New Deutzias Better Than the Old j° hn d unbar 
[Editor’s Note: — The American Spring garden will always welcome new flowering shrubs of real merit. A novelty though always of interest 
is not necessarily better than the older things, and so may never become popular. With new shrubs time is required to prove their relative merits and 
exact work of the kind that Mr. Dunbar here records is valuable. The Garden Magazine feels gratified in being able to place before the garden 
lovers of America these important notes and recommendations by a man abundantly qualified to speak with authority and from actual experience.] 
A MONG the most popular early 
flowering shrubs the Deutzias have 
long been leaders, ranking as garden 
shrubs with such common favorites 
as the Lilacs and Spiraeas. It is, however, 
true that they cannot be classed among the 
hardiest of shrubs, but where they get winter 
protection, and even in the colder regions 
where the winter snow mantle is sufficient, 
they never fail to give a wealth of bloom in 
early summer. 
\\ here the temperature is likely to drop 
considerably below zero, and to remain there 
for some time, Deutzias will hardly succeed, 
unless very well protected. It is important to 
plant them on a well drained light loam, on 
land gently sloping if at all possible, where 
the frost will not settle. It would be a mis- 
take, where the winters are cold, to plant them 
in the centre of a well protected hollow, where 
the frosty air is sure to lodge. It is wiser 
to plant on the slopes leading to the hollow, 
giving opportunity for the cold air to settle 
lower down. We have a large collection 
of species and hybrids in the public parks of 
Rochester, and they flower splendidly. Occa- 
sionally the temperature drops a little below 
zero, but it never continues for any length of 
time. 
Deutzias always flower best on the young 
wood of the previous year. The thinning 
out of old wood, and old flowering sprays 
when the plants are dormant should always 
be attended to. 
Recent improvements owing to the intro- 
duction of new species and hybrids from them, 
have made available for our gardens Deutzias 
that in quality of flower and in size of the 
individual bloom outclass anything that was 
known among the old timers. It is now a 
good many years ago since the Lemoines of 
Nancy, France, began the work of improve- 
ment of Deutzias by crossing the different 
species and carrying the work still further 
by re-crossing the hybrids again with species. 
In the resulting progeny of all this work there 
are rfiany most lovely garden shrubs in which 
floral profusion, size of blossom, and rich 
coloring, have been greatly developed. More 
recently we have been given, through the 
travels of E. H. Wilson in China, several 
interesting species of intrinsic beauty, natives 
of Western China. These, as is the case with 
other of Wilson’s plants, are introduced 
D. myriantha Fleur iJe Pommier, or Apple Blossom. Flowers 
rosy pink about May 30 
D. slomeruli flora “ is one of the many good things intro- 
duced by E. H. Wilson.” Greyish-white leaves; flowers white 
nearly an inch across. June 1 
D. discolor, flowers white fully } inch across. June 25 
through the Arnold Arboretum. I purpose 
to call attention to what I consider the best of 
the newer species and hybrids with notations 
as to their flowering period. 
AMONG THE SPECIES ARE: 
Deutzia discolor producing dense compound 
corymbose clusters of white flowers, along 
the branches, from f-|- inch across. It is 
a strong grower, and very handsome in bloom. 
In normal seasons it flowers about June 
25th. From 3 to 4 feet high. Though this 
has been in cultivation for some time it is 
only recently we were able to secure plants 
through the Arnold Arboretum. 
Deutzia glomeruliflora has flowered with us 
for two seasons, and is one of the many good 
things introduced by E. H. \\ ilson from West- 
ern China. It has distinctive grayish white 
leaves which are very soft pubescent. I he 
beautiful white flower corymbs are produced 
abundantly along the branches, which are 
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slightly curved toward the terminals. The 
flowers are f of one inch across, and are fully 
opened about June 1st. It forms a neat 
shrub 2 feet high at present, what height it 
will ultimately attain I do not know. 
Deutzia longijolia is another introduced by 
Mr. \\ ilson. It has a distinctly upright branch- 
ing habit, and somewhat long, lanceolate leaves. 
The corymbose flower clusters are produced 
on the ends of branchlets, 3 to 5 inches long, 
and are exceedingly variable in color, shading 
from pinkish red to purplish red. It blossoms 
about June 21st. Air. Wilson when visiting 
here on January 7th, was much surprised 
and pleased to see by the old flowering 
branches, how well this flowers with us. 
Deutzia Sieboldiana is not a new species, 
but is rare in cultivation. It is the lowest 
growing of all the Deutzias, and has a very 
neat compact habit. It has smallish white 
flower panicles, which are not conspicuous; 
but it is a very graceful shrub. It flowers 
about June 19th. 
Deutzia Vilmorinae, certainly strikes a most 
distinct note amongst the Deutzias, and it is 
a gem amongst all of the Deutzia species, 
and hybrids. It will ultimately attain a height 
of from 4 to 5 feet. • 1 he handsome white, 
loose, corymbose flower clusters are produced 
at the ends of branchlets, \\ to 6^ inches 
long. 1 he blossoms are seven-eighths of an 
inch across. Usually flowers about June 1-5. 
Deutzia Wilsoni flowered with us for the 
first time in 1916. The white flower corymbs 
are very compact, and are produced on the 
ends of branchlets to 3 inches long. The 
leaves are pubescent above and grayish tomen- 
tose beneath. It blossoms about June 19th. 
Our plants are small but it is said to attain a 
height of 6 feet. 
THE FOLLOWING ARE HYBRIDS 
Deutzia carnea is a most lovely flowering 
shrub, having numerous panicles, 4 to 45 
inches long, of pink or pinkish red flowers, 
and blossoms in a normal season, about June 
28th. This is a hybrid between Deutzia 
gracilis and D. purpurascens and is usually 
catalogued under the name of Deutzia discolor 
carnea. 
Deutzia elegantissima is just what the name 
implies — a most elegant flowering shrub. 
It sends up slender branches, which produce 
branchlets 5 inches long, terminated by 
U. Vilmorinae strikes a distinct note, and is a gem. 4-5 ft. 
high. Flowers white. June 10 
