278 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



FREMONTIA CALIFORNICA. 1 



In its unique combination of physical 

 features California is one of those re- 

 gions with a soil and climate of its own 

 resulting in forms of plant life only to 

 be found within the narrow range of its 

 own local conditions. Of the many forms 

 peculiar to California one of the most 

 remarkable is this summer-leafing shrub 

 found upon the sun-scorched slopes of 

 the interior, and most abundant in the 

 dry foothills in the southern Sierra Ne- 

 vada. Discovered in 1 846 by Colonel 

 Fremont (one of the early western ex- 

 plorers) it was named in his honour and 

 is interesting to botanists as being the 

 only hardy plant of an order otherwise 

 almost confined to the tropics of the 

 southern seas. On its native hillsides it 

 grows as a low tree of 20 feet with bark 

 and branches of a rich reddish-brown 

 and a stout stem which has been known 

 to measure a foot in thickness. When 

 in leaf its general aspect is suggestive of 

 the Fig in its lobed and rounded leaves 

 of shining green, but they are smaller, 

 less thick, and covered beneath with 

 rusty-coloured down, making the re- 

 semblancemoreapparent than real. The 

 large orange-yellow flowers are borne 

 singly upon short spur-like shoots oppo- 

 site the leaves, with anthers of a deep 

 orange-red to complete their fine effect. 

 Their size varies with the vigour of the 

 plant from 1 to 3 inches across, and 

 they are borne for several months in 

 unbroken succession, buds showing in 

 all stages of development as the shoots 

 lengthen. A well-grown plant appears 

 covered with long slender shoots com- 

 pletely wreathed in flower. 



c lture ^ et t ^ ie Fremontia is a scarce 

 plant inBritishgardens,being 

 not only somewhat tender during severe 

 winters save in the warmer parts of the 

 south and west, but also sometimes dy- 

 ing suddenly without apparent cause, 

 and too difficult of increase to be readily 

 replaced. These are serious faults in an 

 otherwise noble plant, but its fine ap- 

 pearance where conditions are in its fa- 

 vour has gained for it many friends, and 

 the success obtained in places very varied 

 as to conditions makes it certain that 

 with care its rich beauty might be en- 

 joyed more generally than is now the 

 case. The first essential is a light, warm 

 soil, well drained at all seasons, for stag- 

 nant moisture is death to the Fremontia, 

 while too hot and dry an aspect is also 

 against good growth. Though not of a 

 habit well fitted for walls, in many parts 

 it is best grown in this way, a west or 

 south-westaspect being better than one 

 due south ,while plants facing north have 

 sometimes done well, comingunharmed 

 through frost which has proved fatal to 

 those more sheltered. This but empha- 

 sises the fact that it is often a mistake 

 to plant tender things in the warmest 

 places, where a few weeks of bright 

 weather induce a false start, followed 

 by injury or loss. In gardens such as are 

 naturally sheltered, along the southern 

 coast and upon the warm soils of Surrey, 

 the Fremontia grows well in the open as 

 a standard shrub,and when well wrapped 

 up in winter may come to no harm dur- 

 ing a series of mild years; but even with 

 some loss of effect the plant is safer 

 against a wall and blooms earlier. The 

 flowers open from the end of May or 



