NATIVE PLANTS 
73 
leaves on rather wiry stems. The flowers 
are a beautiful shade of red. It should 
be severely pruned each season, for best 
results. With very little attention it 
blooms through the summer. It is fine 
for the front of the border, but should 
have sun at least half a day. The name, 
Salvia, is from salvare, to save, in allu¬ 
sion to the reputed healing qualities of 
Sage. The ballotaeflora is the blue- 
flowered variety, the mint-scented 
leaves being dried for seasoning meats, 
etc. 
PENSTEMON (Cobaea) 
Beards-Tongue or Dew Flower 
This plant, sending several stout, erect^ 
shiny stems from the perennial root, 
has glossy leaves and bears in the upper 
leaf axils light lavender to purplish 
bell-shaped flowers. The two-lipped 
corolla one and one-half inches long, 
has pretty purplish markings within. 
They are found in pastures or open 
fields, preferring limestone soil. They 
seem to grow or multiply slowly, and 
have been ruthlessly destroyed in many 
sections. The common name is "Wild 
Canterbury Bells” in certain localities. 
PHLOX (pilosa) 
Among our daintiest flowers is this 
perennial Phlox. It likes rich loamy soil 
and partial shade and multiplies rapidly 
in our gardens. It is said that this Phlox 
has been sold under the name of a 
Northern specie. 
PHLOX (Drummondii) 
This Phlox is quite like the Phlox pilosa, 
but is an annual. This is the parent 
from which the first seed came, that 
has resulted in the distribution of an¬ 
nual Phlox over this continent and 
other countries as well. Phlox divari- 
cata, a perennial, prefers rich neutral 
or slightly acid soil and semi-shade. 
Phlox subulata, also a perennial, is also 
an excellent ground cover and blooms 
profusely. 
PHYSOSTEGIA (virginiana) 
An upright, wandlike, square-stemmed 
perennial, growing three to four feet 
high. The leaves are long, narrow and 
toothed. The lower ones are slightly 
purple tinged. The lavender-pink, pur¬ 
ple-veined, two-lipped tubular flowers 
are borne in terminal spikes. They grow 
in mud of lowlands, or ditches or along 
streams. 
PHYSOSTEGIA INTERMEDIA 
( speciosa) 
This perennial is more vigorous every 
way than the preceding. The flowers 
are larger and are a deeper pink. Florists 
list Physostegia virginiana in an im¬ 
proved form, but Intermedia is much 
the most desirable of the three. 
RUDBECKIA (purpurea) 
Giant Cone-Flower, Dreer says, is in¬ 
dispensable in the hardy border, thriv¬ 
ing anywhere. The leaves are parallel, 
veined and quite hirsute. The large cone 
is brown and the ray flowers rose-pur¬ 
ple, long and drooping. They bloom 
after the first spring flowers are gone 
and last a long time. Rudbeckia pallida 
is similar, but has narrower ray flowers. 
SOLIDAGO (altiosima) 
This, one of the tallest of the family 
of Goldenrods, has bright green, lanceo¬ 
late, slightly toothed leaves. The gold¬ 
en-yellow flowers on stout stems or 
branches, are in graceful recurved 
racimes, which form a rather broad 
pyramidal panicles. The flowers last a 
long time and are beautiful, liking sun 
and rich soil. 
Solidago radula is one of the smallest 
of the Goldenrods, growing only about 
fifteen inches high and has yellow 
plume-like inflorescence. The leaves are 
rigid, rough and the upper ones small 
and sessile. These plants prefer rich soil. 
They do well in full sunshine, or partial 
shade. They are very attractive planted 
with blue Ageratum. 
TEXAS PLUME (Gilia rubra) 
Tree Cypress 
This plant is very brilliant and very 
showy. It resents being domesticated. 
The genus is named for the Spanish 
Botanist, Philip Gil. 
