L. j.a.pONIc.u.m (_syns L. glabrum, L. Kellennanni, L. Sieboldii_ and _L.
syringaeflorum_).--j.a.pan Privet. This is a dwarf-growing species rarely exceeding 4 feet in height, with broad, smooth, glossy-green leaves, and large compound racemes of flowers. There are several varieties, including L. j.a.ponic.u.m microphyllum, with smaller leaves than the parent; and one with tricoloured foliage and named L. j.a.ponic.u.m variegatum.
L. LUCIDUM (_syns L. magnoliaefolium_ and _L. strictum_).--Shining-leaved Privet, or Woa Tree. China, 1794. A pretty evergreen species, with oval leaves, and terminal, thyrsoid panicles of white flowers. It is an old inhabitant of our gardens, and forms a somewhat erect, twiggy bush, of fully 10 feet in height. Of this there are two varieties, one with larger bunches of flowers, and named L. lucidum floribundum, and another with variegated leaves, L. lucidum variegatum. L. lucidum coriaceum (Leathery-leaved Privet) is a distinct variety, with thick, leathery-green leaves, and dense habit of growth.
L. OVALIFOLIUM (_syn L. californic.u.m_).--Oval-leaved Privet. j.a.pan, 1877. This is a commonly-cultivated species, with semi-evergreen leaves, and spikes of yellowish-white flowers. It is a good hedge plant, and succeeds well as a town shrub. There are several variegated forms, of which L. ovalifolium variegatum (j.a.pan, 1865) and L. ovalifolium aureum are the best.
L. QUIHOI.--China, 1868. This is a much valued species, as it does not flower until most of its relations have finished. Most of the Privets flower at mid-summer, but this species is often only at its best by the last week of October and beginning of November. It forms a straggling freely-branched shrub, of fully 6 feet in height and nearly as much through, with dark shining-green oblong leaves, and loose terminal panicles of pure white, powerfully-scented flowers. It flourishes, like most of the Privets, on poor soil, and is a little-known species that note should be made of during the planting season.
L. SINENSE (_syns L. villosum_ and _L. Ibota villosum_).--Chinese Privet. China, 1858. This is a tall deciduous shrub, with oblong and tomentose leaves, and flowers in loose, terminal panicles and produced freely in August. L. sinense nanum is one of the prettiest forms in cultivation. It is almost evergreen, with a horizontal mode of growth, and dense spikes of crearny-white flowers, so thickly produced as almost to hide the foliage from view. It is a most distinct and desirable variety.
L. VULGARE.--Common Privet. Although one of our commonest shrubs, this Privet can hardly be pa.s.sed unnoticed, for the spikes of creamy-white flowers, that are deliciously scented, are both handsome and effective.
Of the common Privet there are several distinct and highly ornamental forms, such as L. vulgare variegatum, L. vulgare pendulum, having curiously-creeping branches, and the better-known and valuable L.
vulgare sempervirens (_syn L. italic.u.m_), the Italian Privet.
LINNAEA.
LINNAEA BOREALIS.--Twin Flower. A small and elegant, much-creeping evergreen shrub, with small, ovate crenate leaves, and pairs of very fragrant, pink flowers. Two conditions are necessary for its cultivation--a half-shaded aspect where bottom moisture is always present, and a deep, rich, friable loam. A native of Scotland and England, flowering in July.
LIPPIA.
LIPPIA CITRIODORA (_syns Aloysia citriodora_ and _Verbena triphylla_).--Lemon-scented Verbena. Chili, 1794. With its slender branches and pale green, pleasantly-scented, linear leaves, this little plant is a general favourite that needs no description. The flowers are not very ornamental, being white or lilac, and produced in small, terminal panicles. A native of Chili, it is not very hardy, but grown against a sunny wall, and afforded the protection of a mat in winter, with a couple of shovelfuls of cinders heaped around the stem, it pa.s.ses through the most severe weather with little or no injury, save, in some instances, the branch tips being killed back. Propagated readily from cuttings placed in a cool frame or under a hand-light.
LIRIODENDRON.
LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA.--Tulip Tree. North America, 1688. One of the n.o.blest hardy exotic trees in cultivation. The large, four-lobed, truncate leaves, of a soft and pleasing green, are highly ornamental, and are alone sufficient to establish the ident.i.ty of the tree. Flowers large, yellow, and sweet-scented, and usually freely produced when the tree has attained to a height of between 20 feet and 30 feet. When we consider the undoubted hardihood of the tree and indifference to soil, its n.o.ble aspect, handsome foliage that is so distinct from that of any other tree, and showy flowers, we feel justified in placing it in the very first rank of ornamental trees. L. tulipifera integrifolia has entire leaves, which render it distinct from the type; L. tulipifera fastigiata, or pyramidalis, is of erect growth; L. tulipifera aurea, with golden foliage; and L. tulipifera crispa, with the leaves curiously undulated--a peculiarity which seems constant, but is more curious than beautiful. Few soils come amiss to the Tulip Tree, it thriving well in that of very opposite descriptions--loam, almost pure gravel, and alluvial deposit.
LONICERA.
LONICERA CAPRIFOLIUM.--Europe. This species resembles L. Periclymenum, but is readily distinguished by the sessile flower-heads, and fawny-orange flowers.
L. FLEXUOSA (_syn L. brachypoda_).--j.a.pan, 1806. This is a pretty species, and one of the most useful of the climbing section. By its slender, twining, purplish stems, it may at once be distinguished, as also by the deep green, purplish-tinted leaves, and sweetly-scented flowers of various shades of yellow and purple. A native of China, and perfectly hardy as a wall plant. L. flexuosa aureo-reticulata is a worthy variety, in which the leaves are beautifully netted or variegated with yellow.
L. FRAGRANTISSIMA.--China, 1845. This species is often confounded with L. Standishii, but differs in at least one respect, that the former is strictly a climber, while the latter is of bushy growth. The leaves, too, of L. Standishii are hairy, which is not the case with the other species. It is a very desirable species, with white fragrant flowers, produced during the winter season.
L. PERICLYMENUM.--Honeysuckle, or Woodbine. An indigenous climbing shrub, with long, lithe, and twisted cable-like branches, and bearing heads of sweetly-scented, reddish-yellow flowers. This is a favourite wild plant, and in the profusion and fragrance of its flowers it is surpa.s.sed by none of the exotic species. There are several distinct nursery forms of this plant, including those known as L. Periclymenum Late Dutch, L. Periclymenum Early Cream, and L. Periclymenum odoratissimum; as also one with variegated foliage.
L. SEMPERVIRENS.--Scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle. A North American evergreen species (1656), with scarlet, almost inodorous flowers, produced freely during the summer. For wall covering it is one of the most useful of the family. The variety L. sempervirens minor is worthy of attention.
L. STANDISHII, a Chinese species (1860), has deliciously fragrant while flowers, with a slight purplish tint, and is well worthy of attention, it soon forming a wall covering of great beauty.
L. TATARICA.---Tartarian Honeysuckle. Tartary, 1752. This is a very variable species, in so far at least as the colour of flowers is concerned, and has given rise to several handsome varieties. The typical plant has rosy flowers, but the variety L. tatarica albiflora has pure white flowers; and another, L. tatarica rubriflora has freely produced purplish-red flowers.
L. XYLOSTEUM (_syn Xylosteum dumetorum_).--Fly Honeysuckle. Europe (England) to the Caucasus. The small, creamy-white flowers of this plant are not particularly showy, but the scarlet berries are more conspicuous in September and October. The gray bark of the branches has also a distinct effect in winter when grown in contrast to the red-barked species of Cornus, Viburnum, and yellow-barked Osier. It is one of the oldest occupants of British shrubberies. L. Xylosteum leucocarpum has white berries; those of L. Xylosteum melanocarpum are black; and in L.
Xylosteum xanthocarpum they are yellow.
The Honeysuckles are all of the readiest culture, and succeed well in very poor soils, and in that of opposite qualities. Propagated from cuttings or by layering.
LOROPETALON.
LOROPETALON CHINENSE.--Khasia Mountains and China, 1880. This is a pretty and interesting shrub belonging to the more familiar Witch Hazel family. Flowers cl.u.s.tered in small heads, the calyx pale green, and the long linear petals almost pure white. Being quite hardy, and interesting as well as ornamental, should insure this Chinese shrub a place in every good collection.
LYCIUM.
LYCIUM BARBARUM.--Box Thorn, or Tea Tree. North Asia, 1696. A pretty lax, trailing shrub, with long, slender, flexible twigs, small linear-lanceolate leaves, and rather spa.r.s.ely-produced lilac or violet flowers. Planted against a wall, or beside a stout-growing, open-habited shrub, where the peculiarly lithe branches can find support, this plant does best. Probably nowhere is the Box Thorn so much at home as in seaside places, it then attaining to sometimes 12 feet in height, and bearing freely its showy flowers during summer, and the bright scarlet or orange berries in winter.
