80 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



October, 1915 



C. racemiflora, C. bullata and its variety macro- 

 phylla. These are all perfectly hardy shrubs and 

 worthy of a prominent place in every garden. 

 Further south the evergreen C. salicifolia, its var- 

 iety floccosa and C. Henryana ought also to be 

 grown. And so too should be the European Buisson 

 ardent (Pyracantha coccinea), its var-. 

 iety Lalandii, and Chinese relative 

 P. cremdata, all with bright scarlet 

 fruits. In China the various kinds 

 of Pheasants are very partial to the 

 fruits of these shrubs and those in- 

 terested in rearing these birds should 

 plant both Cotoneaster and Pyra- 

 cantha as a source of winter food for 

 their pheasants. 



ORANGE AND YELLOW FRUITS 



Only a few hardy woody plants have 

 yellow or orange-colored fruits and 

 of these a number are varieties of 

 types with red fruits of some of which 

 mention has already been made. 

 Among the Bush Honeysuckles are 

 several with yellow or pale orange 

 fruits such as Lonicera Ruprechtiana, 

 var. xantJiocar pa, L. latarica f. lutea, 

 and!,, minutiflora. The last-named 

 is a hybrid between L. micrantha The white fruits 

 and L. Morrowii and with its trans- 

 lucent pale orange fruit is one of 

 the most beautiful of the genus. There is also a 

 form of the European Guelder Rose (Viburnum 

 Opulus, var. xanthocar pum) with yellow fruit, and 

 also a number of species of Gooseberry and Cur- 

 rant (Ribes). The native Persimmon (Diospyros 

 virginiana) has orange colored fruits which become 

 blackish purple when dead ripe. 

 • But if pure yellow and orange are rare colors 

 among fruits they are common in combination with 

 red as in plums, peaches, apricots, cherries, and 

 other comestible fruits. Of ornamental fruiting 

 trees and shrubs having fruits red and yellow in 

 varying degrees and shades the most important are 

 the Asiatic Crabapples. Later in this series I hope 

 to devote an article to these beautiful plants and 

 since space is limited I refrain at this moment from 

 entering further into the subject beyond remarking 

 that in fruit they are highly ornamental and the 

 fruits persist on the branches until spring. Birds 

 are remarkably fond of these fruits and every bird- 

 lover should contrive to have a few of these plants 

 in his (or her) garden or on his (or her) estate. 



BLACK FRUITS 



This group in size ranks next to that of red fruits 

 and in many of its members the fruits as they ripen 

 assume various shades of red before becoming 

 finally black. Among trees the Asiatic Corktrees 

 (Phellodendron) bear annually a wealth of shining 

 '.lack fruits. These are quick-growing medium- 

 sized perfectly hardy 

 trees with handsome 

 bark, spreading 

 branches and large 

 dark green pinnate 

 leaves and they are 

 not subject to disease 

 or insect-pests. Four 

 species are growing in 

 the Arnold Arboretum: 

 P. sachalinense, and 

 P. japonicum from 

 northern Japan, P. 

 a mure use from north- 

 eastern continental 

 Asia and P. chinense 

 from central China. 



In the Ivy family, 

 besides Kalopanax ri- 

 cinifolium described in 

 my August article, are 

 many black - fruited 

 plants such as the na- 

 tive Hercules Club 

 (Aralia spinosa), its 

 Asiatic ally (A. chin- 

 ensis), with much di- 

 vided yard-wide leaves 

 and broad clusters 

 of small fruits. Also 



Acanthopanax sessiliflorum and A. splnosum which 

 are large growing shrubs with globose heads of 

 fruit, native of north-eastern Asia, and the smaller 

 Chinese species A. Hcnryi. All of these love a 

 cool moist situation. Most of the Rhamnus be- 

 long to this group and many of them like R. 



of the dwarf evergreen Perneltya mucronala are a delight in gardens of 

 California and the South 



The old time common 

 Privet is by far the most or- 

 namental in winter time. 

 Berries are black 



davuricus, R. Frangula and the Common Buck- 

 thorn {R. catharticus) fruit profusely and retain 

 their berries far into the winter. A particularly 

 handsome species is R. alpinus with large deep 

 green strongly veined leaves and which makes a 

 large bush. 



The Canadian Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), 

 so abundant in moist places throughout New Eng- 

 land, and its variety maxima, remarkable for its 

 enormous flat masses of flowers are very beautiful 

 with their lustrous fruits and so is S. pubens of 

 which there is a variety (leucocarpa) with yellowish 

 fruits. A number of Viburnums, both native and 

 exotic have black fruits and many of them are de- 

 sirable shrubs. Among the best of the native 

 species are V. pubescens, the Arrow-wood (V. 

 acerifolium) and the Hobble Bush (V. alnifolium, 

 often called V. lantanoides) . The last named is a 

 lovely shrub with large leaves but unfortunately it 

 dislikes cultivation and the same is true of its close 

 ally, V. furcatum, from northern Japan. Of exotic 

 species perhaps the best in fruit is the Japanese V. 

 Sieboldii, a large bush or slender tree thirty feet tall, 

 with large prominently nerved bright green leaves 

 and large pyramidal clusters of jet black fruit. 

 When it fruits freely the popular V. iomentosum 

 (often called V. plicalum) from Japan is very 

 beautiful. Other good sorts are the European 

 Wayfaring Tree (V. Lantana), its Chinese relative 

 V. Veitchii and the evergreen V. rhytidophyllum 

 with remarkably long, wrinkled leaves felted on the 

 underside. Belonging to the same family are 

 several Bush Honeysuckles with lustrous black 

 fruits of which mention may be made of the Euro- 

 pean Lonicera nigra, the Chinese L. nervosa, and 

 L. involucrata from western North America. The 

 last named has jet black fruit on a fleshy crimson 

 receptacle. 



