O'Hejocr, ^£o^ucLcl 
SHRUBS, Continued 
ACACIA [1] Farnesiana. Sub-tropical. Tropics and 
sub-tropics. Rather open in structure with fine 
pinnate leaves and thorny branches. The chief 
use for the popinac is for planting near the salt 
water and for the perfume of the tiny flulfy yel¬ 
low balls of bloom in the spring. This is one of 
the few Acacias that will thrive in Florida. 
ACALYPHA [2]. Tropical. Tropics. Probably the 
highest colored group of plants in the botanical 
world, the Acalyphas reach their brightest color 
in the full sun during the fall and winter months. 
They are quite tender and stand only a light 
freeze; but luckily if nipped back or even frozen 
down they come back very quickly and are soon 
as handsome as ever. The varieties listed below 
are those that have proven most satisfactory for 
general use. 
A. Godseffiana. Tropical. Rather dwarf in habit 
this reaches a height of only three to four feet. 
The rather large broad leaves are margined yel¬ 
low and green, sometimes suffused pink, with 
center of the leaf bright green. It is fine for 
patio work as it will color well under shaded 
conditions. 
A. hispida. Chenille Plant. Tropical. This is the 
only one of the group having a showy flower, 
and the plant is well named as the long cylindri¬ 
cal flower spikes, sometimes reaching a length 
of two feet, appear to be made of red chenille. 
The foliage is large, heart-shaped and of a pleas¬ 
ant shade of green. This is valuable either for 
out-of-door or for conservatory planting. 
A. marginata. Copper Leaf. Tropical. This is prob¬ 
ably the most common of the group and one of 
the largest growing. It has a very robust habit 
of growth and the tall stems often reach a height 
of eight feet. The foliage is large, margined 
with various shades of red, pink and cream while 
the center of the leaf is deep bronzy green which 
turns dark red in the fall. 
A. musaica. Fire Dragon. Tropical. One of the most 
beautiful and compact of the genus, the musaica 
has large recurving leaves with serrate edges and 
curiously mosaiced in shades of green, yellow, 
pink and fiery red. Becoming more showy in the 
fall this gives the effect of a mound of fiery red. 
A. tricolor. Mandarin’s Gown. Tropical. Somewhat 
resembling musaica in color, the foliage is heart 
shaped but flat instead of recurving. The leaves 
are rich chocolate red with occasional broad sec¬ 
tions of brilliant carmine rose and red which turn 
to a dark, very rich red in winter. 
ALLAMANDA [3] nerifolia. Bush Allamanda. 
Tropical. A low to medium sized shrub with foli¬ 
age which is rather narrow and not shining like 
that of the more commonly grown vine forms. 
The flowers are deep rich yellow, tubular and 
somewhat darker in color than the other forms. 
It does splendidly in partial shade as it is more 
dwarf in the full sun and the foliage is not so 
handsome. 
A. Hendersoni. A medium sized shrub with leath¬ 
ery leaves and flowers about five inches across. 
It makes a very handsome lawn specimen if kept 
trimmed or it may be trained on a trellis. The 
flowers of golden yellow are borne generously 
throughout the year. 
A. violacea. Purple Allamanda. Tropical. The true 
purple Allamanda is a scandent shrub with rather 
rough foliage that is not so shining as that of the 
A. Hendersoni. The beautiful tubular flowers are 
about two inches across and are of a pleasant 
shade of dusky rose deepening in the center. 
This is rather rare and one of the most unusual 
of the Allamandas. Prefers to have the sun only 
part of the day. 
A. Williamsii. Tropical. While really a vine this 
is nearly always grown in shrub form and makes 
a particularly handsome subject. The foliage is 
large to medium, shining dark green and willowy. 
The lovely golden yellow blossoms are 2 to 3 
inches across and are borne in profusion. This 
grows well in both shade and sun, but it prefers 
a place protected from the cold winds. 
ARALIA [4] Balfouri. (Polyscias Balfouriana). 
Tropical. While rather tropical this is a very 
handsome foliage plant with rounded variegated 
green and creamy-white leaves. This is used as a 
hedge plant in the tropics but is more useful in 
Florida as a shade loving patio or tub subject 
as it is much handsomer when not exposed to 
the full sun. 
A. elegantissima. Tropical. Pacific Islands. This very 
rare type of Aralia has delicate filiform leaves 
that are dark green above and chocolate colored 
beneath. It is rather tall and upright in growth 
making a splendid tub or patio subject. 
A. Guilfoylei. (Polyscias Guilfoylei). Tropical. 
Larger and more upright in growth than the Bal¬ 
fouri, this variety has large pinnate foliage with 
individual leaflets that are toothed and variously 
blotched with white and cream on a dark green 
background. It is a very rank grower and will 
thrive equally well in the full sun or partial 
shade. 
Allamanda 
23 
