9 i6 VIBURNUM. THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



VIBURNUM. 



The leaves, which are large and broad, turn 

 brilliant scarlet and reddish purple before they 

 fall, and it grows 12 ft. to 15 ft. in height. 

 Japan. 



V. LANTANA ( Wayfaring Tree). One of 

 the two kinds native of Britain, and frequent 

 in hedgerows and copses, especially in chalk 

 or limestone soils. At its best it is almost a 

 small tree, 12 ft. to 15 ft. high. The flowers 

 are white during May and June on flat clusters 

 at the ends of the branches. The fruit is red 

 at first, ultimately black, and the leaves often 

 die off a rich red. There is a variegated form 

 of no particular value. 



V. LANTANOIDES (Hobble Bush or Moose- 

 wood]. A North American kind, a large 

 shrub, the leaves are almost round, and whilst 

 averaging 3 in. to 4 in. across, are some- 

 times over 6 in. The truss has its outer 

 flowers sterile, and they are I in. or more in 

 diameter ; both they and the smaller ones 

 that fill the centre are white. The fruit is 

 at first coral-red, afterwards dark purple or 

 almost black, and the foliage dies off a rich 

 claret. 



V. LENTAGO. A large bush or low tree of 

 30 ft., common throughout N. America in 

 moist woods. Its broadly-oval pointed leaves 

 are of deep shining green, changing in autumn 

 to varied tints of purple, red, and yellow. The 

 white flowers appear in stemless clusters during 

 May and June, followed by large black berries, 

 bluish with a delicate bloom, pleasant to the 

 taste, and hanging for several months. It is 

 sometimes grown as a standard with good 

 effect. A variety in which the flower-heads 

 have short stems is known as subpedunculatum. 

 Allied to this is V. prunifoliutit, which also 

 attains large size in dry stony places. Its 

 leaves are Plum-like and shining, with saw- 

 like edges, and the flowers pure white, frag- 

 rant, with prominent yellow-tipped stamens. 

 The berries are bluish-black with a grey 

 bloom. 



V. MACROCEPHALUM (Great Snowball 

 Bush). A Chinese species, not very hardy, 

 with enormous flower-clusters. In some places 

 it thrives against a wall, and in the south as a 

 bush. Fortune mentions having seen it 20 ft. 

 high in Chusan. The wild plant from which 

 it has been derived is in cultivation, and is 

 known as V. KETELEERI. This has the centre 

 of the truss (which is much flatter than in V. 

 macrocephalum) filled with fertile flowers, the 

 outer ones only being sterile. 



V. ODORATISSIMUM. As a rule, when 

 grown out of doors this is given a place on a 

 wall, as it is not hardy in all winters. It is 

 evergreen, its foliage being handsome. Each 

 leaf 3 to 6 in. long, leathery, and of a lus- 

 trous dark green. The flowers are in corymbs, 

 and although small and dull white, are charm- 

 ing for their fragrance. China. Syn. V. Awafuki. 



V. OPULUS (Guelder Rose). A handsome 

 and often rather tall native bush, frequent in 

 the underwoods of many districts. In the 

 wild form the outer flowers only of the cyme 

 are sterile, and these are about three-quarters 



of an inch across ; the centre is filled with 

 small perfect flowers. In autumn this plant is. 

 valued for its clusters of fine red fruits and for 

 the colour of its leaves. Of its best known 

 varieties is the VAR. STERILE (the common 

 Gtielder Rose). This has few or no perfect 

 flowers, the whole truss consisting of the 

 more showy barren ones. This causes it to 

 lose its flatness and makes it much more 

 rounded, which, together with the pure white- 

 ness of the flowers, has led to its being popu- 

 larly known as the Snowball Tree. A yellow 

 fruited kind differs from the type in the fruits 

 being yellow instead of red when ripe. 



V. PLlCATUM (Japanese Guelder Rose). A 

 very sturdy, robust, flowering shrub. I have 

 seen young, newly-rooted plants injured the 

 first year after being put out, but when once 

 established it will stand any frost up to 30 



- Viburnum plicatum. 



without lasting injury. It is a shrub of neat, 

 yet graceful habit, well clothed with dark 

 green, rather plaited leaves. It bears its 

 fine trusses, 3 in. or more across, on short 

 branches springing from the whole length of 

 the previous year's growth, thus forming fine 

 sprays of pure white blossom. Syn. V. 

 Tomentosum Var. 



V. SIEBOLDI. A handsome and distinct 

 evergreen bush, with large glossy leaves and 

 large heads of white flowers, in May and June 

 in southern England. A promising kind, at 

 least for districts where our evergreens usually 

 escape the effects of hard winters. 



V. TINUS (Laurustinus). A beautiful and 

 fragrant evergreen, thriving over a large area 

 of Great Britain and Ireland, especially near 

 the sea and on warm and gravelly soil, though 

 now and then injured by severe winters even 

 in the country south of London. In sunny 

 positions it usually flowers freely, but not in 

 shade, commencing to bloom in December, it 

 will continue till the end of March. Although 

 all its flowers are perfect, it does not ripen 

 fruit regularly, but fruits occasionally occur, the 

 colour being a dark blue. There are several 

 varieties of the Laurustinus, one of which, the 

 VAR. LUCIDUM, has fine large leaves, shining 

 and almost smooth on both sides, and the 



