94 Ornamental Shrubs. 



the winter months, like that of the rhododendron and the 

 kalmia, and the plant should be subjected to much the 

 same conditions in cultivation. The flowers are terminal, 

 in threes, yellow tinged with pink, the sepals being long 

 and clothed with hairs. It flowers in autumn and is one 

 of the best of the late bloomers. A. floribunda is of Ameri- 

 can origin, supposed to be a native of Mexico and adjacent 

 territory. It is a smaller plant, growing about three or four 

 feet, with opposite long leaves and damask or rosy-purple 

 blossoms nearly two inches long, in clusters at the ends of 

 the numerous twigs. These are very showy and appear 

 in early spring. 



A. spathulata. — Though of later introduction this spe- 

 cies is coming to be as well known and as fully appreciated 

 as most of its predecessors. It comes from Japan and 

 proves to be a much-branched and free-flowering ever- 

 green shrub that is certain to attract attention wherever 

 grown. The leaves are from one to two inches long, el- 

 liptic-lanceolate, slightly toothed, glabrous above, some- 

 what rough and hairy beneath, the edges being marked 

 with purple. The flowers are nearly or quite sessile, in 

 pairs, the corolla being an inch long, white within and 

 marked with blotches of light yellow on the throat, ap- 

 pearing early in spring. These are so numerous as to 

 envelop the whole bush, and are of long continuance. It 

 is believed to be adapted to more northern localities than 

 most of the other sorts, but as it is not yet widely tested, 

 its hardiness under adverse conditions is not fully deter- 

 mined. 



