Encyclopaedia of Gardening 1 07 



Epacris (epac-ris, from epi, upon, and akros, top, referring to the 

 hilly habitat. Ord. Epacrideae). Beautiful hard-wooded ever- 

 greens, but not easy to grow, owing to the hair-like roots being very 

 susceptible. If kept either too wet or too dry they die. They 

 ought to be grown in a batch to themselves in a greenhouse, and 

 given careful attention in watering. The pots must be well drained 

 (see Drainage). Fibrous peat and sand make a suitable compost. 

 Propagation is by young tips inserted in sandy peat under a bell- 

 glass in spring or summer. Prune back after flowering. The follow- 

 ing are popular kinds : 



Alba odorata, white, sweet; autumnalis, red and white, October 

 bloomer; devoniana, scarlet. 



Epicattleya (epicatt-leya, a compound from Epidendrum and 

 Cattleya, the plants being hybrids between those genera). See 

 Cattleya for culture. 



Epidendrum (epiden-drum, from epi, upon, and dendron, tree, 

 growing on trees. Ord. Orchidaceae) . Graceful Orchids, requiring 

 hothouse culture, and thriving in pots or pans if set high over 

 a mass of crocks and the roots packed with fibrous peat and 

 Sphagnum moss. Large supplies of water must be given during 

 the growing season, but the supply must be lessened in the autumn, 

 without, however, being stopped altogether. The following are 

 selected from a large number: 



dellense, hybrid, orange, spring; Medusae, purple, early summer; 

 vitellinum majus, orange, late summer; Wallisi, crimson, white, 

 and yellow, sweet, winter. 



Epigaea, May-flower (epigae-a, from epi, upon, and gaia, earth, in 

 allusion to the trailing habit. Ord. Ericaceae). E. repens is a 

 trailing evergreen, the principal charm of which is the fragrance of 

 its white flowers, which are produced in summer. It is hardy, but 

 will not grow in dry, sun-scorched soil. A cool, moist, sheltered 

 place should be found, and peat provided. Propagation is by divi- 

 sion in spring. 



Epilaelia (epilae-lia). A hybrid between Epidendrum and Laelia. 

 For culture, see Cattleya. Charlesworthii, with scarlet flowers in 

 July, is a good hybrid. 



Epilobium, Willow Herb (epilo-bium, from epi, upon, and lobos, 

 pod, in allusion to the flowers being set on the seed pod. Ord. 

 Onagrarieae). Tall, hardy herbaceous perennials. Two of the 

 finest species, angustifolium and hirsutum, do well by the waterside. 

 Propagation is by division in spring. There is a white variety of 

 angustifolium. Obcordatum, rose, is a good dwarf species. All 

 thrive in any good soil. 



Epimedium, Barrenwort (epime-dium, from epimedion, Pliny's 

 name. Ord. Berberideae) . Useful dwarf perennials for the shady 

 parts of the rockery, attractive both in leaf and flower. Propaga- 

 tion is by division. They like sandy loam, except Alpinum, which 

 should have peat. This species is British, and has red and yellow 

 flowers in May. Macranthum, with blue and white flowers in spring, 

 is good; violaceum is a dark variety of it. 



