ERIOSTEMON — ERYTHRINA . 



generally grown than they are. All of them flower either during the winter or early 

 in the spring, succeeding well in a cool, airy greenhouse from which frost is excluded, 

 and are amenable to gentle forcing. Some of the best of them are E. buxifolius, 

 flowers pink or rose-coloured ; E. cuspidatus, red ; E. intermedius, white suffused with 

 rosy pink ; E. myoporoides, rose-coloured ; E. neriifolius, rose-coloured or pink ; 

 E. salicifolius, pink ; and E. scaber, white, tinged with pink. All the species may be pro- 

 pagated by cuttings in the spring, similarly to correas (see page 170), but are principally 

 increased by grafting on stocks of either Correa alba or Eriostemon buxifolius. These 

 " worked " plants are preferred to any from cuttings. 



March is the best month for repotting eriostemons, 

 giving a small shift to those strongly rooted, using clean, 

 well-drained pots, and a compost of equal parts good 

 fibrous loam and peat, with plenty of sharp sand added. 

 Pot firmly. Any plants in a sickly state should be 

 freely pruned, and then partially shaken clear of the 

 sour soil which they are in. After trimming their roots 

 repot in fresh compost, giving them pots just large 

 enough to hold their roots, and they should have the 

 benefit of gentle heat for a few weeks. A little warmth 

 is also desirable while healthy plants are forming fresh 

 growth, afterwards gradually exposing them to all the 

 light and air possible. During the summer months 

 they may be arranged in the open air, with various 

 other hard-wooded plants, returning them to a light, Fig> 91 Eeiosie1ion BTOnr0Ln7S . 

 airy greenhouse before they are damaged by cold rains 



or frosts. Eriostemons are naturally of a bushy habit of growth, and all the pruning 

 needed is the shortening of loose growths, either when the flowers can be used in a 

 cut state or directly after they have faded. 



erythrina. — There are nearly a dozen species of erythrina to bo found in botanical 

 collections, but for all ordinary cultural purposes they may safely be reduced to two, 

 E. christa-galli and E. herbacea, with varieties and hybrids raised from these. The 

 Common Coral-tree, E. christa-galli, from Brazil, is most frequently grown in private 

 gardens, also bedded out in the London and other parks. The type attains a height of 

 3 to 4 feet, and produces rich coral-red flowers from May to July. Varieties raised from 



