FLORA AND SYLVA. 



The Kew Cytisus {C.kewensis). — A beau- 

 tiful prostrate plant raised in Kew Gardens 

 as a cross between Ardoinii and the common 

 White Broom, but distinct in habit from both 

 parents. It spreads by long trailing shoots, 

 rising only about 3 inches, but in old plants, 

 covering a wide surface. Its flowers, of a creamy 

 white or pale yellow, are large and numerous, 

 thickly covering the pendant shoots during 

 May and June, their colour often paling with 

 exposure. As a trailer amongst rocks, or in 

 masses for covering a bare surface, this pretty 

 plant is a decided gain. 



Fine-leaved Cytisus (C. linifolius). — A 

 native of the south-west of Europe and north- 

 ern Africa, and unlike any other of the group. 

 It forms an erect shrub of 4 or 5 feet, with 

 narrow Rosemary-like leaves and a profusion 

 of yellow flowers at the ends of the shoots in 

 a long succession from spring to early summer. 

 Being somewhat tender it can only be used in 

 the open in gardens of the south and west, but 

 is worth a place under glass in colder districts 

 for its pretty and distinct habit and early 

 flowers. Syn. Genista linifolia, and Spartium 

 linifolium. 



The Madeira Cytisus (C. monspessula- 

 nus). — A tender quick-growing shrub from 

 the Mediterranean region, and only hardy in 

 southern and coast gardens ; its yellow flowers 

 appear in May. 



Summer-flowering Cytisus (C. nigri- 

 cans). — One of the best and most useful of the 

 Broom family, distinct in colour and flowering 

 continuously from June into September. It is 

 of neat habit with long slender shoots reaching 

 6 feet or more when full grown, perfectly hardy 

 and thriving in dry warm ground, but as the 

 roots run deep it needs sufficient soil. The 

 flowers, of a clear pale yellow, are borne in long 

 erect spikes of 9 inches at the ends of the 

 new growths; young plants making plenty of 

 growth, and easily raised from seed, are best, 

 while old plants may be cut back in early 

 spring. The leaves, formed of three leaflets, 

 are deciduous, downy, and dark green, fading 

 to a black colour when cut — a fact to which 

 the plant owes its specific name. Though in- 

 troduced from central Europe in 1730, it is 

 not a common plant, though its long season of 

 bloom and its beauty as a shrub deserves wider 

 recognition. Two or three varieties of this 



plant are grown in /ongispicatus, with longer 

 j spikes of flower, and Car/ieri with a long season 

 I of bloom and showing flower-spikes and reddish 

 seed-pods intermingled. In foreign lists it is 

 often called Lembotropis nigricans. 



Early-flowering Cytisus [C. prcecox). — 

 A plant originating as a chance cross between 

 C. purgans and the White Broom — which it 

 nearly resembles in habit. It bears a profusion 

 of cream or sulphur-coloured flowers from early 

 in May, and, though very hardy, should be 

 planted in a sheltered spot with some protec- 

 tion from wind, or its flowers are soon marred 

 in bad weather. Grouped amongst rocks, it 

 becomes a fine object, one mass of bloom when 

 in flower and tall enough to be conspicuous at 

 a distance. On becoming naked old plants are 

 best renewed from cuttings, as they do not 

 break freely when cut back and rarely come 

 true from seed ; young plants, pinched fre- 

 quently in their early stages, are better in every 

 way. 



The Proliferus Cytisus (C. proliferus). — 

 A tall fast-growing shrub from the mountains 

 of the Canary Islands and parts of Portugal, 

 where it reaches a heightof 25 feet, the young 

 shoots being used as fodder for cattle. In 

 British gardens it is tender save in mild and 



j coast districts; as a seaside shrub it is of value, 

 being unharmed by the washing of salt spray. 



I As a greenhouse plant it flowers in April and 

 May with clusters of white flowers upon its 

 long silky stems. A variety palmensis from 

 TenerifFe is very graceful in habit, with broad 

 silky leaves of three leaflets and pure white 

 flowers in mid-winter, earlier by many weeks 

 than the type. Both kinds are far from common 

 in gardens. 



Sweet French Cytisus (C purgans). — 

 An old plant but one not often seen in gardens. 

 It grows as a low bush of 2 or 3 feet, in habit 

 not unlike the White Broombut with branches 

 shorter and more rigid. Though less free in 

 growth and in flower than many of the Cytisus, 

 its blossoms, coming in April and May, are of 

 a rich intense yellow and fragrant, while the 

 plant retains its good habit longer than many 

 kinds. It is easily increased from seed or cuttings 

 under glass in August, the young plants being 

 pinched to encourage a bushy habit. A native 

 of the mountains of France and Spain, it is quite 

 hardy, preferring a dry and sunny spot. 



