HARDY SHRUBS 313 



in the Fall and heeled in out of the reach of frost in moderately dry 

 sand. They may be put in rows in the open as soon as weather per- 

 mits, or they may be rooted indoors early and planted out later. 

 Several of the single varieties come true from seed, of which an 

 abundant crop is usually produced. 



HYDRANGEA. There are three species of garden Hydrangeas. 

 H. opuloides, which includes the H. hortensis, is divided into three 

 groups, namely, the Japonica, the Hortensia, and the Stellata. 

 There are many varieties in this group, all of which cannot withstand 

 a temperature of less than 20 degrees F., except by very careful pro- 

 tection. Some are cut to the ground during Winter in the latitude 

 of Washington, D. C, but they never get injured permanently. 

 H. 0. Lindleyana and H. o. stellata prolifera usually survive the 

 Winter with the stems several feet above ground. These plants form 

 very large specimens, and are very handsome when in bloom, chang- 

 ing in color, as the flowers mature, from greenish white to a deep rose. 

 The central flowers are fertile, the outer ones sterile. H. o. japonica 

 has one or two very handsomely variegated forms. Cuttings of 

 these are apt to lose their leaves in the sand bed, but in this, condi- 

 tion they will root, making young growths simultaneously with the 

 rooting process; and if they are carefully put in very small pots 

 they will make fair sized plants within a year. But they must be 

 kept in pots during this time, as the roots are much weaker than 

 those of the green leaved plants. The variety known as H. 0. aiirea- 

 variegata is probably the handsomest of our hardy plants. H. 0. 

 Otaksa has large heads of rose colored flowers. }n. 0. raniulis-coc- 

 cineis has dark colored stems and pink flowers. H. 0. Thomas Hogg 

 has pure white flowers. Cuttings will root any time after the shoots 

 are moderately firm. Where wood is scarce the large stems may be 

 split down the middle with a leaf to each piece. Where pruning is 

 necessary it should be done early in the season, to throw vigor into 

 the shoots springing from the base of the plant. (See page 130 for 

 indoor culture of this group.) 



H. paniculata grandiflora is one of the best of the late blooming 

 shrubs. The flowers are creamy white, in large, pyramidal heads, 

 terminating the current year's growths. It comes into bloom, ac- 

 cording to locality, from July to September. It is grown both in 

 bush and standard form. The plants should be severely cut back 

 in the early Spring. H. arborescens, and its form Hills of Snow, 

 are well known Hydranges which bloom in June and are daintier 

 and more dwarf than H. paniculata. 



