114 MY SHRUBS 
peat should satisfy the plant with us, though elsewhere a cold house 
might serve it better. 
Styrax is a handsome and fairly hardy deciduous shrub of 
many species. I have but two, both of flowering size. S. Obassia 
is a Japanese treasure, and grows to a small tree in Cornwall. Its 
fragrant flowers are like snowdrops, and hang with grace among 
the large leaves. S. japonicum has made a little bush on my sunny 
rockery. The blossoms are like those of the larger plant in form, 
but of smaller size. This prospers well enough and flowers freely. 
S. Benzoin, from Sumatra, yields the gum resin of that name. 
Sutherlandia frutescens, the Cape Bladder Senna, is a splendid 
wall plant among us, but still rare in my experience. I only 
possess strong and promising seedlings from a friend. They have 
already flowered and fruited in their youthful state—my picture 
represents one not three years old—but an established plant 
familiar to me covers a wall with the fine grey-green foliage and 
splendid scarlet racemes of pea-shaped flowers. The inflated pods 
are like little Rugby footballs. Under the name of Colutea frutes- 
cens, this Bladder Senna is well figured in the “‘ Botanical Magazine ”’ 
(No. 181), where I find the shrub first came to England in 1683. 
Worth is indeed but tardily recognised. 
Sycopsis sinensis is a very graceful dark evergreen with delightful 
habit—a most pleasing novelty. ‘The rosy gold inflorescence adorns 
the shrub in April. Half shade would seem desirable, for I had 
a good specimen that perished in full sun. It may be a lime-hater, 
but I do not know as to that. 
Symplocos crategoides, from Japan, is a deciduous climber for 
a south wall. The neat foliage and very beautiful white flower 
trusses—feathery and light as swansdown—make this a welcome 
