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PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS vaccinium 



VACCINIUM (Bilberry ; Blub- 

 BBEHY ; Cranberry ; Huckleberry). — 

 A genus containing about 100 species of 

 shrubs, rarely trees or epiphytes, with 

 persistent, rarely membranous or deci- 

 duous leaves, often thick and leathery, 

 entire or serrate. Flowers in axillary or 

 terminal racemes or clusters rarely soli- 

 tary. Calyx lobes 4-5. Corolla urn- 

 shaped, beU-shaped, or rarely tubular or 

 conical, round, very rarely ribbed or 

 angled, limb 4-5-lobed or toothed. 

 Stamens 8 or 10, free. Ovary 4-5-ceUed. 

 Fruit a berry. 



Culture cmd Propagation. ■ — Vacoi- 

 niums all like a moist peaty soil and semi- 

 shady places in rockeries or beds. They 

 may be increased by seeds sown under 

 glass on the surface of sandy loam and 

 covered with wet moss. They may 

 germinate in a couple of months or may 

 remain dormant for a much longer period. 

 Layers may also be made during the 

 autumn months. Cuttings of the roots, 

 2-3 in. long, in early spring often strike in 

 bottom heat. 



Except where otherwise stated aU the 

 species described below are natives of 

 temperate North America, and flower in 

 spring or early summer. The berries are 

 sweetish or acid, mostly edible, and ripen 

 in late summer and autumn. Like Rhodo- 

 dendrons the plants do not like anything 

 in the shape of lime mixed with the soil, 

 and they may therefore be grown with 

 such plants and others belonging to the 

 Heath order. 



V. arboreum (V. Mffusum). — Parkle- 

 herry. — A tree 6-25 ft. high, with obovate 

 or roundish oval shining green leaves, and 

 a profusion of white flowers. Berries black, 

 small, round. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. cxspitosum. — A dwarf tufted I'ock 

 plant 3-6 in. high, with obovate, thickly 

 serrulate bright green leaves, and rosy or 

 nearly white flowers. Fruit blue, sweet. 



Culture lie. as above. 



V. canadense. — A dwarf shrub 9-12 in. 

 high, with elliptic or oblong lance-shaped, 

 downy entire leaves, and clusters of 

 greenish-white flowers. 



Culture lie. as above. 



V. corymbosum. — A shrub 5-10 ft. 

 high, with ovate oblong or elliptic leaves, 

 and yellow-green branohlets. Flowers 

 white or rose, in racemes or corymbs. 



Berries blue-black, with a copious bloom. 

 The variety amcenum has ciliated, bright 

 green downy leaves; pallidum (F. albi- 

 florumn) is a pale and glaucous, somewhat 

 downy form. 



Culture Sc. as above. 



V. crassifolium. — A trailing evergreen 

 species, with slender stems 2-3 ft. long, 

 and oval or narrowly oblong, shining 

 green leaves, ^-^ in. long, and nearly 

 white, roundish bell-shaped flowers, in 

 axillary clusters. Berries black. 



Culture dc. as above. Suitable for 

 clambering over rocks or boulders in the 

 rock garden. 



V. formosum. — A pretty shrub 2-3 ft. 

 high, with ovate or oblong, entire, bright 

 green leaves 1-2 in. long, and rosy, cylin- 

 drical flowers in loose clusters. Calyx 

 and bracts reddish. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. leucostomum. — A smooth ever- 

 green shrub 2-3 ft. high, native of the 

 Peruvian Andes, with erect angled 

 branches. Leaves nearly sessile, ^-1 in. 

 long, oblong, slightly crenate. Flowers 

 scarlet, tipped with white, somewhat beU- 

 shaped, 3-4 in a short, erect cluster. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. Mortinia. — A tender shrub 2-3 ft. 

 high, native of the Andes. Leaves 

 shortly stalked, ^f in. long, ovate or 

 lanoe-shaped oblong, crowded. Flowers 

 rosy-pink, j in. long, with 5 small re- 

 curved teeth, in short drooping racemes. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. Myrsinites (V. SprengeU). — An 

 evergreen shrub 1-2 ft. high. Leaves 

 ^1 in. long, obovate or oblong lance- 

 shaped, shining green above, paler or 

 glaucous beneath. Flowers white or 

 rosy, with reddish bracts, in clusters or 

 very short racemes. Berries blue, round. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. myrtilloides. — A shrub 1-5 ft. high, 

 with slightly angled branches, and ovate 

 or oval and oblong, sharply toothed leaves 

 1 inch or more long. Flowers yellowish 

 or greenish white, tinged with purple, 

 roundish urn-shaped. Berries purple- 

 black, rather acid. Native of N. America. 



Culture dc. as above. 



V. Myrtillus (Bilberry; Blueberry; 

 Common Whortleberry). — A native of the 

 British Islands, and the N. temperate 

 zone generally, 6-24 inches high. Leaves 



