Commercial Gardening 



Fig. 198. Acroclinium roseum 



H. incurvum is a splendid plant, 2-3 

 ft. high, having Wallflower-like leaves 

 and brilliant heads of flower 23 in. 

 across, orange and yellow inside and 

 deep crimson outside. It should be 

 grown in bold masses for flowering in 

 August and September. 



The "Immortelles" so largely used 

 for wreaths, crosses, &c., by florists, are 

 the dried flowers of H. orientate. These 

 are imported to the extent of several 

 thousands of pounds worth annually, 

 and are to be had not only in the natural 

 yellow colour, but bleached to white, 

 and dyed blue, red, green, purple, &c. 

 The plant is a native of Crete, and 

 much too tender for open-air cultivation 



in the British Islands. About 5000 acres, each with about 24,000 plants, 

 are devoted to the industry in the South of France. 



Helipterum roseum (or 

 Acroclinium roseum) (fig. 198) 

 is another Australian annual, 

 1-2 ft. high, having rosy 

 flowers, with a white variety. 

 H. Humboldtianum, (or Sand- 

 fordi), 1-1 J ft. high, is a woolly, 

 white Australian annual with 

 bright - yellow flowers which 

 change to a metallic green 

 when dried; and H. Manglesi 

 (fig. 199), still better known by 

 the name of Rhodanthe, is a 

 popular Australian Everlast- 

 ing, 1-1 \ ft. high, having ovate- 

 oblong leaves, and soft rose- 

 pink flower heads with a 

 yellow centre. Xeranthemum 

 annuum (or radiatum) is a 

 South European Everlasting, 

 about 2 ft. high, with woolly, 

 white stems and leaves, and 

 flowers varying in colour 

 from white to purple and 

 violet, in single and double 



Fig. 199. Helipterum (Rhodanthe) Manglesi 



forms. 



Ammobium alatum is another hoary-looking Australian Everlasting, 



