32 
Aesculus Harbisonii is also in this group. This shrub is the last of 
the Horsechestnuts and Buckeyes in the collection to unfold its leaves, 
which do not appear until those of most of the other trees and shrubs 
of this family are nearly full grown and, with the exception of Aescu- 
lus parviflora is the last of the group to flower. Two plants sprang 
up in the Arboretum nursery ten years ago among seedlings of Aescu- 
lus georgiana, and the mixture of glands and hairs on the petals of 
the flowers show that it is a hybrid between species belonging to dif- 
ferent sections of the genus, no doubt A. georgiana, and A. discolor 
var. mollis, which also appeared among these seedlings. Whatever 
its origin A. Harbisonii is a good garden plant which has proved itself 
perfectly hardy in the Arboretum where it has flowered now regularly 
for three years. The stem and branches of the flower-cluster and the 
calyx of the flower are rose color, and the petals are canary yellow 
slightly streaked with red toward the margins; the lateness of their 
appearance adds to the value of these shrubs which are now three or 
four feet high and covered with flowers. 
Sophora vicifolia. There are not many shrubs with blue flowers which 
are hardy in this climate and none of them are as satisfactory as this 
Sophora, which is a native of central and western China where it is 
a common undershrub in dry hot valleys. In the Arboretum it is a 
shapely plant about four feet high and perfectly hardy; it produces its 
small blue and white pea-shaped flowers in great profusion and blooms 
every year. It is one of the most attractive of the small shrubs of 
recent introduction. It can be seen on Hickory Path near Centre 
Street. 
Some species of Mock Orange (Philadelphus) are already flowering. 
The earliest to bloom in the collection are P. Schneckii, var. Jackii, a 
plant discovered by Mr. Jack in Korea a few years ago, and P. hirsu- 
tus from the southern Appalachian region. The former is a dwarf 
shrub with erect stems and rather small flowers, and is chiefly valua- 
ble for its earliness. P. hirsutus is also a small-flowered species and 
in cultivation is a large, loose-growing shrub of unattractive habit. 
There is a large collection of species, varieties and hybrids of Phila- 
delphus in the Arboretum; they are planted in the Shrub Collection 
and in a supplementary collection forming a large group on the Bussey 
Hill Road opposite the Lilac Group. Many useful hardy shrubs with 
beautiful flowers are found among these plants which will be in bloom 
now for several weeks and will repay a careful study by persons in- 
terested in such plants. 
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