Native Shrubs for the Home Garden 
By william S. RICE 
O F late years the lovers of outdoor life have paid 
more attention to the introduction of well- 
known native trees and shrubs, for the adorn¬ 
ment of private and city parks, than formerly and 
it is encouraging to know that they have, for, hidden 
in the forests and meadows are numberless shrubs 
whose brilliant and often highly decorative blossoms 
are compelled to “blush unseen” except for the eyes 
of the naturalist and botanist to whom, alone, their 
shy habits and native haunts are familiar. 
It is rather for the less familiar ones, than the 
more favorably known ones, that I wish to offer a 
plea that they be more generally used in the home 
garden, or park, so that their beauty may be better 
appreciated and improved under the skilful hand of 
the cultivator. 
The following is a list of native American shrubs 
that are worth cultivating and the month of their 
blossoming: 
Button Bush {Cephalanthiis occtdentalis) . 
Laurel-Magnolia (M. glauca) .June 
Linden {Tilia Americana) .June 
White rhorn (Cratcsgus coccinea) .May 
Burning Bush {Euonymus alropurpureus) .June 
Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) .April 
Wild .4zalea {Azalea nudiflora) .May 
Mountain Laurel (Kalmta latifolia) . .May 
Spice Bush (Lindera Benzoin) .May 
Red-bud {Cercis Canadensis) .May 
Wild Crab-apple {Pyrus coronaria) .May 
Dogwood (Cornus florida) .May 
Shad Bush {Amelanchier Canadensis) .May 
Rhododendron {R. maximum) . 
Black Alder {Ilex verticillata) .June 
Witch-hazel {Hamamelis Pirginiana) .October 
Who does not become fascinated at first sight with 
the bursting buds of the pussy willow {^Salix dis¬ 
color) ? Yet who ever dreams of planting a young 
willow of this species in their garden or back yard 
Strange, when it grows from cuttings so easily and 
will flourish anywhere with scarcely any attention. 
A twig placed in a bottle of water for several weeks 
will gradually send out tiny white roots at the base, 
and by and by, after being set in the ground outdoors, 
it will produce a handsome hush, which, year after 
year, will give you a whole family of silky “pussies” 
to stroke and admire. 
The pussy, or glaucous willow, has pleasing foliage, 
and is a truly ornamental tree in its native habitat. 
In early April its gray, silky buds have lengthened 
out into long, caterpillar-like bodies known as catkins. 
^ ou will observe that there are two very different 
THE RHODODENDRON-COVERING WHOLE HILLSIDES WITH ITS GLORIOUS BLOOM 
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