ERICA.
ERICA CARNEA.--South Europe, 1763. This is one of the most beautiful and desirable of hardy Heaths, on account of the richly-coloured flowers and early season at which they are produced. In the typical species the flowers are pink or flesh-coloured, and produced in January and February. It is a dwarf, compact growing species, with bright green foliage. There is a form with pure white flowers, named E. carnea alba, or E. herbacea, but although distinct and beautiful, it is not of so robust growth as the parent.
E. CILIARIS.--A pretty native species, with ciliate glandular leaves, and racemes of highly-coloured, rosy flowers. Found in Dorsetshire and Cornwall.
E. CINEREA,--Gray-leaved Heath. In this species, also a native of Britain, the flowers are of a reddish-purple colour, and borne in dense terminal racemes. There are numerous varieties, including a white-flowered E. cinerea alba; E. cinerea atro-purpurea, bearing dark purple flowers; E. cinerea atro-sanguinea, dark red flowers; E. cinerea coccinea, scarlet; E. cinerea purpurea, purple flowers; and E. cinerea rosea, with deep rose-coloured flowers.
E. MEDITERRANEA.--Mediterranean Heath. Portugal, 1648. This is a robust-growing species, of rather erect habit, and often attaining to fully a yard in height. Flowers abundantly produced, and of a pretty pinky hue. Of this there are several varieties, the following being best known: E. mediterranea hibernica, found in Ireland; E.
mediterranea alba, with white flowers; E. mediterranea nana, of very dwarf growth; and E. mediterranea rubra, with showy, deep red flowers.
E. SCOPARIA and E. ERECTA are desirable species, the former bearing greenish flowers, and the latter of decidedly upright growth.
E. TETRALIX.--Cross-leaved Heath. A native species of low, and bushy growth, with close umbels or terminal cl.u.s.ters of pretty pinky flowers.
The varieties of this most worthy of notice are E. Tetralix alba, white flowered; E. Tetralix Mackiana, crimson flowered; E. Tetralix rubra, deep red flowers; and E. Tetralixbicolor, with parti-coloured flowers.
E. VAGANS..--Cornish Heath. A native species, bearing pinky-white flowers, but there are forms with white and red flowers, named E.
vagans alba and E. vagans rubra.
The various kinds of Heath succeed best either in peaty soil, or that composed for the greater part of light, sandy loam, but many will grow and flower freely if planted in rich yellow loam. They are very desirable plants, either for bed formation, for rockwork ornamentation, or for planting around the shrubbery margins. Propagation is effected either by cuttings or sub-divisions, but seedlings of several species spring up freely under favourable conditions.
ESCALLONIA.
ESCALLONIA FLORIBUNDA (_syn E. montevideusis_).--New Grenada, 1827.
This is one of the handsomest species, bearing long, arching cl.u.s.ters of white flowers. It is a very desirable shrub for wall or lattice-work covering, against which it grows rapidly, and soon forms an object of great beauty by reason of its neat foliage and graceful habit, as also wealth of pretty flowers.
E. ILLINATA.--Chili, 1830. This should also be included, it being a handsome and pretty-flowered plant.
E. MACRANTHA.--Chiloe, 1848. This is a general favourite in English gardens, where it succeeds well, but especially in maritime parts of the country. It is of stout growth, 6 feet or more in height, of spreading habit, and with elliptical, serrulated, bright green leaves, and cl.u.s.ters of crimson-red flowers produced in summer. For wall-covering this is an almost invaluable shrub, although it succeeds well as a standard in all but the colder parts of the country. Any free, open soil suits it well, but thorough drainage must be attended to. There are several very distinct and good varieties, such as E.
macrantha sanguinea, with flowers deeper in colour than those of the parent plant; and E. macrantha Ingrami, a profuse-blooming and very desirable form.
E. PHILLIPIANA.--Valdivia, 1873. When seen as a standard bush, and loaded with its myriads of tiny white flowers, this must rank amongst the handsomest members of the family. It is very hardy, and retains its foliage throughout the winter. The hybrid forms, E. exoniensis and E.
leucantha, deserve recognition, the latter even as late as November being laden with its small spikes of pretty white flowers, which contrast nicely with the neat, evergreen foliage.
E. PTEROCLADON.--Patagonia, 1854. This is remarkable for the curiously-winged branches, which give to the shrub a rather peculiar and distinct appearance. The freely-produced flowers are white or pink.
E. RUBRA.--Chili, 1827. This has less handsome leaves and flowers than the above, but it is, all the same, a beautiful plant. The flowers vary a good deal in depth of colouring, and may be seen of all tints between pure white and red.
The Escallonias are all of very free growth in any light, warm, sandy, and well-drained soil, and are readily propagated.
EUCRYPHIA.
EUCRYPHIA PINNATIFOLIA.--Chili, 1880. This shrub, is as yet rare in cultivation, and is not suited for the colder or more exposed parts of the country. It is, however, a singularly distinct and beautiful shrub, with deep glossy-green, pinnate foliage, and bearing large, pure white flowers, that are rendered all the more conspicuous by the golden-yellow anthers. As an ornamental shrub it is well worthy of cultivation. In so far as its hardihood in this climate has to do, it may be mentioned that in various parts of England and Ireland it has stood in the open ground unharmed for several years back. Light, sandy, well drained peat would seem to meet with its requirements.
EUONYMUS.
