302 Ornamental Shrubs. 



season the umbrella-like head in the greatest profusion. 

 The London Garden speaks of it as "one of the most 

 ornamental plants that can be used in the garden, a large 

 mass of it on the turf presenting a fine aspect." It can 

 doubtless be grown to perfection over a considerable sec- 

 tion of the United States south of Washington, with the 

 same care and attention bestowed on many other and 

 less worthy kinds ; but in the North the winters are too 

 severe.* The Japanese name for this species \sfaisia, and 

 the botanists are now cataloguing it as the Aralia fatsia. 

 There are two varieties, one having its foliage marked 

 with white, and the other with yellow, neither proving 

 itself superior in value to the type. 



H IBISCUS— Mallow— Althea. 



HIBISCUS is the old Greek name applied to what 

 we know as the marshmallow, which constitutes 

 a genus of Malvacece, having its home mostly in 

 tropical or semi-tropical climates. It includes not far from 

 one hundred species, and almost numberless varieties, 

 some of which are annuals, others herbaceous perennials, 

 and still others large and vigorous-growing shrubs. In 

 nearly all, the flowers are large and beautiful, so that the 

 genus is one of the most desirable in cultivation. Except 

 in a few instances, they are of value in the temperate 

 zones only as stove and greenhouse plants, though there 

 are several, accounted tender, which do good service in 

 open ground as we approach the southern boundaries of 

 the great republic. In a general way they nearly all 

 resemble in blossom the common hollyhock of the gardens, 



