Blue Flowers 223 



SEPTEMBER 

 BLUE SHRUBS 



DESMODIUM PENDULIFLORUM, see Lespedeza Sieboldi. 



LESPEDEZA SIEBOLDI (or Desmodium penduliflorum) . 3-6 ft. Shrub 

 with long pendulous branches covered with long racemes of pink or 

 rosy-purple flowers continuing until frost. Plant in a sheltered situa- 

 tion, and give protection in winter; also cut back almost to the ground, 

 and the roots will be uninjured, and vigorous shoots will be thrown up 

 in the spring. Thrives in any good soil. 



SEPTEMBER 

 BLUE PERENNIALS 



ASTER, MICHAELMAS DAISY (A. tradescanti). 4 ft. A very beautiful 

 free-flowering variety with branching clusters of rayed amethyst flowers, 

 the petals often forming a thick double row about a golden center. 

 It spreads badly at the root, and must be continually divided and reset. 

 It is also liable to mildew, for which, see remedy for mildew, p. 131. 

 The Michaelmas Daisy comes in many named varieties, and is one of 

 our most valued late flowers. Do not plant in very conspicuous places 

 for it is only a green bush until autumn. Thrives in any good soil and 

 any location. Is sometimes infested during the blooming season with 

 a small black beetle that must be scraped off into kerosene. 



ASTER (A. Alpinus speciosus). 2 ft. Another species sometimes 

 called Michaelmas Daisy, with large purple flowers blooming occasion- 

 ally as early as June. 



ASTER (A Nova-Anglia). 4 ft. A rosy-purple variety. 



ASTER (4. grandiflorus). 3ft. A violet-purple variety. 



ASTER (A. Nova-Belgii). 3 ft. Mauve with golden center. All the 

 above varieties require the same culture. * 



BOLTONIA (B. latisquima). 4-6 ft. A clear lavender-blue variety 

 with flowers in large terminal panicles. Also a white and a pink variety. 

 For culture, see Boltonia, White Per., September. 



LIATRIS (L. spicata). 1-2 ft. A smaller and less showy variety than 

 L. pycnostachya with rosy lilac flowers in spikes from 6-15 in. long; 



