74 HAEDY OKNAMENTAL 



England and Ireland. It is a charming shrub of Heather- 

 like appearance, with small, crowded leaves, and pure-white 

 flowers produced abundantly in May. Planted at the base 

 of a southern wall it does best, and where it thrives it is 

 certainly one of our handsomest half-hardy shrubs. Light, 

 loamy soil will suit it. 



Fatsia (Araliaccae). 



Fatsia japonica (syns Aralia japonica and A . SiebolMi). — 

 Japan, 1858. This is of no particular value as a flower- 

 ing shrub, but being hardy in most districts, and having 

 large handsome leaves that impart to it a tropical 

 appearance, it is well worthy of culture. The flowers are 

 ivory-white and produced in large umbels towards the end 

 of autumn, but our early frosts too often mar their beauty. 

 In this country it grows about 10 feet high, and is usually 

 what is termed " leggy" in appearance, and thrives well in 

 any good loamy soil if fairly dry. There are two varieties, 

 aurea and variegata. 



Fendlera (Saxifrageae). 



Fendlera rupicola. — Mexico, 1888. A low-growing 

 shrub, peculiar to the dry, rocky parts of the United 

 States, particularly the south-western district. It grows 

 about a yard high, and bears a great profusion of white or 

 bluish-white flowers, that are rendered very conspicuous 

 by reason of the bright-yellow stamens. It is the only 

 known species, and is nearly allied to the Saxifrages. 

 Any fairly good garden soil will suit it well, but it wants 

 to be planted where superfluous moisture is quickly 

 carried off. 



Flacourtia. See Idesia- 



