PLANTS OF DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA 
41 
Bambusa, Bamboos. A number of 
species do finely here. Among them B. 
argentea and a striped variety form im¬ 
mense plants 35 to 40 feet high and do 
well on high or low ground. B. dis- 
ticha is a rather dwarf species reaching 
10 feet high with handsome foliage. B. 
spinosa is very thorny and is a large 
species from the East Indies. This is 
Bambusa arundinacea according to Nehr- 
ling. I have received from the De¬ 
partment of Agriculture and elsewhere a 
very different species under this name. 
The nomenclature of the bamboos seems 
to be badly mixed up. B. vulgaris 
grows to 60 feet here and does well any¬ 
where but especially on low land. B. 
verticillata is a handsome species with 
striped stems, forming immense clumps. 
All these are doing well. B. arundinacea 
(as received from the Department of 
Agriculture) and Arundinaria metake 
have not yet done very well with me, 
neither have Phyllostachys aurea or vio- 
lescens. Dendrocalamus strictus (Bam¬ 
busa sp. according to Nehrling) will 
probably succeed. The common Cyperus 
alternifolius, Umbrella Grass, is rarely 
found growing wild here and it does well 
in moist places. 
Begonia heracleifolia is a rank grow¬ 
ing species with large, sharply lobed, 
hirsute leaves and panicles of pink flow¬ 
ers, and is fine for rockeries where not 
too dry. My experience with the other 
species is that they are uncertain. 
Bryophyllum calycinum is a succulent 
with opposite leaves and clusters of at¬ 
tractive green and brown flowers. It is 
useful for rock work. 
Cactus. Several species have already 
been mentioned. I have tried many 
species of Cereus and Opuntia that do 
indifferently well or fail. Melocactus has 
been brought from the Bahamas but does 
not live long. I have been rather suc¬ 
cessful with Phyllocacti planted on the 
trees, and species of Rhipsalis do well as 
epiphytes. 
Caladium. The fancy leaved Cala- 
diums do quite well under a slat house 
but have not succeeded with me out of 
doors. 
Cannas do well in moist, rich earth, 
but have failed with me on pine land. 
They need fertilizer and water. 
Coleus. These gorgeous plants would 
do well here but for the root knot, 
caused by a villainous little nematode 
worm in their roots, changing them into 
great knots, after which the plant dies. 
This root knot is a terrible pest here and 
it attacks and destroys a great variety of 
small plants. Whenever a little plant 
looks sickly it is well to dig it up, and, if 
not too far gone cut the roots back to 
where they are healthy and reset in a 
new place. Sometimes valuable plants of 
these and other things may be saved in 
this way. 
Crinum. Beautiful amaryllidaceous 
plants with pink, white and large reddish 
flowers. I think they should have rather 
rich, damp soil as I have only had indif¬ 
ferent success with them on high pine 
land. 
Curcuma. These do well on moist, 
rich soil and have very attractive heads 
of curious flowers but I have failed with 
them on high land. 
Dasylirion serratifolium, a Yucca-like 
plant with the ends of the leaves always 
looking as if dead, has a tall panicle of 
white flowers. It does well in dry land 
but with me is a slow grower. Would 
look well on rockeries. 
Dieffenbachia. Beautiful, broad leaved 
plants which in most species are finely 
variegated, but so tender here that I have 
no success with them in winter even in 
the slat house. A slight chill sometimes- 
kills or badly injures them. 
Dracaena lindeni. I have a fine plant 
of this in my hammock. All the other 
species I have tried soon fail. D. god- 
seffiana may succeed planted in a half 
shaded place. 
Eranthemum pulchellum or Daedalo- 
canthus nervosus, grows rankly in pine 
land and bears quantities of lovely blue 
flowers all winter. It should have a place 
in every garden here. E. atrosangui- 
neum, with handsome, very dark, pur¬ 
plish leaves, would do well but is excess¬ 
ively tender. E. albo-marginatum is at 
beautiful plant but seems quite tender. 
