tanum, cream to pure white; Nuttallianum, golden yellow; propullans, 



Fig. 197. Eryngium panda nifoliu in 



