7S1 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
the seeds of the other groups, which 
are furred or winged. Ontario to Mich- 
igan. south to Florida and Missouri. A 
pretty species, but much less showy 
than the others ; like the next, growing- 
very readily from the seeds. 
Western Five-Flowered Gentian (Gen- 
tiana quinciuefolia occidentalis). 
The prevailing form in Michigan, so 
very much larger in every respect that 
it should be considered a different spe- 
cies. Grows .3 to 3 feet tall, usually 
very branching, with very numerous 
and much larger flowers than last in 
Michigan, of a bright red-purple, but 
said to be blue in other places. Though 
the flowers are not as large and showy 
as other Gentians, this is w'ell worthy of 
cultivation. Besides, it is so much eas- 
ier to grow from seeds. In Michigan 
the plant is certainly a biennial, but is 
said to be an annual in other places. 
It differs from last in its much larger 
size, more broad funnel-form corolla, 
and foliaceous calyx-lobes reaching to 
the middle of the corolla. Range, Ohio, 
Michigan, to Minnesota, Tennessee and 
Louisiana. 
Section 3. Perennial Gentians. Hdy. 
Downy Gentian (Gentiana puberula 
Michaux.) . 
In my estimation this is the hand- 
somest of all our American Gentians, 
its richly colored flowers surpassing all 
others in beauty. About 1 foot tall, 
one to several stems arising from same 
root, the root very branching, growing 
deeply in the soil. Stems downy, leafy, 
nearly round. Leaves firm, low^est ob- 
long, upper lanceolate, highest linear. 
Flow'ers 1 to in. long; calyx seg- 
ments linear, about as long as the tube; 
corolla campanulate-funnel-form, 3 to 4 
times as long as the calyx, opening 
about as widely as the Large Fringed 
Gentian, of a rich dark bluish-purple, 
sessile, from one to several in the axils 
of the upper leaves, and also terminal, 
so arranged as to make a good sized 
terminal cluster. Corolla lobes, ovate, 
entire, not at all fringed or toothed, 
very much longer than the peculiar, 
fringed appendages between the corolla 
lobes so characteristic of the perennial 
group of Gentians. Unlike the flowers 
of most of our perennial species, the 
flowers of this species open very wide- 
ly, like those of the Fringed Gentians. 
Like the other perennial species, the 
flowers are very lasting in character. 
A group of this species planted in front 
of taller plants or shrubs would be a 
most beautiful sight when in full bloom. 
Tastes differ, but in the estimation of 
the writer this species excels all other 
American species in beauty, not except- 
ing the Large Fringed Gentian. 
In southeastern Michigan this is one 
of the rarest of plants, ever the com- 
panion of that exceedingly rare and 
very handsome but smallest of native 
lilies, the true Lilium umbellatum (not 
the Japanese lily usually cultivated as 
Lilium umbellatum, which is correctly 
and properly called Lilium elegans 
Thunberg, a very handsome lily indeed, 
with plant about the same size, but 
with flowers much larger than the true 
Lilium umbellatum, also much coarser, 
nevertheless one of the best lilies in 
cultivation, too good to be sold under 
a false name). They grow' together, 
the Downy Gentian and the Lilium um- 
bellatum, on tops of high, dry, sandy, 
shady, or not shady, hills, at an eleva- 
tion of at least 1,000 feet, in south- 
eastern Michigan, both among the 
rarest of plants. It, however, grow's 
fairly abundantly in western Ontario, 
near the shores of Lake Fluron, in 
sandy soils, deep and dry. This rare 
and handsome Gentian is worthy of a 
place in our choicest formal gardens, 
very much more so than many foreign 
plants we cultivate in our formal gar- 
dens, parks and cemeteries. Dr. N. L. 
Britton, director-in-chief of New York 
Botanic Gardens, gives its range as 
“On prairies, Ohio, to the Northwest 
Territory, Georgia and Kansas.” 
Soapwort Gentian (Gentiana Sapo- 
naria L.). 
One of the largest and tallest of 
American Gentians, a giant compared 
with all the others I herewith describe, 
often 3 feet or more Jail, very rank and 
stout growing, smooth or rough-down, 
with large lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate 
or oblong leaves, which are usually 
acute at both ends, 3 to 5-veined, the 
lowest obovate and smaller. From one 
to many stems rise from a large, thick 
branching root, growing deeply in the 
ground. At the top of the stems, and 
in the axils of the upper leaves, are 
very large broad clusters of large ses- 
sile flowers, each flower 1 to 3 inches 
long, of a light reddish or purplish- 
blue, these dense clusters often 5 or 6 
inches or more across. The individual 
flowers are much larger than those of 
the next species, and open widely con- 
sidering the very short corolla lobes. 
It grows in wet or dry, usually sandy, 
soils, Ontario to Minnesota, Florida to 
Louisiana. It is really a very hand- 
some plant, but when cultivated due al- 
lowance should be made for its very 
large size. It should be grown either 
in isolated clumps, or as a background 
for smaller species, or in center of bed. 
Closed Blue Gentian (Gentiana An- 
drewsii Griseb.). 
One of the handsomest and most 
curious of Gentians. Its large blue 
flowers never open. Very many people, 
unacquainted with this characteristic, 
have patiently watched the “buds” of 
this flower for days at a time, but al- 
ways in vain, for they ever remain 
closed. A large group of this species 
is indeed a beautiful sight when in full 
bloom, coming, too, as they do, so very 
late in the year, when flowers are con- 
spicuous by their absence. This Gen- 
tian is not a rare and select aristocrat, 
like the Fringed Gentians and the 
Downy Gentian, which very few will 
probably ever enjoy cultivating, but 
emphatically the people’s Gentian, 
which almost any one may grow almost 
anywhere to satisfaction. It is to Gen- 
tians what the Ostrich Fern is among 
ferns — a choice and beautiful species 
any one can grow with good, hearty 
satisfaction. 
Plant 1 to 3 feet high, stems coarse, 
very many from an old root, forming 
a large clump, increasing in beauty with 
age. Root large and branching, deep 
into the ground, usually very difficult 
to dig from its native habitat. Leaves 
dark, rich green, very smooth, ovate 
to lanceolate, rounded at apex, nar- 
rowed or sometimes rounded at base, 
the lowest smaller, ovate or oblong. 
The flowers are smaller, and of a 
darker shade than those of the Soap- 
wort Gentian, 1 to 1^2 inches long, 
bright purplish-blue, or sometimes 
white; if white never of a yellowish 
tint, never opening, hence common 
name, growing in large dense terminal 
and auxiliary clusters, sessile in the 
cluster. Grows naturally in rich moist 
soil, usually in heavy black muck, 
among coarse tough-rooted sedges, 
hence the great difficulty of digging it 
in its native haunts. Because of this 
difficulty of digging and its rareness, 
compared with most species of wild 
plants, not of Gentian tribe, it will re- 
main rather expensive until some ex- 
pert nurseryman or florist grows a sup- 
ply from the seeds. More in this line 
in conclusion of this article. One of 
the best of all plants for setting in 
marshy places, along shores of rivers, 
lakes or ponds or other ornamental 
waters, where no one will make a mis- 
take by planting it in large quantities, 
setting it quite closely together. Still 
a single large old plant makes a fine 
show when in bloom. It grows very 
well in the formal garden, taking kind- 
ly to almost any good garden soil, not 
too dry or too sandy. It is not best to 
plant it where more conspicuously 
showy plants are called for, but there 
are quiet nooks in every formal garden 
just suitable for this plant, where the 
brilliant-hued species would be entirely 
out of place. It is an excellent cut 
