HARDY ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



323 



1817. There are several other species from the same 

 country, but they are rarely seen in gardens. S. orbieulatus 

 (vulgaris) has red and yellow flowers and purple berries. 



Syringa. — The Lilacs are among the most universally 

 admired of spring-flowering shrubs. In addition to the 

 following species and varieties, there are many hybrids 



Syringa japonica. 



cultivated by nurserymen, and described in their cata- 

 logues. 



S. chinensis {S. dubia, S. rothomagensis). — Probably a 

 hybrid between S. persica and S. vulgaris. The flowers 

 appear in May and June, and are deep violet. 



S. Emodi. — Stems covered with warty excrescences ; 

 leaves large, prominently reticulated. Flowers purple- 

 lilac or white. Mountains of Northern India, 1840. 



S. japonica (fig. 399). — A small tree 15 to 25 feet 

 high, with light - reddish bark. The leaves are about 

 5 inches long, ovate and pointed, the small white flowers 

 being produced in immense branching panicles. It is per- 

 fectly hardy, but requires a sunny position. Japan, 1885. 



8. Josikcea. — This grows from 5 to 10 feet high, and 

 has dark-green wrinkled leaves, and scentless, smallish, 

 bluish -purple flowers. It is useful in flowering after the 

 other Lilacs are past. Transylvania, 1835. 



S. persica, Persian Lilac. — Of small stature, rarely 

 exceeding 4 or 5 feet in height, with slender straight 

 branches. The flowers vary from rosy-carmine to white. 

 Persia, 1640. The original form is now rarely met with, 

 being supplanted by a larger-flowered variety. 



S. vulgaris, Common Lilac. — Among the numerous 

 varieties or hybrids of this we may note alba with white, 

 rubra with red, and violacea with violet flowers. Of 

 those of more recent origin, Dr. Lindley has extremely 

 large clusters of reddish-lilac flowers ; rubra insignis and 

 grandiflora have larger red flowers; and Charles X. is 

 remarkable for the immense size of its panicles and the 

 beautiful tint of its reddish-lilac flowers. Souvenir de 

 Louis Spath is the darkest-coloured of all the varieties. 

 Marie Lagraye is one of the best whites, and Madame 

 Lemoine is unequalled among the double-flowered sorts. 

 South-eastern Europe, &c, 1597. 



Tamarix. — Half-evergreen, Cypress-like shrubs, with 

 straight, whip-like branches, and small scale-like imbri- 

 cated leaves. Flowers small, in spicate panicles, rose, 



pink, or white. These shrubs are valuable for the sea- 

 side, as they flourish in sandy soil where scarcely anything 

 else will live. As they are impatient of transplanting, 

 they should be permanently placed when young. 



T. chinensis (T. japonica plumosa). — A very graceful 

 species with luxuriant plume-like branches, but not so 

 hardy as the following. China. 



T. gallica, Tamarisk. — This has lateral spikes of pink 

 or white flowers produced from May to October. Medi- 

 terranean, now naturalized in some parts of Britain. 



Tecoma radicans (Bignonia radicans), Trumpet Flower. 

 — A tall climber with opposite pinnate leaves, and very 

 showy orange and scarlet flowers produced in autumn. 

 It supports itself by means of rootlets from the joints of 

 the stem, and succeeds best against a warm wall or bank. 

 North America, 1640. 



Tilia. — Limes are usually tall trees of close habit, 

 leaves cordate, flowers fragrant, in small cymes attached 

 to a leafy bract. The varieties in cultivation are very 

 numerous. 



T. americana. — This includes canadensis, nigra, glabra, 

 &c. There is a fine variety, mississippensis, with leaves 

 nearly a foot in length. It grows from 60 to 70 feet high. 

 North America, 1752. 



T. argentea (T. alba). — This forms a handsome tree 60 

 feet or more high, with a grayish -white bark, and leaves 

 silvery beneath. South-eastern Europe, 1767. 



T. cordata (T. microphylla). — A small tree found wild 

 in a few places in Britain, flowers later than either T. 

 platyphyllos or T. vulgaris. The leaves are smaller and 

 the tree more bushy and compact than either. 



T. dasystyla (T. euchlora). — A fine species introduced 

 from the Caucasus in 1884. The leaves are the largest 

 of any Old World Lime. 



T. petiolaris (T. americana pendula). — This is a fine 

 tree of pendulous growth. The leaves are silvery beneath, 



'ig. 400.— Trachyearpus excelsus 



as in T. argentea, but the petioles are much longer. 

 Eastern Europe. 



