THE NATIONAL NUIiSERYMAN 
169 
like 1 lowers. Some of the choicest types are: 
DodecatfiPon Clevelandi, a charming species, flowers 
white, pink tinted. Southern California, 
D. Ilendarsoni, stout plant, many stems of rose purple 
and deep crimson flowers. Sierra Nevada Mountains. 
1). patidum, bright lemon yellow, sometimes straw 
color. Central California. 
1) paluUnn var., pale cream colored flowers, sometimes 
purple tinted. Central California, valleys. 
D. Watkbisoni;, bright yellow, variously shaded while 
and pink, central California, valleys. 
D. JeffreyU, dark rose colored flowers. Sierra Ne¬ 
vada Mountains. 
1). cllipticuni^ flowers from deej) lilac purple to pink¬ 
ish. Northci'n California. 
D. media, while to pale rose. Central California. 
D. viviparam, large and handsonie purple red flowers, 
sub alpine on Mt. Hainier, Washington. 
D. Dcnlatum, snow white flowers. British Columbia. 
1). frigidum, huge i)urple flowers, shores of Jiehring 
Sea. 
D. alpinum var., found in Alpine County, California, 
at 10,000 leet above sea level; forms large clumps two 
or more leet across, with hundreds of deep rose pink 
1 lowers. 
The Moth Vine 
S. L. Watkins, Pleasant Valley, California. 
Physianthus albens. Our attention was first directed 
to this remarkable plant, by a New Zealand friend. There 
it is known as Arranga, New Zealand Death Plant, Cruel 
vine, etc. 
This vine is a shrubby climber of from ten to fifteen 
feet in growth and a most rampant vigorous grower; it 
bears great numbers of large waxy snow white blos¬ 
soms of intense fragrance. The shape of the blossoms 
would be termed, hypocrateriform, that is a long slender 
tube and a flat limb, as for example, a blossom of the 
phlox, which is upon a much smaller scale, than the blos¬ 
som of the physianthus, but this will give the idea. This 
tubular part of the blossom exudes a gummy substance, 
and this with the peculiar fragrance of the flowers at¬ 
tract the moths and insects to their deaths. 
Physianthus years ago was referred to Araujai, but it 
is known to the trade as Physianthus and Schubertia. 
Physianthus is a genus of thirteen species, indigenous to 
the Andes mountains of South America. 
These plants thrive and do well in all soils, but seed 
should be started in the house in early spring, and later 
transplanted to the open ground, where they will grow 
rapidly and soon bloom profusely. 
The blooms closely resemble those of the stephanotis, 
but are considerably larger. 
These plants are best propagated by cuttings, which 
may be made in late autumn, and from well ripened 
wood; these cuttings should be potted or planted in earth 
at once. As plants from s6eds vary greatly in growth, 
time of blooming, size of bloom, etc., it is readily apparent 
that the propagation by cuttings of the best sorts is the 
only w^ay to secure the best plants. Again the cuttings 
can be grown in a greenhouse or warm room and be made 
to advance in growth as much as possible, so as to hasten 
their blooming season in the spring. 
Seed is produced veiy freely and germinates readily, 
within a few days after being planted. 
As this plant is such a great death trap to moths, flies, 
etc., and especially to the codlin moth, we believe it to be 
the greatest exterminator to this pest we have ever come 
across. Single plants during a season will destroy from 
3000 to 6000 codlin moths each in apple and pear grow¬ 
ing localities. 
I he codlin moth as all fruit growers know destroys 
more apples and pears than all other pests put together. 
Single plants of this vine have caught from 300 to 600 
codlin moths per night when these insects are most abun¬ 
dant. Just imagine the amount of damage 600 codlin 
moths would do in one night to a fruit crop; they could 
visit thousands of blossoms and immature fruits and lay 
eggs for the future worm to destroy all fruits in their way. 
Many and various have been the devices used and con¬ 
trived to kill off this pest, but none so far have been suc¬ 
cessful in completely exterminating the codlin moth. 
The Physianthus is hardy in England* and France, and 
as far as tested, also on the Pacific Coast, When once 
established the vine will last many years. If killed 
down by frosts, it again readily springs up from the roots 
with a vigorous new growth. It has a long blooming 
season, and by occasional irrigatings can be made to 
bloom almost any time except in winter. Seedling plants 
vary greatly in size and amount of bloom and time of 
blooming, but by proper selection and care a very early 
and long continued type of blooming plants can be ob¬ 
tained, 
Physianthus albens is really a mid season bloomer, but 
in using this vine to exterminate moths to the best ad¬ 
vantage we should have plants which would commence to 
bloom the latter part of April or the first of May, and to 
hasten the early blooming we should select types which 
bloom the earliest, then make cuttings in the fall from 
these, pot them, and towards spring, hasten their growth, 
either by keeping in a warm room or greenhouse, and 
when danger of killing frosts are over, transplant to the 
ojien ground. 
It is advisable to get these plants in bloom as early as 
possible if we wish to use them to the greatest advantage 
in trapping codlin moths; also to keep them blooming as 
late as possible to destroy all late moths. 
Physianthus albens and its near relatives, are not very 
