JJoVEMBER 22, 1913. 
S85 
THE GARDENERS* MAGAZINE. 
FUNKIA TARDIFLORA. 
This attractive plant is well named, for 
it is the latest of all the Plantain Lilies to 
flower; The first blooms do not expand 
imtil September, while in favourable sea¬ 
sons the period of flowering extends, as 
this yeaTj well into November. It is of 
Japanese origin, a plant having been found 
in a collection of funkias brought back to 
America from Japan by Mr. Thomas Hogg 
about 1S70. Being distinct from anything 
already in cultivation it was nam^ and 
distributed as Funkia Thomas Hogg. 
A plant under this name was obtained 
from America by Mr. Max Leichtlin, of 
Baden Baden. He did not like the Amert 
can title, and appropriately substituted 
themame of F. tardiflora. Kew obtained a 
plant from M. Max Leichtlin in 1895, and 
inches to 18 inches in length, and freely 
furnished with lilac-tinted blossoms. 
Division of the olum{)s forms a ready 
means of increase, the best season for the 
work being March and April. Such a goo<l 
flowering plant as F. tardiflora is worth 
cultivating in pots for cool greenhouse and 
conservatory decoration. T'nder glass the 
prettily-tinted flowers, with the protection 
afford^, are very useful at a season not 
abundantly supplied with dwarf flow<wing 
plants for the side stages. 
Kew. A. OsnoRN. 
P^ONY FLOWERED DAHLIAS 
At the second of the September and the 
of the October exhibitions held by the 
R.H.S. at Vincent Square, these floorers were 
sho\vn in great numbers, and it is almost a 
CAMPANULA PROFUSION. 
This diarming alpine Bell-flow^er greatly 
resembles one calle<l C. haylodgensis, raised 
by the late Mr. Anderson Henry, at Hay 
Lmlge, E<linburgh. and also one which is 
now called C. Tymonsi, but which is not, I 
think, the C. Tymonsi originally sent out. 
It is, however, a plant raised distinctly by 
a well-known hardy plantsmnn, Mr. K. H. 
Jenkins, of Hampton Hill, one who knows 
hardy flowers better than most, and who 
has, fortunately, pro.serve<l the origin of 
this hybrid Campanula. It was obtained 
when Mr. Jenkins was trying to cross C. 
pyramidalis alba with C. turhinata var.,and 
the see<l-po<l was actually taken from the 
former. The result is rather a curious one, 
a.s the little campanula under notice bears 
no trace of either of its parents. 
FUNKIA TARDIFLORA. 
A .beautiful Plantain Lily, producing its lilac coloured flowers in late autumn. 
a considerable number of plants having 
propagated, we have a good show when 
they flower during the . autumn. Flower¬ 
ing at a season when frost may be expected. 
is as well to select slightly sheltered 
^Pots for this funkia, and it is well known 
that all the Plantain Lilies thrive in moist. 
Partially shaded positions, and some of the 
h^t plants" at Kew" are in the Bamboo Gar- 
It is also used as a carpeting plant for 
of deciduous shrubs and in the Rock 
Garden. ... 
Punkia tardiflora is allied to F. lanci- 
tiia, and has, in fact been referred to as 
n variety of that species. Its more tufted 
growth^ shorter and more crowdecl racemes 
of flowers, and late season of flowering, 
s.hould be ample distinctions for its con- 
siaeration as a diking species. The dark 
lanceolate leaves are comparatively 
snort for a funkia. The racemes are 12 
lystery how they have gained so much popu- 
inty amd seem to hold a higher position— 
I-many people’s estimation—than the cac- 
is-floweired varieties. I do not for a moment 
iggest that the colouring in this sec- 
on is poor; in fact, in this respect every- 
le will, I think,- agree that they are a great 
'Quisition to a garden for late summer and 
atumn flowering. The weak feature, in my 
fflnion, is the badly-formed centres of m 
lany of the paeony-flowered vaneties. K 
lese flowers could l^e grown with a decided 
eve ” or else with a quite uniform centre, 
le-flowers would be, ! think, very much 
lore attractive. , • 
As it is now, one sees flowers shown which 
rike one as being mere freaks, and were it 
ot for their colour one would feel disposed 
) discard them altogether. How is it that 
lis point is overlooked in this one clasfr of 
ahlia^ If a cactus bloom is shown with the 
■ast flaw it is rejected at on^. Why ahmild 
ot the same apply to these? L. 
However this may be, the plant is a de¬ 
lightful one, of trailing habit, and with 
yellowisli foliage, and bearing pleasing, 
light-blue flowers. This is the form gene¬ 
rally seen, but, as a matter of fact, there 
are two forms of C. Profusion, one with 
yellowish and the other with green leaves, 
just as there are two varieties of C. G. F. 
Wilson, preisenting the same points of dif¬ 
ference as are shown by these two Pro¬ 
fusions. 
I look upon C. Profusion as one of the 
prettiest and best of our hybrid Cam¬ 
panulas, and, as it is not difficult to grow 
on the ordinary rockery, it should be ac¬ 
quired by the many. It seems to prefer 
a little shade, but is not too particular. C. 
Profusion is increased by careful division in 
spring or summer, and also by cuttings 
taken in summer and autumn. It flowers 
from June onwards. S. A. 
