May, 19 06 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



209 



winter. There are a number of varieties of 

 this species in cultivation differing in the 

 deeper pink flowers, broader leaves, etc., but 

 they do not appear to be any improvement 

 on the type. 



THE LATEST OF ALL SPLREAS 



Another woolly-leaved one is the hardhack 

 (Spircea tomentosa,) which is also the latest 

 blooming of all their great family, coming into 

 bloom about the end of July or first of 

 August, and continuing to bloom until the 

 first of September. The purple-pink flow- 

 ers are produced in dense cones at the ends 

 of the branches. The leaves, like those of 

 Spircea Donglasi, are densely downy be- 

 neath, but are brownish yellow instead of 

 white. 



THE LARGEST DROOPING PINK TASSELS 



There is one spirea not commonly in cul- 



tivation which deserves more attention from 

 planters because it has the largest pyramidal 

 clusters of the pink-flowered spireas. 



This is Billard's spirea (S. Billardii) of 

 which Lenneana rubra and Californica are 

 garden torms. It differs from other spireas 

 in its own class by its drooping or arching 

 branches, particularly when in full bloom; 

 an effect which is due to the large and dense 

 flower clusters. On the left-hand side of the 

 illustration, and partly in the center, the 

 drooping branches of the form known as 

 Spircea Lenneana may be observed. It is in 

 full flower about July fifteenth. 



TWO LATE WHITE-FLOWERED SPECIES 



The late white spirea (S. albiflora, usually 

 old under the name of Spircea callosa, var. 

 alba) is, I believe, the only late-flowering 

 spirea with fiat clusters, and as such may be 

 easilv recognized. It forms a neat little 



This is typical of millions of flowering shrubs that go without thinning for ten or fifteen years. It 

 ought to be a solid mass of bloom. Cut out the old wood and give the younger canes & chance 



shrub, with upright stems and grows from one 

 and a half to two feet tall. The largest 

 clusters terminate the branches, with a 

 number of smaller ones lower down. It 

 comes into bloom about July first, and con- 

 tinues flowering until the early part of Aug- 

 ust, giving fully six weeks of color. As it is 

 not quite hardy, it should be planted in a 

 sheltered situation — a very slight protection 

 will suffice to keep it safely, and in most 

 shrubberies this little attention can be given 

 very easily. 



Its companion in season of bloom but 

 with flowers in pyramids is the meadow- 

 sweet {Spircea alba), which is conspicuous 

 among the late-flowering spireas because 

 it is the only late white-flowering kind that 

 is free from every trace of pink. It grows 

 from four to six feet tall, with upright stems, 

 and comes into bloom about July first. The 

 flower clusters are in broad, loose pyramids. 

 On stout stems the clusters are sometimes 

 much branched, and form large candelabra- 

 like heads. It is a good-natured sort of a 

 plant, too, and though it does well in damp, 

 badly-drained situations, which seem to be 

 its natural preference, it also does well, as the 

 illustration shows, in a light, dryish, sandy 

 loam. 



ONE WITH NARROW CONES 



Among the late-flowering spireas with 

 narrow cones of flowers is the Douglas spirea 

 (S. Douglasi), which blooms throughout the 

 month of July and has deep pink flower 

 clusters in narrow — hardly ever broad — cones 

 or pyramids. It is said to grow eight feet 

 tall, and perhaps it does, somewhere else, 

 but with me it never exceeds four feet. No 

 other spirea has the under side of the leaves 

 so densely covered with white down. It 

 spreads rapidly by suckers, and if planted in 

 a group with other shrubs must be given 

 constant attention to keep it within its pre- 

 scribed area, or it will crowd and rob its 

 neighbors. 



A KEY TO THE SPIREAS 



This shows in the least possible space how 

 each species differs from every other. If 

 you have a specimen in flower and want to be 

 sure of its name choose first between A. and 

 AA. Suppose your flower comes under AA. 

 Then choose between B. and BB. and so on 

 until you are directed straight to the name 

 of your specimen. 



But this is unlike any other key you ever 

 saw. It has nothing to do with herbarium 

 characters. If you want those, go to the 

 "Cyclopedia of American Horticulture." 

 This is a guide to the horticultural value of 

 the species. 



A. Blossoming early on, last year's 

 growth. (Prune after flower- 

 ing)- 

 B. Clusters in ropes along the 

 branches, stalkless. 

 C. Blooming in April and May: 

 flowers single. 

 D. Branches arching: Its. bright 



green i . Thunbergii 



DD. Branches onlv slightly arch- 

 ing: leaves dull green.... 2. arguta 

 CC. Blooming in May: flowers 



double 3. prunifolia, 



var. 

 flore-pleno 



