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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS aquilbgia 



species they sooner or later influence the 

 progeny of the latter raised from seed, 

 and ultimately crush the original types 

 out of the garden. If seeds are not re- 

 quired the withering flower stalks may be 

 cut down and very often in favourable 

 seasons a second blossoming will take 

 place in autumn as a consequence. 



A. alpina {Alpine Columbine). — A 

 beautiful species 9-24 in. high, from the 

 Swiss Alps. The leaves are twice ternate, 

 with segments deeply divided into Unear 

 lobes. The large drooping flowers which 

 appear from May to July are 2-3 in. across 

 when fully open, deep blue, or blue and 

 white, with straight spurs somewhat in- 

 curved at the tips. Suitable for the rockery. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



A. atropurpurea. — A Siberian plant 

 2-3 ft. high, with twice ternate leaves, and 

 dark purple or bluish- violet flowers, almost 

 2 in. across, and two or three in a head 

 with straight spurs. A border plant. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. Bertoloni (A. Beuteri). — A pretty 

 little alpine about 12 in. high, with small, 

 dark, blue-green leaves. Flowers in June 

 and July, violet-blue, about 1 in. across, 

 with short knobby spurs. 



Culture dc. as above. 



A. canadensis (Camadda/n Columbine). 

 A very pretty border or rock plant, 12-24 

 in. high, native of N. America. The 

 leaves have 3-parted bluntish segments, 

 deeply toothed at the apex. The hand- 

 some and attractive flowers appear from 

 April to June ; they are scarlet, mixed with 

 yellow, and less than 1 in. across, with 

 straight spurs, and styles and stamens 

 protruding. The variety known as major 

 is somewhat larger in growth and blossom 

 than the type, and is an improvement 

 upon it. 



Cultv/re dc. as above. 



A. chrysantha (Golden Columbine) . — 

 This fine vigorous species is a native of 

 California and grows 3-4 ft. high, having 

 twice ternate leaves. Flowers from May 

 to August, many on a stem ; sepals prim- 

 rose-yellow, 1 in. long, tinted with purple 

 at the tips ; petals of a deeper yeUow 

 colour with straight slender spurs l|-2 in. 

 long. The variety flavescens (also known 

 as aurea) has flowers of a uniform bright 

 canary-yellow, tinged with red, and spurs 

 somewhat incurved at the tips. There is 

 also a dwarf form 12-18 in. high with 



golden-yellow flowers, and numerous 

 variations may be obtained by raising 

 plants from seed. 



Cultv/re dc. as above. 

 A. caerulea (A. leptoceras ; A. macran- 

 tha). — A lovely species for borders or foot 

 of rockeries. It is a native of the Bocky 

 Mountains, and 9-15 in. high, with large 

 twice ternate leaves. Several flowers are 

 borne on a stem from April to July, each 

 one being l^-Z in. across when fully open, 

 and are blue and white in colour, sometimes 

 tinted with lilac or claret, rarely pure 

 white ; spurs about 2 in. long, very slender, 

 almost straight, and tipped with green. 

 The variety alba (sometimes called grandi- 

 flora) is a rare and beautiful form with 

 large pure white flowers. The variety 

 hybrida is a vigorous grower of garden 

 origin and produces numerous blue and 

 white flowers. A double-flowered variety 

 appeared some few years ago and is likely 

 to remain constant. 



Cultv/re dc. as above. In some soils 

 A. ccerulea is apt to die out. Where this 

 occurs it should be raised from seed 

 annually. 



A. flabellata. — A pretty Japanese 

 species about 1 ft. high, with a black 

 tuberous rootstook, and stifBsh grey-green 

 leaves cut into 3-5 lobes. The white 

 flowers with short greenish spurs appear 

 in early summer in great abundance, and 

 combined with the dwarfriess of the tufted 

 plant make a good picture in the border or 

 rockery. 



Culture dc. as above. This Columbine 

 may be grown in pots and gently forced 

 in greeniiouses in the early part of the 

 year with good results. 



A.formosa {A. arctica ; A. califomica ; 

 A. eximia; A. f. truncata). — A showy 

 border plant from N. America, 2-4 ft. high 

 with twice ternate leaves. The flowers 

 appear from May to September, many on 

 a stem, and have bright orange-red sepals 

 about 1 in. long, with a green blunt tip 

 and yellow petals ; the spurs are ^-J in. 

 long, slender, almost straight, distinctly 

 knobby at the tips. 



The plant known as A. califomica 

 hybrida is a beautiful hybrid with yellow 

 sepals and petals, tinted with orange, and 

 long slender orange-red spurs. 

 Culture dc. as above. 

 A. fragrans {Fragrant Columbine). — 

 A handsome much - branched bushy 

 species, 1^-2 ft. high, native of the Hima- 