The Privets (Ligustrum) all have black fruits and 

 the hardiest of all and the most beautiful in fruit 

 is the European L. vulgare here and there naturalized 

 in this section of America. This most desirable 

 shrub has large shining black fruits in clusters and 

 ought to be generally planted in the colder parts of 

 this country in preference to its less hardy Asiatic 

 relations which have dull colored fruits. 



Many members of the great Rose family also 

 belong to this group and in fruit none is more beauti- 

 ful than the native Chokeberry, Aronia melano- 

 carpa, its varieties grandifolia and elata, and A. 

 atropurpurea. Another species {A. arbutifolia) 

 has red fruits. Among the Cotoneasters with black 

 fruit are C. vulgaris, C. moupinensis, C. foveolata, 

 C. lucida, C. acutifolia, and its variety villosida, all 

 strong growing, free fruiting shrubs. 



The Ink Berry (Ilex glabra) and its Japanese 

 relative /. crenata, are two valuable and hardy 

 evergreens with small glossy leaves and stalked 

 black fruits. 



Among Barberries most of the evergreen species 



such as B. Sargentiana, B. Gagncpainii, B. Julianae 

 and B. verruculosa have black fruits. The first- 

 named is the best of the upright growing species of 

 this group hardy around Boston, Mass., the last- 

 named, with prostrate spreading branches and small 

 shining holly-like leaves white on the underside, is a 

 gem for rockeries. 



BLOOMY BLACK AND BLUE FRUITS 



In addition to the Blueberries 

 (Vaccinium) with edible fruits quite 

 a number of the best native shrubs 

 have fruits blue-black or black-pur- 

 ple and covered with a protective 

 pale waxy bloom, and many of these 

 before attaining their final hue pass 

 through stages of red and crimson. 

 Foremost in this class rank such 

 Viburnums as V. Canbyi, V. denta- 

 htm, V. prunifolium, V. rufiduhim, 

 V. lentago and V. cassinoides. All 

 are handsome in flower, foliage and 

 fruit and are strong growing shrubs 

 which cannot be too highly praised 

 for planting in the parks and gar- 

 dens of the colder parts of this 

 country. In the last named the 

 fruits change from green to pure pink 

 and finally to blue-black and it is 

 one of the most lovely of all shrubs. 

 The pinnate-leaved Barberries 

 (Mahonia) are a charming group unfortunately not 

 very hardy. The hardiest is the low-growing M. re- 

 pens with grayish green leaves but the most popular 

 is M . Aquifolium with glossy leaves which assume 

 fine tints in early winter; the Japanese M.japonica 

 is the most vigorous grower and has the largest 

 leaves. All have terminal bunches of beautiful 

 grape-like fruits. The lovely Bcrberis stenophylla, 

 a hybrid between two Sooth American species, with 

 slender arching stems and small dark green leaves 

 and perhaps the finest of all the Berberries, is alas! 

 not quite hardy around Boston, Mass. 



The blue-fruited Bush Honeysuckle (L. coeridea) 

 with teat-like fruits which ripen in June is a very 

 valuable shrub. This plant grows wild in various 

 parts of the cold North Temperate regions of both 

 Hemispheres and is very variable. The American 

 variety (villosa) has palatable edible fruits but the 

 Asiatic varieties altaica and graciliflora with bitter 

 fruits are more ornamental garden shrubs. 



The native Silky Cornel (Cornus Amomum) and 

 its close relative C. obliqua are large growing shrubs 

 with blue fruits. A plant that deserves the widest 

 recognition is Symplocos paniadata (better known 

 as 5. crataegoidcs) with turquoise-blue fruits. 

 This is a large bush or slender tree and is very 

 common in Japan, Korea and China. It is per- 

 fectly hardy around Boston, Mass., has good foliage, 

 small clusters of white flowers with conspicuous 

 stamens and in the autumn it fruits profusely. 



WHITE FRUITS 



The most attractive members of this group are 

 the native Snowberry Bushes (Symphoricarpos) and 

 the Dogwoods or Cornels (Cornus). The former 

 are low twiggy plants with small gray-green leaves, 

 insignificant pink flowers and large snow-white 

 berries. The best are S. racemosus and its variety 

 laevigatus, C. oreophilus, C. occidentalis from the 

 northern Middle states, C. Heyeri from Colorado, 

 and S. mollis from California. Another species, 

 familiarly known as the Coralberry (S. orbiculatus), 

 has red-purple fruits and is very attractive around 

 Christmas time. Among the best of the white- 

 fruited Cornels are the native Corn 21s racemosa 

 (better known as C. candidissima) , a twiggy shrub of 

 moderate size, C. circinata (often called C. rugosa) 

 which is a large bush or low tree with red foot-stalks 

 to the fruits, the hybrid C. Arnoldiana which is a 

 fair-sized shrub, and C. stolonifera, the Old World 

 C. alba and C. sanguinea, too well-known to need 

 description. A Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera qum- 

 quelocidaris) with white or yellowish translucent 

 fruits in which the black seeds are clearly visible 

 is also worthy of note. 



In the south and in California Pernettya mucron- 

 ata from the Magellanic region of South America 

 and P. rupicola from Chile ought to be grown. 

 These are low-growing bushy shrubs and of the 

 former there are many fine garden varieties. 



