258 ARISTOCRATS OF THE GARDEN 



Massachusetts. It is a shrub of compact habit from 

 four to six feet tall and as much in diameter, with 

 handsome dark green leaves and is very floriferous. 

 The flowers are pale to deep pink and are borne in 

 clusters and open and fade before the young branches 

 begin to grow and therefore are not hidden by them. 

 The species is native of high altitudes in the southern 

 Appalachian region and was formerly confused with 

 R. minus, which grows in the same region but at a 

 lower level, under the collective name of R. punctatum. 

 Rhododendron minus is an old denizen of gardens and has 

 smaller leaves and flowers and a more open habit than 

 R. carolinianum and the flower clusters are much 

 hidden by the young branches which rise high above 

 them. The third native species (R. lapponicum) is 

 an alpine plant which also grows wild in Europe and 

 has proved a difficult subject under cultivation. 



The two dwarf Rhododendrons (R. ferrugineum 

 and R. hirsutum), natives of the mountains of central 

 Europe, are unsatisfactory in New England but three 

 hybrids between them and the American R. minus and 

 R. carolinianum are valuable garden plants in this 

 climate. One of these hybrids (R. myrtifolium) is be- 

 tween R. hirsutum and R. carolinianum and is a very 

 compact round-topped shrub, from two to four feet 

 in height and as much through, with neat foliage and 



