90 A LITTLE BOOK OF PERENNIALS 



Eupatorium — White Snakeroot, Thoroughwort, 

 Hemp Agrimony, Mist-Flower, Joe-Pye Weed 



How often we are tempted to praise the beauties of some foreign 

 flower while our excellent native ones pass by with Httle attention. 

 There are many sorts of Eupatoriums and most of them can be found 

 growing wild in our own coimtry. The hardy Ageratum or Mist 

 Flower (Eupatorium or Conoclinium ccelestinum) has myriads of small, 

 fluffy, azure-blue flowers which are in bloom during August and 

 September. The plant reaches a height of 2 feet. The White Snake- 

 root {E. urtic 88 folium or ageratoides) has pure white flowers and grows 

 from 4 feet to 5 feet taU, while the Boneset or Thoroughwort {E. 

 perfoliatum), which also has white flowers, only grows 2 feet or 3 feet 

 tall. The leaves of this sort are in pairs, united at the base about the 

 stem. The Joe-Pye Weed (E, purpureum) is very tall, growing from 4 

 feet to 10 feet and has large, purple, showy heads of flowers. The 

 leaves are in whorls. Most of them bloom in late Summer or early 

 Autumn with an average height of 3 feet to 5 feet. 



Uses. The Joe-Pye Weed is found in wet meadows or along 

 streams and will naturahze easily along woodland streams, or moist 

 places in parks. The Mist-Flower and the White Snakeroot are excel- 

 lent for cutting purposes. All Eupatoriums are good in borders with 

 the taller ones in the background, or to naturalize in woodlands. Some 

 of them are exceUent to use with shrubs. 



Culture. They are of easiest culture, growing in almost any 

 sofl, although a rather hght, weU drained soil and a sunny position 

 will produce large plants with numerous blooms. The Joe-Pye Weed, 

 however, requires a moist situation. 



These plants increase in profusion of flowers and size of trusses 

 when transplanted from the wild. 



Propagation. They are propagated from seeds or by division 

 of the clumps. 



Hardy Ferns — Shield Fern, Hay-scented or Gos- 

 samer Fern, Lady and Male Ferns, Royal 

 Fern, Maidenhair Fern, Cinnamon Fern, 

 Walking Fern, Climbing Fern 



Almost everybody has a spot in the garden around the home 

 which is so shady that very few plants will grow there and consequently 

 these spots are bare eyesores. Have you ever taken a walk through 



