Climbing Bittersweet 
(Celastrus scandens) 
tOltIp 
Photographs by Nathan R. Graves 
Black Alder 
(//ex verticilatus) 
SOME OF THE DECIDUOUS SHRUBS THAT 
ARE BEAUTIFUL FOR THE VARIOUS COLORS 
OF THEIR FRUITS—PLANTS WHICH HELP 
TO MAKE BRIGHT THE FALL AND WINTER 
I N planting the home grounds, the majority of people pay very 
little attention to selecting shrubs and vines for winter effects. 
Apparently they are content with a few weeks of foliage and 
bloom, with no thought of the months of dreariness which follow, 
a dreariness which might easily be relieved by the planting of 
shrubs which produce bright-colored berries in the late fall and 
winter. Many shrubs are really more ornamental in fruit than 
when in flower, and a suitable selection will brighten a lawn or 
garden in a surprising 
manner. A single bush 
with scarlet berries will 
light up the whole land¬ 
scape, gleaming brightly 
in the dreary, rainy days 
of November and show¬ 
ing gorgeously against 
the snows of December. 
One admirable character¬ 
istic which some shrubs 
and vines possess is that 
of being so brilliantly ef¬ 
fective in winter. With a 
background of ever¬ 
greens, or when planted 
in shrubbery with others 
which retain their foliage 
until late in the season, 
the brilliancy of tbe 
bright-berried shrubs is 
enhanced by the contrast, 
and when planted in 
masses they produce a 
truly gorgeous effect. 
A shrub which is high¬ 
ly ornamental in the fall 
and early winter is the 
Eiwnymus, variously 
known as the strawberry 
tree, spindle tree, burning 
bush and wahoo. The 
brilliantly colored, pecu¬ 
liarly shaped fruit covers 
the shrub in the greatest 
profusion and makes it one of the fineff for ornamental pur¬ 
poses. The color of the fruit varies in different species; in 
some it is deep red, in others rose or pink, crimson, scarlet, and 
cream, and there is a white variety. The capsules open in the 
fall like those of the bittersweet, displaying bright orange and 
scarlet arils hanging on slender threads. The fruit usually re¬ 
mains on the branches until late fall or early winter. In some 
species the leaves turn a purplish red in autumn, lending addi¬ 
tional beauty to the shrub. Some species attain almost the 
height of trees, but most of them are classed as shrubs. Alto¬ 
gether, the Euonymns is one of the handsomest ornamental 
shrubs we have. 
The black alder. Ilex verticilatus, is a valuable but much 
neglected native shrub. In the summer it is so absolutely unob¬ 
trusive that one scarcely 
notices it; but when the 
leaves drop, the scarlet ber¬ 
ries which crowd the 
branches glow with daz¬ 
zling color, producing a 
wonderfully showy effect. 
The berries remain on the 
branches until late winter. 
If the leaves were only 
evergreen, the ilex would 
far surpass the holly as a 
decorative shrub. As it is, 
it is well worthy of cultiva¬ 
tion and most nurserymen 
catalogue it, some under 
the name of Prinos. Natu¬ 
rally it grows in rather wet 
soil, but it accommodates it¬ 
self very well to less favor¬ 
able situations. In deco¬ 
rations the black alder ber¬ 
ries can be used with the 
leaves of the holly with fine 
effect. 
The high-bush cranberry. 
Viburnum 0 pubis, is an¬ 
other native shrub seldom 
seen in cultivation, but in 
every way deserving of at¬ 
tention. It has fine broad 
foliage which takes on 
bright tints in autumn; the 
flat cymes of white blos¬ 
soms render the bush at¬ 
tractive in spring, and the clusters of brilliant scarlet fruit which 
begin to color in July and remain on the branches all winter make 
the shrub very ornamental. The fruit is edible and highly es¬ 
teemed by many, so the shrub is both useful and ornamental. 
Although the cranberry grows naturally in moist ground, it suc¬ 
ceeds well in any location. 
The Berberis Thunbergii is considered by many to be one of the most perfect 
shrubs; not only on account of its easy growth, but because of its delightful 
foliage and wonderfully colored berries 
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