12 HARDY ORNAMENTAL 



purple streaked flowers. A native of North America, it is 

 perfectly hardy in this country, and makes an excellent 

 wall plant where plenty of space can be afforded for the 

 rambling branches. What a pity it is that so ornamental a 

 climber, whose big, dark-green leaves overlap each other as 

 if intended for keeping a house cool in warm weather, is 

 not more generally planted ! It does well and grows fast 

 in almost any soil. 



Aristotelia (Tiliaceae)* 



Aeistotelia Macqtji. — Chili, 1733. A half-hardy shrub, 

 with oblong, toothed leaves and inconspicuous greenish 

 flowers which are succeeded by purple berries. A warm 

 situation is necessary, and light, rich soil. 



Artemisia (Composite). 



Artemisia Abrotanum. — Southerwood, Europe, 1548. A 

 small-growing shrub with highly aromatic, deep-green, rue- 

 like foliage, and a plentiful supply of small, dirty-yellow 

 flowers. It is interesting, but of no great value in an 

 ornamental sense. 



Asimina (Anonaceae). 



Asimina triloba. — Virginian Papaw. Pennsylvania, 

 1736. This is a curious and uncommon shrub that one 

 rarely sees outside the walls of a botanic garden. The 

 flowers are dark purple or chocolate brown, fully 2 inches 

 across, and succeeded by a yellow, oblong, pulpy fruit, 

 that is relished by the natives, and from which the name 

 of North American Custard Apple has been derived. In 

 this country it is quite at home, growing around London 

 to quite 12 feet in height, but it wants a warm, dry soil 

 and sunny sheltered situation. As a wall plant it does 

 best. 



