HARDY ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



315 



a yellow-fruited variety. P. americana is the New World 

 representative of it. 



P. baccata, including P. cerasifera, Cherry-Crab. — 

 There are several extremely pretty varieties of these 

 miniature Crab-trees, which are very ornamental when 

 in fruit. Northern China, Siberia, &c, 1758. P. pruni- 

 folia, Siberian Crab, and P. astracanica appear to be 

 varieties. 



P. coronaria, American Crab. — A very profuse-bloom- 

 ing, fragrant, large-flowered tree, 15 to 20 feet high. 

 Desirable, as it comes into bloom after most spring- 

 flowering trees are over. The variety of flore-pleno is still 

 more valuable. 1724. 



P. floribunda (Malus floribunda) (fig. 386). — One of the 

 most beautiful of early-flowering trees. The flowers when 



Fig. 386.— Pyrus floribunda. 



open are of a pale rosy-red, but the flower-buds are of a 

 brilliant crimson; var. atrosanguinea has flowers of a 

 more vivid red, var. flore-pleno is frequently known as P. 

 Parknianni. Japan. 



P. japonica (Cydonia). — In the typical form of this 

 shrub the flowers are rich scarlet, but there are also white 

 and rose-coloured forms. A variety known as " Knap 

 Hill Scarlet " is the richest coloured of the red ones. 

 Japan, 1815. 



P.Maidei. — A dwarf shrub allied to P. japonica, flowers 

 brick-red, succeeded by numerous fragrant fruits, which 

 are used for preserving. A very pretty shrub. Japan, 

 1874. 



P. nigra. — Very similar to P. arbutifolia, but with 

 smooth leaves; flowers also purer white. North America. 



P. Schiedecheri is a recent hybrid of which the beautiful 

 P. floribunda is one parent. It is more robust and tree- 

 like, making long growths each summer, which are pro- 

 fusely clothed with large rosy-red blossoms in spring. 



P. Sorbus (P. dornestica), True-Service. — Resembles the 



Mountain Ash, but the fruit is much larger, brownish, 

 and ovate or pear-shaped. Europe. 



P. spectabilis, Chinese Crab. — A beautiful flowering 

 tree 20 to 30 feet high. China, 1780. 



P. thianschanica, one of the Aucupjaria, group, is a pro- 

 mising species of recent introduction. It is dwarf and 

 sturdy, with pinnate leaves and terminal corymbs of 

 white flowers. Chinese Tartary. 



P. torrninalis, Wild Service. — A tree 40 to 50 feet high, 

 resembling the White-Beam, but not woolly. 



Quercus. — For garden purposes the Oaks may be 

 divided into three groups : 1, deciduous trees : 2, ever- 

 green trees; 3, shrubs. The genus is a very large one, 

 300 species (some semi-tropical) being known. 



1. Deciduous trees: — 



Q. jEgilops, Valonia Oak. — A small but elegant hardy 

 tree, bearing large acorns. Southern Europe, 1731. 



Q. C err is, Turkey Oak. — A symmetrical and rapid - 

 growing handsome tree of large dimensions. The varie- 

 ties of it are numerous and widely different, one set, 

 designated subperennis, being nearly evergreen. This 

 includes Lucombeana and fulhamensis. Other varieties 

 are laciniata, with lacerated leaves, and albo-variegata, 

 with variegated foliage. Southern Europe, &c, 1735. 



Q. coccinea, Scarlet Oak. — A fast-growing, tall tree, 

 of pyramidal outline. Leaves nearly a foot in length, of 

 elegant form, and changing to red -brown in autumn. 

 North America, 1691. A variety called splendens is by 

 far the most brilliant in autumn, and retains its leaves 

 longer than the type. Allied to this species are Q. 

 palustris, Q. rubra, and Q. tinctoria, all large and hand- 

 some trees from North America. 



Q. conferta (Q. pannonica). — One of the handsomest of 

 European Oaks ; leaves with short stalks, the blade 6 tc 

 8 inches long, deeply lobed. South-eastern Europe. 



Q. Robur, British Oak. — The forms of this are pedun- 

 culata and sessiliflora, having stalked or stalkless acorns. 

 One of the most ornamental is fastigiata, exactly like the 

 Lombardy Poplar in habit. Among others may be men- 

 tioned pendula, variegata, heterophylla, fiUcifolia, and 

 picta, sufficiently characterized by their names. Con- 

 cordia, the Golden Oak, is also an ornamental plant ; 

 nigra purpurea is a form with purple leaves. 



Other species noteworthy for their large leaves are 

 Q. Mirbeckii, Portugal, and Q. Daimio, Japan. 



2. Evergreen trees : — 



Q. Ilex, Holm Oak. — A very variable species, scarcely 

 two trees being exactly alike in foliage. A valuable ever- 

 green for the south and west, and for the sea-coast. It 

 reaches a height of 20 to 40 feet, but assumes a more 

 shrubby habit in the colder parts of the kingdom. In- 

 troduced very early from the Mediterranean region. 



Q. Suber, Cork Oak. — Also very variable, and resem- 

 bling some forms of the last species, but scarcely so hardy, 

 though trees of considerable size exist in the south of 

 England. Mediterranean region, 1699. 



3. Evergreen shrubs : — 



Q. acuta. — A handsome species with sharply-pointed, 

 bright-green leaves 3 to 5 inches long. One form has 

 white veins, another red. Japan, where it probably 

 attains the dimensions of a small tree. Several other 

 species of similar character, equally handsome, and also 

 natives of Japan, need not be separately described. They 

 are Q. bambuscefolia, Q. cuspidata, and Q. glab7-a. 



Q. coccifera, Kermes Oak. — A small tree in the South 

 of Europe, whence it was introduced in 16S3. but shrubby 

 in Britain. Leaves small, elliptical, usually armed with 

 spiny teeth. 