L. EUROPAEUM.--European Box Thorn. South Europe, 1730. This is a spiny, rambling shrub, that may often be seen clambering over some cottage porch, or used as a fence or wall plant in many parts of England. It often grows nearly 20 feet long, and is then a plant of great beauty, with linear-spathulate leaves of the freshest green, and pretty little pink or reddish flowers. For quickly covering steep, dry banks and mounds where few other plants could exist this European Box Thorn is invaluable. Either species will grow in very poor, dry soil, and is readily propagated by means of cuttings.
LYONIA.
LYONIA PANICULATA (_syns L. ligustrina, Andromeda globulifera, A.
pilifera_, and _Menziesia globularis_).--North America, 1806. This species grows about a yard high, with cl.u.s.tered, ovate leaves, and pretty, pinky, drooping flowers.
MACLURA.
MACLURA AURANTIACA.--Osage Orange, or Bow-wood. North America, 1818.
This is a wide-spreading tree with deciduous foliage, and armed with spines along the branches. The leaves are three inches long, ovate and pointed, and of a bright shining green. Flowers rather inconspicuous, being green with a light tinge of yellow, and succeeded by fruit bearing a resemblance when ripe to the Seville orange. It is hardy, and grows freely in rather sandy or gravelly soil.
MAGNOLIA.
MAGNOLIA Ac.u.mINATA.--Cuc.u.mber Tree. North America, 1736. This is a large and handsome species, of often as much as 50 feet in height, and with a head that is bushy in proportion. The leaves are 6 inches long, ovate and pointed, and of a refreshing shade of green. Flowers greenish-yellow, sweetly scented, and produced abundantly all over the tree. They are succeeded by small, roughish fruit, resembling an infant cuc.u.mber, but they usually fall off before becoming ripe.
M. CAMPBELII.--Sikkim, 1868. This is a magnificent Indian species, but, unfortunately, it is not hardy except in the favoured English and Irish localities. The leaves are large, and silky on the undersides, while the flowers are crimson and white, and equally as large as those of the better-known M. grandiflora.
M. CONSPICUA (_syn M. Yulan_).--Yulan. China, 1789. A large-growing shrub, with Pea-green, deciduous foliage, and large, pure white flowers that oft get damaged by the spring frosts. M. conspicua Soulangeana is a supposed hybrid between M. conspicua and M. obovata. Whatever may be the origin of this Magnolia, it is certainly a handsome and showy plant of very vigorous growth, producing freely its white, purple-tinted flowers, and which last for a long time in perfection. There are several other varieties, including M. conspicua Soulangeana nigra, with dark purplish flowers; M. conspicua Alexandrina, M. conspicua Soulangeana speciosa, and M. conspicua Norbertii.
M. CORDATA, a native of the Southern Alleghanies (1801), is still rare in collections. It is a small-growing, deciduous species, with yellow flowers, that are neither scented nor showy.
M. FRASERI (_syn M. auriculata_).--Long-leaved Cuc.u.mber Tree. North America, 1786. This species has distinctly auriculated leaves and large, yellowish-white, fragrant flowers.
M. GLAUCA.--Laurel Magnolia. North America, 1688. This is one of the commonest species in our gardens, and at the same time one of the hardiest. It is of shrub size, with Laurel-like leaves, and sweetly-scented, small, pure white flowers, produced about the end of June.
M. GRANDIFLORA.--North America, 1737. One of the handsomest species, with very large, glossy, evergreen leaves, and deliciously odoriferous, creamy-white flowers, that are often fully 6 inches across. It is usually seen as a wall plant, and the slight protection thus afforded is almost a necessity in so far as the development of the foliage and flowers is concerned. M. grandiflora exoniensis (Exmouth Magnolia) is a very handsome form.
M. LENNEI.--This is a garden hybrid between M. conspicua and M. obovata discolor, and has flowers as large as a goose"s egg, of a rosy-purple colour, and produced profusely.
M. MACROPHYLLA.--North America, 1800. This species has very large leaves and flowers, larger, perhaps, than those of any other species. They are very showy, being white with a purple centre. It attains a height of 30 feet.
M. OBOVATA DISCOLOR (_syn M. purpurea_).--j.a.pan, 1790. This is a small-growing, deciduous shrub, with large, dark green leaves, and Tulip-shaped flowers, that are purple on the outside and almost white within.
M. PARVIFLORA, from j.a.pan, with creamy-white, fragrant flowers, that are globular in shape, is a very distinct and attractive species, but cannot generally be relied upon as hardy.