16 
HOUSE & GARDEN 
Cobea scanclens is unsurpassed for Plant the well known Elephant's Ear for conspicuous group The cinnamon vine is one of the 
rapidly and effectively covering a effects. Its enormous light green leaves look distinctly most desirable tuberous rooted 
large area tropical and striking climbers and grows fast 
QUICK ACTION PLANTS FOR SHADE AND SCREENS 
The Best Shrubs to Use Now tor Prompt Results—Characteristics and 
Culture of Vines and Non-Climbers Adapted to Your Special Needs 
D. R. EDSON 
T HERE are three big purposes which often call for really 
quick-action growth of foliage plants: shade, screens and 
tropical effects. They may be fulfilled by vines, certain non¬ 
climbers, or a combination of the two. Well chosen and used, 
these plants not only serve their ultimate ends, but become 
positive and intrinsically desirable additions to their surround- 
ings. 
The things which can be accomplished with these materials 
are limited only by the gardener’s ingenuity in adapting the 
plants available to the conditions to be met. With special care 
many of these plants will develop with a rapidity that is almost 
unbelievable. Left to themselves, under ordinary conditions, 
it will take them very much longer to accomplish the same 
results. 
Quick action vines may be had from plants in pots, from 
bulbs and tubers, or from seeds. Those from pots will, of 
course, give the most immediate results, hut some of the others 
are capable of 
catching up with 
or even surpass¬ 
ing them when it 
comes to the pro¬ 
duction of the big¬ 
gest mass of vine 
and foliage, say by 
midsummer. As a 
class, the varieties 
that are usually 
started in pots are 
not as rank grow¬ 
ers and do not fur¬ 
nish as thick a 
shade as some of 
the others. 
Good Vines for 
Various Pur¬ 
poses 
Among those 
avaliable in the 
form of potted 
plants are the fol¬ 
lowing : 
Where a showy, 
handsome flower¬ 
ing vine is wanted that will grow very rapidly and cover a 
large area, nothing can be found more satisfactory than Cobea 
scandens. Under normal conditions this will reach a height 
of 40' or even more during a season. It is a clinging vine and 
asks little in the way of support. Its flowers are of the peculiar 
shape which have given it the nickname of “cup and saucer” 
vine, and are borne very freely. The variety usually grown has 
purple flowers, but there is another with pure white flowers, 
and, when they are used together, the effect is both striking 
and beautiful. The seeds are rather large and flat; they 
should, if one wishes to start his own plants or to start the 
vine in the open, be planted in very light soil and be pushed 
in edgewise. 
If you would prefer something new, distinctive and even 
more striking which would give a satisfactory screen but not 
quite as much shade, try a few plants of the new Cardinal 
Climber. The foliage is something like that of the cypress 
vine which is one 
of its parents; but 
this plant is a 
vigorous grower, 
reaching a height 
of 25' or 30\ The 
blossoms are about 
\y 2 " in diameter 
and look something 
like a flattened 
morning glory. 
But they are borne 
in clusters of half 
a dozen or so and 
are unique in their 
blazing cardinal- 
flower like color. 
The vine is of 
healthy growth and 
flowers continuous¬ 
ly during late sum¬ 
mer and fall. While 
the quickest results 
are to be had from 
pot plants, seeds 
sown in the open 
attain full maturity. 
A properly placed specimen of banana—Musa ensete is the best—will be the 
most conspicuous note in the entire planting. It may be raised from seed or 
bought for from 50 cents to $5 
