Winter-Flowering Plants For Greenhouses

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 99, 29 April 1939, Page 14 (Supplement)

Winter-Flowering Plants For Greenhouses

THERE are a large number of beautiful hardy shrubs which are most useful for furnishing the conservatory or greenhouse during the spring months. Many of them can be purchased as potgrown plants, but azaleas, rhododendrons, lilacs, prunus, Kerris japonica. Spiraea van Houttei and S. prunifolia var. fl. pi.—to mention a few—can be lifted from the open ground at this time. If put in pots and tubs they may in due course be successfully used for forcing. Once potted most of them can be ased for a number of years. If they are planted out in a reserve garden to reoover, and by using them in rotation one can have a regular supply each year. While it may be necessary to purchase some plants, there are others that can be easily propagated by means of cuttings, Deutzia gracillis, for example, and Forsythia suspense, but the beet Forsythia for tliie purpose is F. intermedia var. spectabilis, which with slight heat can be had in flower in mid-winter. This plant produces deep golden yellow flowers in wonderful profusion, and in an ordinary conservatory keeps in good condition for several weeks. A forced plant affords a ready means of propagation, as the young soft shoots root readily. This also applies to many other shrubby plants used for this purpose. Azaleas and rhododendrons, with their restricted root system, are well sdapted for forcing as it is a fairly easy matter to get them into moderate-sized pots. When using azaleas and rhododendrons for this purpose, preference should be given to varieties which flower early as they, of course, respond more readily to forcing. Rosa mundi is a dwarf free-flowering variety that may be had in flower by mid-winter, while R. proaecoa is very charming for indoor work. The latter ie free-flowering. R. Prince Camilla de Rohan is also good; in fact, most of the hybrids with cauoasicum blood in them fores readily. Pink Pearl and the newer Alice are also excellent for pot work. Rhododendron Kaempferi in • number of beautiful varieties is excellent for forcing. Viburnum Carlesil is charming for the conservatory, its fragrant flowers coming pure white when grown indoors. It will not stand hard forcing, and is best brought on in a greenhouse temperature. It is also best pot-grown, as it seems to resent too much disturbance at the root. Wistaria sineiMis is a beautiful plant for the conservatory, and is best when established in pots. Like the Viburnum, it must not be given too much heat, or else all the buds will drop off. One of the secrets of successful forcing is gradually to accustom the plants to a high temperature, introducing them too suddenly usually ends in failure, altliotigh lilacs and azaleas will stand high temperatures with impunity; but, of course, they do not stand so well as when brought on under cooler conditions. After the plants are potted up they should be stood outdoors until such time ss they are required, protecting the pots from being cracked by frost by means of hay or ashes. Funkia grandiflora is well worth growing in pots for the unheated greenhouse. If grown in Sin or lOin pots, it forms a handsome specimen with its large ornamental foliage and beautiful white, sweet-scented flowers. Funkia tardiflora is another late-flow-ering species which is well worth growing in pots for a cool house. It is a ticut growing plant and produces its purplish-coloured flowers in great profusion. Zonal pelargoniums are well known, and these plants may be had in flower during the winter months. It is essential that they be given a light, airy position in the greenhouse and not bs over-watered, se damp is fatal to them. As a dry atmosphere muet be maintained, it is best to have some hest in the pipes during the night and during dull days.