EUCHARIDIUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



571 



EUCHARIDIUM. Pretty hardy an- 

 nuals of the Evening Primrose family, 

 thriving under the same treatment as all 

 annuals from California. They may be 

 sown in autumn for early summer flowering, 

 or from March to June for late summer and 

 autumn bloom. They flower about eight 

 weeks after sowing, and remain in bloom 

 a long time. Three species are cultivated 

 E. concinnum, about 9. in. high, with 

 many rosy purple blooms ; E. grandi- 

 ftorum, larger rosy-purple flowers, streaked 

 with white, which has a white variety 

 (albitm\ and a variety with pink flowers 

 (roseum} ; and E. Breiveri, an elegant 

 new annual, more robust, and with red 

 flowers of a deeper, richer colour than 

 E. grandiflorum. These species are 

 of secondary importance in the flower 

 garden, but may occasionally be used as 

 surface plants or in bold masses. Like 

 many other annuals, they suffer in general 

 estimation through being judged by 

 spring-sown plants, with poor and short- 

 lived bloom. 



EUCNIDE. E. bartonioides is a half- 

 hardy annual of the Loasa family, from 

 Mexico. The stems are about i ft. high, 

 and bear sulphur-yellow flowers, \\ in. 

 across, showy in August and September 

 when several are expanded. Seeds should 

 be sown in heated frames in early spring, 

 but the seedlings should be very carefully 

 transplanted to the open border in May, 

 as they are then very liable to injury. 

 Syn., Microsperma. 



EUCOMIS. Cape bulbs, not very 

 showy, though deserving of cultivation in 

 the outdoor garden, on account of their 

 broad handsome foliage, more or less 

 spotted with purple at the base, from which 

 rise tall cylindrical spikes of blossoms 

 surmounted by a crown of leaves. Like 

 many Cape plants, they are hardy on light 

 and dry soils. There are four species, 

 all of which are in cultivation. E. undu- 

 lata has leaves 18 in. long, wavy at the 

 margins, and profusely marked on the 

 under surface with dark purple blotches 

 which, in the variety striata, assume the 

 form of stripes. The flower spike is 2 to 

 4 ft. high. On the upper half are densely 

 arranged, in a cylindrical manner, numer- 

 ous greenish-white blossoms, with purplish 

 centre, crowned by a tuft of narrow green 

 leaves. E. ptinctata is the largest kind, 

 having leaves about 3 ft. long. E. regia 

 is dwarfer than either of the preceding. 

 The raceme of flowers is about i ft. high, 

 and the tuft of leaves at the top is larger 

 than in other kinds. E. nana is the 

 smallest. The spreading leaves lie hori- 

 zontally, while in the others they are more 



erect. They thrive best in light sandy 

 soil, with the roots protected by a covering 

 during winter. The foot of a south wall 

 suits them if they are associated with the 

 larger hardy bulbs, but they are not the 

 most effective or graceful of the Lily 

 family. 



EUCRYPHIA ( The Brush Bush}. - 

 A distinct shrub, E. pinnatifolia being 

 hardy, though a native of South America. 

 It belongs to the Rose family, but the 

 flowers remind one in size and form of 

 those of St. John's Wort, except that 

 they are white, and the central tuft 

 of stamens is very conspicuous. The 

 flowers, borne plentifully, are very pretty,, 

 among foliage resembling that of some 

 of the Roses. 



It is one of the most beautiful shrubs 

 of recent introduction, and valuable on 

 account of producing its flowers about the 

 end of the summer, when blooming shrubs 

 are getting scarce. It is deciduous, some- 

 what upright, and has pinnate leaves, and 

 large white flowers about 3 in. in diameter- 

 It is of rather slow growth, but has with- 

 stood severe winters in the neighbourhood 

 of London ; and may therefore fairly be 

 classed as hardy. It can only be satis- 

 factorily propagated by layers, which 

 will, to a certain extent, account for its 

 scarcity. Till more plentiful, it should 

 be placed in warm positions and in good 

 free soil. Chili. There is another species 

 in cultivation, E. cordifolia, but it is 

 rarer. 



EULALIA. This Japanese Grass, E. 

 > gracillima, is less vigorous in growth than 

 either of the better known kinds, the 

 leaves being more narrow and more grace- 

 fully recurved. They are bright green in 

 colour, with a comparatively broad stripe 

 of white down the centre of each. So 

 pronounced is this white stripe, that this 

 form is sometimes called E. gracillima; 

 univittata. Plants of it in pots are 

 pretty. 



E. japonica. A hardy and ornamental 

 perennial Grass of robust growth, 6 

 to 7 ft. high. Established plants form, 

 clumps 17 to 1 8 ft. in circumference. The 

 brownish-violet flower-panicles have at 

 first erect branches, but as the flowers 

 open, these branches curve over gracefully,, 

 and resemble a Prince of Wales' Feather. 

 Each of the numerous flowers has at its 

 base a tuft of long silky hairs, which 

 contribute greatly to the feathery lightness 

 of the whole. For isolated positions on 

 lawns it is excellent ; or it might be used 

 in groups, or on the margin of the 

 shrubbery. Even more valuable than the 

 type are the two variegated forms, varie- 



