HARDY ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



313 



It flowered in France and Algeria in 1876. China, 

 1864. 



P.Benonis. — Stems 14 feet high, gracefully arched, with 

 luxuriant wavy leafage. One of the most elegant. Japan. 



P. Marliacea. — Similar to P. Quilioi in leaf and other 

 characters, but it can at once be distinguished by the 

 well-marked wrinkling of the stems. Japan. 



P. mitis. — The most robust of all our hardy Bamboos. 

 Stems have been produced in Britain 20 feet in height 

 and 4^ inches in circumference. Leaves as in P. aurea. 

 China and Japan. 



P. nigra. — This owes its name to the stems turning 

 almost black the second year. It reaches a height of 10 

 feet in the south of England, and is one of the most 

 graceful species. Var. nigro - punctata is a somewhat 

 stronger grower, and differs in the stems being mottled. 



P. Quilioi (P. Mazeli). — A vigorous-growing Bamboo, 

 with dark-green stems 20 feet in height. It resembles 

 P. mitis. Japan, 1866. 



P. ruscifolia (P. Kumasaca). — The smallest of the genus. 

 The slender stems are very much zigzagged and about 

 2J feet high. Leaves 3 to 4 inches long and an inch 

 wide, downy on the lower surface. Japan. 



P. sulphur ea. — Stems of a beautiful clear-yellow, 13 

 feet high; similar in foliage to P. mitis. Japan, 1865. 



P. viridi-glaucescens. — One of the most desirable of all 

 hardy Bamboos, uniting perfect hardiness with exceptional 

 gracefulness. It is 14 to 18 feet high, with the outer 

 stems arching outwards so that their tips touch the 

 ground. China and Japan, 1846. 



Pieris. — The four following, as well as several other 

 American plants, will be found in different catalogues and 

 books under the genera Andromeda, Leucothoe, and Lyonia. 



P. floribunda. — A compact, dwarf-growing, hardy ever- 

 green, from 2 to 3 feet high, with ovate finely- toothed 

 and ciliated leaves, and terminal clustered spikes of white 

 flowers in April and May. One of the most attractive of 

 spring-flowering shrubs. North America, 1812. 



P. formosa. — Although occasionally injured by frost 

 as far north as London this in the south-west is a very 

 beautiful evergreen shrub. It has dark-green, leathery, 

 finely-toothed leaves, and terminal compound racemes of 

 porcelain-white flowers. North India. 



P. japonica. — A much hardier evergreen species than 

 the preceding, flowering in early spring. It has stout, 

 dark-green, lanceolate leaves, the white flowers being 

 arranged in pendulous racemes. Japan. 



P. mariana. — A deciduous shrub from 2 to 3 feet high; 

 leaves oval, entire ; flowers rather large for the group, 

 white tinged with red, borne in large clusters on nearly 

 leafless branches all through the summer. North America, 

 1736. 



Piptanthus nepalensis. — A leguminiferous shrub, with 

 large trifoliate leaves; flowers yellow, in terminal racemes. 

 In most parts of the country it requires the protection of 

 a wall. North India, 1821. 



Pittosporum. — A few species of this genus are suffi- 

 ciently hardy for the south-west or a wall. They have 

 simple leaves and white fragrant flowers. 



P. Tobira is a handsome shrub 8 to 10 feet high, with 

 glossy coriaceous leaves, and terminal clusters of flowers 

 produced throughout the summer. China, 1804. 



P. undulatum. — An Australian species; in cultivation 

 since 1789. It has pale-green wavy leaves with a dark- 

 brown midrib, and whitish flowers. 



Plagianthus Lyalli (fig. 383). — A beautiful shrub 

 which is quite hardy in the open, but flowers better when 

 planted against a south wall. The leaves are 2 to 4 inches 



Plagianthus Lyalli. 



long, cordate, pointed; the flowers snow-white with golden- 

 yellow anthers, and produced in abundant clusters. New 

 Zealand, 1871. P. betulinus and P. Lampenii have white 

 and yellowish-white flowers respectively, the latter has 



flowered in the British 

 Isles. Both are tender. 



PLATANUS. — Planes are 

 unsurpassed by any other 

 trees in grandeur and 

 beauty, and are amongst 

 the best for town plant- 

 ing, where they would 

 succeed even better if 

 occasionally well watered 

 in dry seasons. 



P. occidentalis. — A rare 

 tree, what is usually grown 

 under this name being 

 acerifolia. It differs from 

 that tree in its more 

 pubescent, coriaceous 



leaves and in the fruit 

 catkins being solitary. 

 North America, 1636. 



P. orientalis. — This is 

 the best of the Planes. It 

 has v ery widely - spreading 

 branches, and deeply five-lobed leaves. There are several 

 varieties or, according to some authorities, allied species, 

 the best known of which is acerifolia, the so-called 

 '"London Plane", which is of more erect habit, the 

 leaves usually three-lobed ; cuneata has the base of the 

 leaf wedge-shaped. Western Asia, 1548. 



Platycrater arguta (P. Sieboldii). — A Japanese shrub 

 introduced in 1866, allied to Philadelphvs, and having 

 similar white flowers. 



Polygala Chamcebuxus. — This little shrub belongs to 

 the same genus as the common Milkwort, but it is larger 

 in all its parts, growing from 6 to 12 inches in height. 

 The flowers are yellow and cream, tipped with purple. 

 It prefers a peaty soil, but will succeed in sandy loam 

 and leaf -mould. Central Europe, 1658. 



Polygonum Baldschuanicum. — A climbing shrub of 

 singular interest and beauty, which can be allowed to 

 ramble over branches of trees stuck in the ground so as 

 to form a pyramid 10 feet or more high. The leaves are 

 small, shining, and of a beautiful green ; the flowers are 

 borne in large feathery racemes and are pinkish-white. 

 It is sometimes cut to the ground in hard winters, but 

 springs up freely in spring. Turkestan, 1882. 



Populus. — Fast-growing, lofty trees, valuable for plant- 

 ing in stiff clays and in wet places, where scarcely any- 

 thing else will succeed, especially P. nigra. 



P. alba, Abele.- — Leaves silvery beneath. Succeeds 

 well on the borders of streams, in which situation it 

 attains 100 feet in height. There are several varieties, 

 differing in the shape of the leaves and the density and 

 colour of the tomentum; one named Bollcana is of colum- 

 nar habit like the Lombardy Poplar. Var. nivea, the 

 Aremberg Poplar, is especially noteworthy for the vivid 

 whiteness of its leaves beneath. Europe. 



P. balsamifera, Balsam Poplar. — The leaves expand 

 very early, and are of a fine yellow-green ; the buds 

 covered with a fragrant resin. Rather subject to canker 

 in some districts, but nevertheless a valuable tree for 

 moist situations. North America, 1692. P. laurifolia 

 and P. suaveolens are species allied to the Balsam Poplar. 

 P. candicans is now considered a variety of it. 