EUONYMUS AMERICANA.--American Spindle Tree. North America, 1686. This is a deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub, of about 6 feet in height, found over a wide area in Canada and the United States. It is of partially erect growth, with long and lithe branches, covered with pleasing light green bark. Flowers appearing in June, and succeeded by rough, warted, brilliant scarlet capsules, which are particularly showy and attractive. It likes a shady situation, and rich, rather damp soil.
E. EUROPAEUS.--West Asia, Europe (Britain), &c. An indigenous species, rarely exceeding 6 feet in height, and rendered very effective in autumn by reason of the pale scarlet fruit, which, when fully ripe, and having split open, reveals the orange-coloured arils of the seeds. It, too, delights to grow in the shade.
E. FIMBRIATUS, j.a.pan and India, and its handsome variegated form, E.
fimbriatus foliis variegatus et argenteo maculatus, are rather too tender for cultivation in this country, even in southern districts, and where afforded wall protection. E. verrucosus and E. atropurpureus are also worthy of cultivation.
E. LATIFOLIUS.--Broad-leaved Spindle Tree. A European species (1730), deciduous, and growing from 10 feet to sometimes fully 20 feet in height. The leaves are bright, shining green, and much larger than those of our native species. Flowers, purplish-white, appearing in June; the capsules large, deep red, and when open contrasting very effectively with the bright orange arils in which the seeds are enveloped. It is a very distinct and beautiful, small-growing lawn tree, and succeeding, as it does, best in shade is an extra qualification.
FABIANA.
FABIANA IMBRICATA.--Chili, 1838. This is, unfortunately, not hardy in any but the milder maritime parts of England and Ireland. It is a charming shrub of Heather-like appearance, with small, crowded leaves, and pure white flowers produced in May. Planted at the base of a southern wall it does best, and where it thrives it is certainly one of our handsomest half-hardy shrubs.
FATSIA.
FATSIA j.a.pONICA (_syns Aralia j.a.ponica_ and _A. Sieboldii_).--j.a.pan, 1858. This is of no particular value as a flowering shrub, but being hardy in most districts, and having large handsome leaves that impart to it a tropical appearance, it is well worthy of culture. The flowers are ivory-white, and produced in large umbels towards the end of autumn, but our early frosts too often mar their beauty. In this country it grows about 10 feet high, and is usually what is termed "leggy" in appearance, and thrives well in any good loamy soil if fairly dry.
FENDLERA.
FENDLERA RUPICOLA.--Mexico, 1888. A low-growing shrub, peculiar to the dry rocky parts of the United States, particularly the south-western district. It grows about a yard high, and bears a great profusion of bluish-white flowers, that are rendered very conspicuous by reason of the bright yellow stamens. It is the only known species, and is nearly allied to the Saxifrages. Any fairly good garden soil will suit it well, but it wants to be planted where superfluous moisture is quickly carried off.
FORSYTHIA.
FORSYTHIA SUSPENSA (_syn F. Fortunei_ and _F. Sieboldii_).--j.a.pan and China, 1864. A slender-growing shrub, with variable leaves, and long, trailing shoots. The flowers are abundantly produced, are of a beautiful golden tint, and bell-shaped, and being of good substance last for a long time. Either as a wall plant, or for using in some sheltered corner, and where the branches can spread about at will, it forms a very distinct and handsome shrub, and one that is perfectly hardy and quite indifferent as regards the quality of soil in which it is planted. There are several forms of this pretty shrub, but as they do not differ to any great extent from the species, are hardly worthy of consideration.
F. suspensa intermedia is a garden hybrid, 1891.
F. VIRIDISSIMA.--j.a.pan, 1845. This is another desirable species, but it is not comparable in point of beauty with the former. It is usually of strong erect growth, with stout shoots, wreathed with bright yellow flowers towards the end of winter. It is a very beautiful shrub, and a valuable addition to the winter or early spring flowering section.
FOTHERGILLA.
FOTHERGILLA ALNIFOLIA.--North Eastern America, 1765. This is an ungainly habited shrub, of dwarf growth, the branches being somewhat slender and crooked. The flowers are white, sweetly scented, and produced in dense terminal spikes. It is perfectly hardy.
FRAXINUS.
FRAXINUS ORNUS (_syn F. argentea, F. rotundifolia_, and _Ornus europea_).--Manna Ash. South Europe, 1730. This is a handsome tree, especially when young and vigorous, and by far the most ornamental species in cultivation. For planting in situations where large-growing subjects would be out of place this is a valuable tree, while the wealth of flowers renders it particularly interesting and effective. It rarely exceeds 30 feet in height, with leaves not unlike those of the common Ash, and conspicuous panicles of light, feathery, white petaliferous flowers, produced usually in great abundance all over the tree. Perfectly hardy.
F. Ornus serotina alba and F. Ornus serotina violacea are beautiful seedling forms that were raised in France, and on account of their dwarf habit and profusion of flowers are well worthy of attention. The flowers of the first-named variety are pure white, the stamens having at first yellow anthers, which speedily turn to a rich blackish-brown.
The other differs but little, only in the flowers, which are of a distinct greyish-violet hue, while the leaves are of a darker shade of green, and the leaflets longer and narrower.
F. MARIESII.--Northern China, 1880. This is hardy in most parts of the country. The whole tree is quite glabrous except the petioles, which are clothed with a dense p.u.b.escence. Flowers pure white, and arranged in large dense panicles.
FREMONTIA.