HARDY ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



287 



under the name of A. colchicum. The variety rubrum 

 has the leaves tinged with bright red. 



A. platanoides, Norway Maple. — A handsome hardy 

 tree, 60 feet high, with foliage resembling the Plane. A 

 rapid-growing and very handsome tree. There are several 

 good varieties of it, including the Eagle's-claw or Hawk's- 

 foot Maple, .4. platanoides laciniatum, which is curious 

 and interesting. A. cucullatum and A. Lohelii, the latter 

 a handsome fastigiate form, belong here; there is also 

 a variety, albo-variegatum, with leaves variegated with 

 white. Europe, 1683. 



A. Pseudo-Platanus, Common Sycamore. — Europe and 

 Central Asia. A valuable ornamental tree, 40 to 60 feet 

 high, growing well near the sea. The varieties are numer- 

 ous. A. P. flavo-variegatum (lutescens), called the Cor- 

 storphine Plane, has the leaves elegantly variegated with 

 yellow; purpurascens has the leaves rich purple beneath; 

 and erythrocarpum has red keys. 



A. rubrum, Red Maple. — A small tree with scarlet or 

 crimson flowers and red keys, the extremities of the 

 branches deeply tinged with red in early spring, very 

 ornamental. North America, 1656. 



A. saccharinum, Sugar Maple, or Bird's-eye Maple. — 

 A tree from 30 to 80 feet high. North America, 1735. 



Actinidia polygama (Trochostigma polygamum). — A 

 deciduous climber, with heart-shaped leaves on long 

 slender stalks, and white fragrant flowers in summer, 

 succeeded by edible berries. Japan, 1870. 



iEGLE sepiaria (Citrus trifoliata) (fig. 346). — A shrub, 

 6 feet or more high, armed with stiff spines. The leaves 

 are trifoliate and have a winged petiole. Flowers white, 

 produced in June. Fruit orange-yellow, about 1J inch 

 across. This is the 

 hardiest of the Orange 

 tribe. Japan. 



JEsculus. — This 

 genus includes some 

 of the most ornamen- 

 tal of our large flower- 

 ing trees, which are 

 admirable either as 

 isolated specimens or 

 for forming avenues. 



jE. ealifornica (fig. 

 347). — The handsom- 

 est of the North 

 American species, 12 

 to 15 feet high ; 

 flowers white, very 

 fragrant, produced in 

 great prof usion. 1857. 



JS.Hippocastanum, 

 Horse - Chestnut. — 

 There is a very fine 

 double - flowered va- 

 riety, and several 

 others, none of the latter being superior to the type. 

 Asia Minor, 1629. 



j£. macrostachya (Pavia macrostachya). — An elegant 

 shrub, 4 to 6 feet high, with long racemes of white flowers 

 having long projecting stamens, and produced in July 

 and August, later than those of other species. North 

 America, 1820, 



jE. Pavia (Pavia rubra). Red Buckeye. — A small 

 slender tree, with small red flowers. Virginia, 1711. The 

 variety humilis is of straggling shrubby habit, and laciniata 

 ha.s the leaves sharply toothed. 



jE. rubicunda (JE. rubra coccinea), scarlet -flowered 



Fig. 346.— JSgle sepiaria 



Horse-Chestnut. — A handsome tree, believed to be of 

 garden origin. There are several varieties, of which 

 Briotii is the best. 



Ailantus glandulosa, Tree of Heaven. — A tall rapid- 



Fig. 347.— JEsculus ealifornica. (| 



growing tree, with ample pinnate leaves, and inconspicuous 

 flowers, which are heavy - scented, and said to have an 

 unhealthy influence. It thrives well in sheltered localities 

 near the sea, but young sappy shoots are often injured by 

 frost in low situations. The food tree of the Japanese 

 silkworm. It is propagated readily by means of root- 

 cuttings. North China, 1751. 



Akebia quinata. — A pretty twining plant, with smooth 

 palmately-divided leaves on long stalks, the leaflets also 

 stalked. Flowers small, violet-red, appearing in spring. 

 Hardy only in the milder parts of the United Kingdom. 

 Japan, 1845. 



Alnus. — The Alders, a genus of useful trees, especially 

 for wet situations. 



A. cordifolia. — A handsome tree, 30 to 50 feet high, 

 noteworthy for its large heart-shaped lustrous leaves. 

 It prefers a drier soil than A. glutinosa. South Europe. 

 1820. 



A. firma (A. multinervis) (fig. 348). — A very distinct 

 Alder, its leaves being long, sharply-toothed, and many- 

 nerved. Japan. 



A. glutinosa, Common Alder. — A. useful quick-growing 

 tree in wet places. Of its numerous varieties the best 

 are: aurea, with golden leaves; laciniata, with a drooping 

 habit and fern-like, deeply-cut foliage; imperial is, with 

 even more handsomely-cut leaves; and quercifolia, with 

 sinuate, Oak -like leaves. 



A. incana. — Leaves broadly ovate and more or less 

 downy beneath, 20 to 30 feet. North America. 



A. nitida. — This has the largest leaves of all the Aiders; 

 they are often 5 to 6 inches long, and broad in proportion. 

 A fine tree. Himalaya. 



Amelanchier. — Shrubs or small trees with small oblong 

 or oval leaves, and racemes of pure-white flowers, produced 

 in great profusion in early spring. Fruit similar to that 

 of the Hawthorn, black, purple, or red. 



