New Herbaceous Plants from China — «. u. wuson, =, 
Arnold 
[Eprtor’s Nore.—In the present article, the twelfth in the series, Mr. Wilson speaks more intimately of the plants of his own particular 
introduction than has been the case in most of the earlier articles. 
As these plants come to maturity more quickly than trees and shrubs, they 
are the more easily appraised. There is always room in the herbaceous border for the addition of a meritorious novelty.] 
MONG the wealth of new material 
which recent plant exploration 
work in central and western 
China has added to the gardens 
of North America and Europe there is 
not lacking herbs of more than usual in- 
terest and value. My own specialty is 
woody plants but actuated by an ardent 
love for flowers of all sorts opportunity 
tc send home material of herbaceous 
plants was never missed. Moreover, 
the principal objects of my second jour- 
ney to China (1903-05) was to try and 
introduce a yellow-flowered Poppywort 
(Meconopsis integrifolia) which was 
known to grow in the alpine regions of 
the Chino-Thibetan borderland. Com- 
plete success attended the quest but the 
plant has not taken over kindly to culti- 
vation in Great Britain and it cannot be 
recommended as a Suitable plant for 
American gardens. This Poppywort is 
a biennial and grows from one and a 
half to three feet tall and has rather 
globular, clear yellow flowers each from 
six to eight inches in diameter. It is 
probably the most gorgeously beautiful 
of all alpine plants and what joy it 
would give me could I recommend it to 
the garden lovers of this country in 
general. This cannot be done, yet it is 
probable that in parts of Maine, Oregon, 
British Columbia and other districts en- 
joying a cool summer climate and an 
abundant snowfall in winter, this re- 
markable plant 
would thrive. 
I do not know 
that it has 
been given ‘a 
trial in the 
regions men- 
tioned. Butif 
this Poppy wort 
is not for the 
ordinary gar- 
This remarkable ornamental 
Rhubarb (Rheum Alexandrae) 
has flowering spikes a yard 
high and yellow 
* Copyright, 1916, by Doubleday, Page & Co. 
Meconopsis integrifolia which was the principal ob- 
ject of Mr. Wilson’s second journey to China. Flowers 
yellow 
den there are other handsome and use- 
ful herbs from central and western 
China which are easily cultivated and 
are deserving of the widest recognition. 
In this penultimate article I propose to 
mention in cursory detail what I con- 
sider to be the best of the herbs it has 
been my good fortune and privilege to 
introduce to the gardens of western 
lands. The great majority are vigorous 
A new Sage with blue-purple flowers, and growing to a height of two feet or more. 
(Salvia Przewalskii) 
226 
growing and very hardy herbaceous 
perennials and in this connection a few 
remarks of a general character may pe 
in order. Hardy herbaceous plants do 
not at present enjoy the same favor in 
this country as in Great Britain but 
each succeeding year appreciation of 
them increases. Like trees and shrubs, 
perennial herbs give permanence to gar- 
den beauty and are essentials in the 
order and fitness of things. In every 
garden, large or small, there is place 
for them, and in this class of herbs there 
is a great variety of plants of perfect 
hardiness and of easy culture which will 
embellish and beautify any and every 
site be it the woodland, waterside, open 
border or the immediate precincts of 
the home. In a natural state a majority 
of these showy and vigorous herbs grow 
on the margins of woods and thickets, 
in moist meadows or by the sides of 
streams and lakes. In such places the 
roots are kept cool and abundantly sup- 
plied with moisture and in the autumn 
the crowns are covered with quantities 
of fallen leaves. These facts are signifi- 
cant and their appreciation of funda- 
mental importance in the successful 
cultivation of these plants. If one is 
desirous of growing good vegetables 
the soil must be rich and must be kept 
so by frequent dressings of farm-yard 
manure or some equivalent fertilizer 
and this is true in the matter of her- 
baceous peren- 
nials. In ad- 
dition to rich 
soil, ample 
water supply 
at the root and 
an autumn 
mulch of 
leaves and well 
rotted manure, 
frequent di- 
Aconitum Wilsonii has deep 
blue flowers which are borne 
on six to eight feet high stems 
in September 
