12 
HISTORY AND TREATMENT OF THE CALIFORNIAN ZAUSCHNERIA. 
NOTES ON THE HISTORY AND PROPER TREATMENT OF THE 
CALIFORNIAN ZAUSCHNERIA. 
By Mr. George Gordon, A .L.S., Superintendent of the Ornamental 
Department in the Garden of the Horticultural Society. 
INo plant can be more desirable for general cultivation in the flower-garden, than that 
which is perfectly hardy, and at the same time continues in bloom constantly during the 
summer and autumn months, without the trouble or expense of Verbenas and other plants 
requiring protection during 
winter, as well as propagation 
and replanting every season. 
The beautiful Zauschneria 
californica, being one of 
this description, a short 
account of its history and 
cultivation may not prove 
uninteresting. Its treat- 
ment is easy, but like many 
other plants, newly intro- 
duced, is not properly under- 
stood, and in consequence, 
is frequently subjected to 
a treatment very different 
from that which it enjoys 
when in a state of nature ; 
and by which very fre- 
quently much injury is done 
to the young plants, through 
too much care or kindness, 
for nothing is more injurious 
to a truly hardy plant, than 
an excess of either heat, 
moisture, confinement, or a 
combination of them ; the 
young plants by these 
means become debilitated, 
or what is termed drawn 
up spindly, and conse- 
quently flower imperfectly; 
this having been the case in several instances this last season, with the Zauschneria, I 
am anxious to prevent its recurrence. 
The Zauschneria was first discovered by the late Mr. Menzies, who was attached as 
botanist to the Vancouver expedition round the world, during the latter part of the last 
century, and who reported it to be a plant of extraordinary beauty, with brilliant scarlet 
flowers, resembling those of the old Fuschia coccinea, but in an upright position. It was 
afterwards scientifically made known from dried specimens by the Bohemian botanist 
Presl, who gave it the name of Zauschneria, and described a second species from Mexico, 
very much resembling the Californian one. Douglas also found the plant when in California, 
but was unsuccessful in its introduction to Europe. Nothing more was known of the 
Zauschneria, until the Horticultural Society dispatched Mr. Hartweg to California in search 
of new plants, with instructions to seek out this plant as soon as possible, and transmit 
seeds to the Society. On his first arriving at Monterey in Upper California, he made 
search for the plant, and soon discovered it growing on the mountains of Santa Cruz, on 
the north side of the bay, distant due north from Monterey, about twenty-five miles, 
beginning to flower in June, but afterwards abundant on the outskirts of the woods and 
in open dry places in various parts, flowering constantly from June to November, during which 
