Hardy Ornamental Flowering Trees and Shrubs Part 9

FREMONTIA CALIFORNICA.--California, 1851. A handsome and deciduous Californian shrub, but scarcely hardy enough for the open air without protection. In Southern England and Ireland, however, it does well, and all the better if planted within the influence of the sea. The large yellow flowers are often about 2 inches across, and produced singly along the branches, while the leaves are large, lobed, and of an enticing shade of green. Planted against a wall, in good dampish loam, it succeeds well.

FUCHSIA.

FUCHSIA MACROSTEMA GLOBOSA (_syn F. globosa_).--Chili. This is readily recognised by the globose form a.s.sumed by the incurved sepals, while the flowers are smaller and less showy than those of F. Riccartoni.

Hardihood about similar to the following.

F. RICCARTONI.--This seedling from F. m. globosa is one of the two hardiest varieties, but even this plant, except in warm, maritime districts, is by no means satisfactory. Where it does well it is a shrub of great beauty, and blooms profusely. This species has red, straight sepals, and a purple corolla. In favoured districts it may frequently be seen as much as 12 feet high, and is then during the flowering period an object of great beauty. It originated at Riccarton, near Edinburgh, about 1830.

GARRYA.

GARRYA ELLIPTICA.--California, 1818. This is a handsome shrub, with dark green coreaceous leaves, resembling very nearly those of the Evergreen Oak. The long, ta.s.sellated catkins, of a peculiar yellowish-green colour, render the plant one of much interest and beauty. As a wall plant it thrives well, the slight protection thus afforded favouring the growth and expansion of the catkins. For planting in the shrubbery it is also well suited, and where it oft-times attains to a height of 6 feet, and is bushy in proportion. It is well to bear in mind that there are male and female plants of the Garrya, and that the former is the more ornamental. Good rich, well-drained loam will suit this shrub well.

GAULTHERIA.

GAULTHERIA NUMMULARIOIDES (_syn G. nummulariae_ and _G. repens_).

--Himalayas. This is a neat Alpine species, with small and very dark green leaves. It likes a shady situation and vegetable soil. For planting on the rockwork, amongst tree roots, or beneath the shade of trees, the Gaultherias are particularly suitable. Light, but rich vegetable soil suits them best.

G. PROc.u.mBENS.--Canada Tea, or Creeping Winter-green. North America, 1762. This is of much smaller growth than the following, rarely rising to a greater height than about half a foot, with lanceolate, serrated leaves, and pendulous axillary cl.u.s.ters of white flowers.

G. SHALLON.--North-west America, 1826. Growing in favourable situations to fully a yard in height, this distinct evergreen shrub, which is fairly common in cultivation, is particularly valuable, as it thrives well under the shade and drip of trees. It is a rambling plant, with ovate-cordate, almost sessile leaves, and bears tiny white flowers that are succeeded by purplish fruit. G. Shallon acutifolia has more sharply pointed leaves than those of the species.

GENISTA.

GENISTA AETNENSIS (_syn Spartium aetnensis_).--Etna Broom. Sicily and Sardinia, 1816. This is a large-growing species of elegant growth, and remarkable for the abundance of yellow flowers with which it is literally covered in August. Than this South-European Pea-flower, perhaps not another member of the family is more worthy of culture, the neat, elegant habit of growth and profusion of flowers rendering it a plant of particular interest and beauty. It is quite hardy, thrives in any light soil if well drained, and is readily propagated from seed, which it ripens in abundance.

G. ANXANTICA.--Naples, 1818. This is a nearly allied species to our native G. tinctoria, and is of dwarf growth with a rich abundance of golden yellow flowers that are produced towards the end of summer.

G. CINEREA (_syn G. ramosissima_), from South Europe, is a very beautiful and desirable species, a yard high, and bearing in July slender twigs of the brightest yellow flowers.

G. EPHEDROIDES.--Corsica and Sardinia, 1832. With small and abundantly-produced flowers, this resembles Ephedra, hence its name.

G. GERMANICA.--Germany, 1773. This is a handsome rock garden shrub, of fully 18 inches in height, with arching stems and a plentiful supply of bright flowers during the summer and autumn months.

G. HISPANICA.--South-western Europe, 1759. This species resembles our common Broom, but the branches are not angular. The large, yellow, fragrant flowers appear in July. There is a charming double-flowered variety named G. hispanica flore-pleno.

G. LUSITANICA.--Portugal, 1771. This is remarkable for its opposite branches, is of spiny growth, and one of the earliest to appear in flower.

G. MONOSPERMA.--South Europe, 1690. This has white flowers, and is of value as a seaside shrub, and grows well in almost pure sand. A native of the Mediterranean coast.

G. PILOSA.--Greenweed. Europe (Britain). This is a dense prostrate native species, with bright yellow blossoms produced freely during May and June. A delightful rock shrub, and one that will succeed well almost in pure gravel.

G. PROSTRATA.--Burgundy and Alps of Jura, 1775. A small-growing species suitable for rock gardening, and of spreading bushy growth. Flowers small, but ornamental, and produced in May and June.

