NOTEWORTHY PERENNIALS 119 



{Liatris pycnoslachya) is the one most commonly grown and is one of 

 the choicest ones to grow. It grows in long spikes, 4 feet to 5 feet tall, 

 which are densely covered with slender, grass-Uke leaves of a light 

 green. The small flowers are a light rosy-pm'ple, a color which does 

 not harmonize readily with all other colors. A pecuhar habit of the 

 Liatris is that the succession of bloom is from the top downward, rather 

 than from the lowest blooms up to the highest as in all other spike 

 flowers. They bloom in August and September. The Rutton Snake 

 Root (L. spicata) and L. scariosa are two other fine species, both pro- 

 ducing deep violet-purple spikes of flowers but not growing so taU as 

 the Gay Feather. There are also Hghter shades of pin'ple and white 

 varieties. There is hardly any perennial which will attract as much 

 attention as does the Liatris because it is so different and unusual. 



Uses. Liatris is a splendid border plant to use at the back of 

 the border, but the color is one which goes with few other flowers and 

 should be subdued with white flowers. The plants have great attrac- 

 tion for butterflies and bees. 



Culture. Liatrises wiU thrive in places where scarcely anything 

 else wiU grow. They wiU grow in any soil or shade, but prefer a moist 

 soil and partial shade. 



Propagation. They are propagated from seed sown in the 

 Autumn, or by division of the tuberous roots. 



Linum — Perennial Flax, Golden Flax 



Flax is a lovely, airy plant with flowers of yeUow, blue and white. 

 The general height is from 12 inches to 18 inches. The foliage and 

 flowers are very deHcate and graceful and present the appearance of a 

 smafl, feathery bush. Golden Flax {Linum flavum) has transparent, 

 deep, golden yeUow flowers. Linum perenne is the tallest one of the 

 Flax plants and has rather small flowers of a pearly blue. L. p. album 

 is the white flowered variety. The flowers are borne in great numbers 

 all during the blooming season which lasts from May through Sep- 

 tember. They have the capricious habit of blooming every other day. 



Uses. Flax, especiaUy the yeUow flowered one, is very attractive 

 to combine in plantings of Delphiniums, for both are in bloom at the 

 same time. Flax is a dainty flower for any border because the plants 

 bloom through such a long season. Some of the smaUer plants are 

 grown in pots and in the rock garden. The evergreen leaves and 

 profusion of bloom off'er further reasons for growing the Rlue Flax. 



