SENECIO. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



857 



This grows in firm dense tufts, its little 

 round offsets being so abundantly thrown off 

 that they are pushed clear above the tufts, and 

 lie on the surface in small brownish-green balls. 

 The small leaves of the young rosettes all turn 

 inward, and appear of a purplish colour, but in 

 the full-grown rosettes are light green, the tips 

 of the under side being of a decided chocolate, 

 brown for nearly one-third of their length ; the 

 flowers are small and yellow. This kind is 

 well suited for forming wide tufts in the rock- 

 garden and on banks below the eye. It grows 

 freely in any soil, and is also known as S. sobo- 

 liferum, but this is the name of another kind 

 similar to S. arenarinm. 



S. montanum {Mountain Houseleek). A 

 dark green kind, smaller than the common 

 Houseleek, the leaves forming neat rosettes, 

 from which spring dull rosy flowers in summer. 

 It is suitable for edgings or for the rock-gar- 

 den, grows in any soil, and is easily propa- 

 gated. Alps. S. assimile and S. flageUifonne 

 are similar. 



S. tectorum (Common Houseleek]. Though 

 a native of rocky places in the great mountain 

 ranges of Europe and Asia, the common House- 

 leek, having been cultivated from time imme- 

 morial on housetops and on old walls, is well 

 known to everybody. It may be used in flower- 

 gardening, but it would be better to select some 

 of the rarer species for edgings and other pur- 

 poses. It varies somewhat, and a glaucous 

 form called rusticum is one of the most distinct. 

 Other similar varieties are Royeni, Ragneria- 

 num, Sequieri, calcarattim, and Greenei. 

 Greenei resembles the common Houseleek, but 

 is smaller. 



S. triste is distinct from other Houseleeks, 

 as its rosettes of leaves are of a deep dull red, 

 which makes it a handsome plant. It is about 

 the size of S. tectorum, and in light warm soil 

 is quite as vigorous and rapid a grower. Its 

 singular colour makes it a valuable contrast to 

 other plants, but at present it is not much 

 known. 



Besides these kinds there are several tender 

 species which are now largely used for summer 

 gardening. The most popular of these are 

 6". tabulceforme, a singularly handsome kind, 

 with broad rosettes of leaves that lie flat on the 

 soil ; S. Bolli, with leaves that form a dense 

 cup-like tuft from 3 to 6 in. across ; and S. 

 arboreum, a tall, straggling plant, with stout, 

 branches terminated by a rosette of foliage. 

 Propagated by quantity in heat in spring or 

 autumn from offsets. 



SENECIO (Groundsel}. An immense 

 genus of over a thousand described 

 species, most of them worthless weeds, 

 but with a few plants of value. They 

 are exceedingly variable in habit, includ- 

 ing annuals and herbaceous perennials, 

 shrubby plants and low trees, climbers, 

 and even succulents, but there is much 

 sameness in the flowers, which are yellow 

 or orange in most kinds, though some- 

 times purple or white. They are among the 



most easily grown of plants, and readily 

 increased from seeds, cuttings, division, 

 or root-cuttings. The silvery and down- 

 covered kinds do best in dry corners 

 and fully exposed, while others, such as 

 the large-leaved, tall-growing herbs, 

 thrive in rich moist soil at the waterside, 

 with some shelter from wind. The fol- 

 lowing are the best of the few cultivated 

 kinds : 



S. ADONIDIFOLIUS. A neat hardy peren- 

 nial, common in France and distinct from other 

 wild kinds of Europe. The rigidly erect 

 stems measure 2 to 3 ft., with glossy and 

 finely-cut foliage and bright orange-yellow 

 flowers in July. As it spreads from the root, 

 its true place is the rougher part of the garden, 

 where it is well worth a place. Coming near 

 this, but a much smaller plant, is S. Tyrolensis, 

 with bright orange-red flowers and finely-cut 

 leaves. 



S. ARTEMISI^KOLIUS. A neat perennial 

 with broad clusters of showy yellow flowers on 

 stems of 12 to 18 in. high. The deep green 

 leaves are finely cut and give a feathery 

 appearance. S. abrotanifolius has similar 

 foliage, but its orange-yellow flowers are 

 larger and fewer. These are hardy European 

 plants of the easiest culture in the rock-garden 

 or border. 



S. CAMTESTRIS is a native plant, only 

 worth growing in its scarcer form maritima 

 (syn. , S. spathulafolhis) found wild with us in 

 a few spots, but only common in the south of 

 Europe. It is an interesting and pretty plant, 

 with orange-yellow flowers of the size of a 

 shilling carried as clustered heads upon stems 

 of 6 to 12 in. high. A similar species is the 

 Piedmont Groundsel (S. Balbisianus] from the 

 mountains of N. Italy, and growing from 3 to 

 9 in. high, with a ring of hoary root-leaves. 

 The golden flowers, contrasted with the 

 foliage, have a very bright appearance. Both 

 'these kinds like a light rubbly soil and a dry 

 sunny place. 



S. CINERARIA (Dusty Miller). A. fine- 

 leaved, half-shrubby perennial from the Medi- 

 terranean coast, where it grows from i^ to 

 3 ft. in height, with much-cut silvery leaves 

 and clustered heads of yellow flowers late in 

 summer. It is tender in many gardens, and 

 especially in cold wet soils, but is useful for 

 its brightness during summer when planted in 

 May or June. Cuttings taken in autumn will 

 root slowly on a greenhouse shelf, but need 

 careful watering in winter. This is the best 

 means of increase, for though readily grown 

 from seed, the seedlings are often poor. 

 There are several good garden forms with very 

 white leaves more or less finely cut, the best of 

 these being candidissima, and a French form, 

 Diamant. 



S. CLIVORUM is a new border plant from 

 China, with large heart-shaped leaves of 

 shining green, a foot or more across, and 

 tall much-branched heads of orange-yellow 

 flowers with a brown centre, 2 to 3 in. wide, 