G. RADIATA (_syn Spartium radiatum_).--South Europe, 1758. This is a slender-growing shrub, about 18 inches high, with narrow leaflets, and terminal heads of yellow flowers produced in summer.

G. SAGITTALIS.--South Europe, 1750. With its peculiarly winged and jointed stems, which are of a deep green colour, this is one of the most distinct forms. The flowers are few but pretty, and with the dwarf habit render the plant an excellent subject for rockwork.

G. TINCTORIA.--Dyers' Greenweed. Europe (Britain), North and West Asia.

This is a spineless species, and bears a profusion of yellow flowers from July onwards. The double-flowering variety, G. tinctoria flore-pleno, is, in so far as ornamental qualities are concerned, superior to the parent form.

G. TINCTORIA ELATIOR (_syn G. elatior_) grows to 12 feet in height, is of free, spreading growth, and a very handsome plant. The flowers, which are individually small and yellow, are so thickly produced that the shrub, in late summer, has the appearance of a sheet of gold.

G. TRIANGULARIS (_syn G. triquetra_).--South Europe, 1815. This is a decidedly good garden plant, and of neat, trailing habit. The stems are three sided, and the flowers golden yellow and plentifully produced. A native of South Europe, and perfectly hardy in almost any position.

The above include most of the hardy Genistas, though G. capitata and G.

daurica, both very ornamental kinds, might be added to the list. They are all very hardy, free-flowering shrubs, of simple culture, and succeeding well in any light and rather dry soil.

GLEDITSCHIA.

GLEDITSCHIA TRIACANTHOS.--Honey Locust. United States, 1700. As an ornamental hardy tree this is well worthy the attention of planters, the pinnate and bipinnate foliage being particularly elegant, while the flowers, though individually small, are borne in such quant.i.ties of fascicled racemes as to attract notice. The stem and branches are armed with formidable p.r.i.c.kles, but there is a form in which the p.r.i.c.kles are absent. A native of North America, and readily cultivated in any soil of even fair quality. For town planting it is a valuable tree. There is a good weeping variety named G. triacanthos pendula.

G. SINENSIS (_syn G. horrida_).--China, 1774. This nearly resembles the latter, and is occasionally to be met with in cultivation in this country.

GORDONIA.

GORDONIA LASIANTHUS.--Loblolly Bay. North America, 1739. A shrub of great beauty, but one that, unfortunately, is rarely to be seen outside the walls of a botanic garden. It is of Camellia-like growth, with large, sweetly fragrant flowers and a good habit of growth.

G. p.u.b.eSCENS.--North America, 1774. This is of smaller growth than the latter, rarely exceeding about 6 feet high, with large white flowers that are rendered all the more conspicuous by the tuft of golden stamens. Both species are somewhat tender, although hailing from the coast, swampy grounds of the southern States of North America. Planted in favoured sites, they usually grow freely in light, peaty soil, or that containing a large admixture of decayed leaf soil.

GRABOWSKIA.

GRABOWSKIA BOERHAAVIAEFOLIA.--Peru, 1780. This is occasionally to be seen in sheltered and favoured gardens, but it is not to be relied upon in other than southern and seaside districts. The plant is of no particular interest to the cultivator, the outline being ungainly, while the pale blue flowers are both dull and uninteresting. It belongs to the Solanum family, and is only worth cultivating as a curiosity. Light, warm soil and a sunny position are necessities in the cultivation of this shrub.

GRISELINIA.

GRISELINIA LITTORALIS.--New Zealand, 1872. This forms a compact bush of moderate size, and is fairly hardy. The leaves are of a light, pleasing green shade, coriaceous, and glossy, and remain on the plant during winter. It is an excellent shrub for the seaside, and, moreover, will succeed well in stiff soils where many other plants would refuse to grow.

GYMNOCLADUS.

GYMNOCLADUS CANADENSIS.--Kentucky Coffee Tree. Canada, 1748. When in full leaf.a.ge this is a distinct and beautiful tree, the foliage hanging in well-rounded ma.s.ses, and presenting a pretty effect by reason of the loose and tufted appearance of the ma.s.ses of finely-divided leaves.

Leaves often 3 feet long, bipinnate, and composed of numerous bluish-green leaflets. Flowers white, borne in loose spikes in the beginning of summer, and succeeded by flat, somewhat curved brown pods.

It prefers a rich, strong soil or alluvial deposit.

G. CHINENSIS.--Soap Tree. China, 1889. Readily distinguished from the American species by its much smaller and more numerous leaflets, and thicker fruit pod. It is not very hardy in this country unless in the milder sea-side districts. The leaves are used by the Chinese women to wash their hair, hence the popular name of Soap Tree.

HALESIA.

HALESIA DIPTERA (_syn H. reticulata_).--North America, 1758. This is not so suitable for our climate as H. tetraptera, though in southern parts of the country it forms a neat, healthy bush, and flowers freely. It is distinguished, as the name indicates, by having two wings to the seed vessel, H. tetraptera having four.