K e l s e y 9 s 
Hardy 
American Plants 
effects appeal. It seems strange that while the whole world outside the United States was 
searched and explored to obtain the choicest ornamentals to beautify our grounds, our more 
beautiful and hardy American Plants were almost entirely overlooked, were rarely seen in 
cultivation, and were, in fact, quite unknown to Americans. 
Foreigners were quicker to learn the value of our choice natives, for in 1871 Mr. E. 
S. Rand, an early champion of native plants, in his book on " Rhododendrons and Ameri¬ 
can Plants,” said: ''We do not appreciate the wealth of our American flora, and have 
shut our eyes to the richness which lies around us. In England a crowning glory of hor¬ 
ticultural exhibitions is the show of ‘American Plants/ and we in America do not know 
what they are.” 
The late Prof. W. A. Stiles, editor of "Garden and Forest,” says of our Carolina 
Mountains: "It is a fact that no part of the world has furnished the gardens of Europe 
and America with so many ornamental plants of this kind [shrubs and lawn trees] as this 
same Alleghany region. Along the course of every rocky stream are masses of the great 
Rhododendron and Kalmia, while on the borders are smaller broad-leaved under-shrubs 
of rarest beauty. But, beyond question, the most beautiful flowering shrubs are the 
Azaleas, which are here massed together in the greatest profusion and luxuriance. There 
are a dozen other genera that could be named, each with a special charm of its own. To 
these add the species that are small lawn trees in the north, but attain the stature of tim¬ 
ber trees here, and we have a group that, for neatness of habit and beauty of foliage,, 
flowers and fruit, and brilliancy of autumn coloring, has no rival.” 
NEW PLANTS 
Highlands Nursery has introduced and disseminated throughout this and foreign 
countries many new plants entirely unknown before to cultivation, including Tsuga caro - 
liniana, Azalea vaseyi, Vaccinium hirsutum, Prunus alleghaniensis , Vaccinum erythro- 
carpon % Gaylussacia ursina, Dier villa sessilifolia, Robinia hispida rosea , Dendrium 
buxifolium var. prostratum, Rhododendron punctatum album, Lilium grayi, Shortia 
galacifolia, Polygonum cilinode, Trillium stylosum, Adopogon (Krigia) montana, Aconitum 
reelinatum, Lacinaria ( Liatris ) spicata pumila , Carex fraseri, Houstonia tenuifolia, 
Piola pcdata alba, and the delicate little mountain Saxifraga michauxii ( leucanthemi - 
folia), and others more largely of 
economic interest; while it has dis¬ 
tributed many others which formerly 
were but rarely seen in cultivation, 
including Amelanchier botryapium, 
Ilex monticola, Magnolia fraseri,. 
Azalea arborescens, Azalea lutea y 
Stuartia pentagyna, Abies fraseri, 
Pinus pungens, Helonias bullata, 
Ricuculla (Dicentra) exitnea, Galax 
aphylla, and many others. 
We also introduced " Galax Leaves” 
(see cover design) to the florists’ trade, 
which now r uses them by millions for 
winter decorations and the making of 
designs, as also the graceful"Leuco- 
thoe Spray” (see page 48). 
Our altitude gives a temperature 
ranging from 85 degrees above to 
20 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, and 
Our North Carolina Oriicc. 
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