146 



DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHRUBS 



* Leaves thick and glossy — evergreen ;. flowers in elongated clusters — 

 racemes ; hardy only south of Washington, but cultivated north 

 as tub-plants ; fruit small (J inch or less) , shining black, inedi- 

 ble. (F.) 

 P. Mowers white, in spring ; cultivated under a dozen varietal 

 names. Chekkt or English Laurel (204) — Prunus Lauro- 

 c^rasus. 

 F. Flowers cream-oolored (Feb.-Apr.) ; leaves with slightly rolled 

 edges and nearly entire or few-toothed. The Evergreen or 

 Mock Orange (205) of the South — Prunus carolinia,na. 



Spirlea. The Spieeas form one of the largest and most popular of the 

 hardy ornamental genera of shrubs. Some of the 50 different species in 

 cultivation in America are to be found in bloom from early spring tiU the 



Fig. 206. — Plum-leaved Spirea. 



Fig. 207. — Thunberg's Spirea. 



frosts of autumn. The colors of the flowers, though oftenest white, vary 

 to pink, red, and purple. They grow in almost any soil and range in 

 height from less than 1 foot to 12 feet or more, though the usual height of 

 most of the species is from 3 to 6 feet. The flowers are always in clusters 

 and the individual flowers are small, from J to ^ inch ; in the single 

 forms. there are 5 petals and 10 to many stamens. Some species, as culti- 

 vated, are nearly always double. The earliest species in bloom are the 

 following, about in the order given : Thunbfirnii, Van Hoilttei, argfita, 

 cantoni^nsis, prunifolia, hypericif61ia, mfedia, and trilobfita. All of these 



