HARDY ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



325 



green. Flowers blush - white, in short racemes. New 

 Zealand, 1873. 



Viburnum. — A genus consisting of both deciduous and 

 evergreen shrubs, and comprising some very ornamental 

 species. 



V. Lantana, Wayfaring - tree. — An indigenous shrub 

 from 19 to 20 feet high, with rugose, oblong - cordate 



Fig. 403.— Viburnum Keteleerii. (J.) 



leaves, and terminal flat cymes of white flowers in May 

 or June, and red, eventually black flattened fruits. V. 

 cotinifolium, a Himalayan species introduced in 1830, 

 is probably a form of this, differing in having a more 

 rounded leaf. 



V. macrocephalum. — This has enormous clusters of 

 barren flowers like the Guelder Rose, but is not so 

 hardy. China, 1844. V. Keteleerii (fig. 403) is the wild 

 type of this, its flowers, with the exception of those at 

 the outside of the cluster, being fertile. 1863. 



V. Opulus, Guelder Rose, Snowball-tree. — The ordi- 

 nary wild form has only the outer flowers sterile and 

 enlarged, but in the more familiar cultivated one known 

 as var. sterile they are all transformed, so that the flower- 

 heads form white balls. They, however, lack the charm 

 of the bright-red fruits in autumn which make the wild 

 type so attractive. There is a dwarf variety called nanum, 

 which never flowers, and the variety variegatum has the 

 foliage variegated with white and yellow. 



V. plicatum (fig. 404). — A handsome species with 

 flower-heads similar to those of the cultivated variety of 

 V. Opulus, but the oblong- orbicular serrate leaves are 

 distinctly plaited. Northern China, 1844. V.tomentosum 

 is the wild type of this. A large proportion of its flowers 

 are small and fertile. 



V. Tinus, the Laurustinus. — The only evergreen species 

 of this genus in general cultivation, and one of the most 

 valuable of winter-flowering shrubs. It flourishes either 

 on sand-rock, chalk, or limestone, or near the sea. There 

 are several varieties: hirta is remarkable for the hairi- 

 ness of its branches and leaves; lucida has larger and less 

 abundant flowers than the common variety; and stricta 

 is of more erect habit. South Europe, 1569. 



Vinca. — The Periwinkles are low trailing shrubs, with 



glossy simple leaves and solitary axillary flowers, produced 

 from March to May. Both are indigenous or naturalized 

 in Britain, and thrive well in shady places. 



V. major. — This grows a foot or more in height, with 

 oval heart-shaped leaves and large bright-blue flowers. 

 There are several varieties, including variegated ones. 

 Those named elegantissima and aureo-reticulata are the 

 best. 



V. minor. — Smaller in all its parts and more carpet- 

 like in habit than the preceding. There are blue, reddish - 

 purple, and white single and double flowered varieties, 

 and others in which the foliage is variegated with white 

 or yellow. 



Viscum album, Mistletoe. — This native parasite may 

 be introduced sparingly in those parts of the country 

 where it is rare. It will grow on the Lime, Poplar, Thorn, 

 Apple, and other trees. Ripe berries should be inserted 

 in the forks of the branches and protected from birds till 

 they have germinated. 



Vitex Agnus-castus, Chaste-tree. — An aromatic shrub 

 6 to 10 feet, with digitate leaves consisting of five to 

 seven leaflets, and small violet flowers in terminal pan- 

 icles, produced late in autumn. It requires protection 

 in most parts of Britain. South Europe, 1570. 



Vitis.— Some of the hardy woody species of this very 

 extensive and polymorphic genus are valuable as climbing 

 plants for covering wall surfaces ; others, especially those 

 with foliage which becomes richly coloured in autumn, 

 are used with fine effect for climbing over decaying trees, 

 semi-wild pieces of shrubbery, pergolas, &c. Used in 

 this manner they should be planted some distance away 



Fig. 404.— Viburnum plicatum. 



pocket of rich 



from the stems of other trees and given a 



soil in order to start them into vigorous growth 



also Ampelopsis. 



