FLOWERING TREES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19838, 7 January 1928, Page 5 (Supplement)

FLOWERING TREES.

SOME FINE SPECIES. Calodendron capense is a beautiful flowering tree, as the name implies (kalos, beautiful, and dendron, a tree). This exceedingly large growing evergreen tree which is considered one of the finest trees at the Cape of Good Hope, succeeds well here and at the present time is now in full flower. A splendid specimen with a spreading head may be seen growing at the corner of Gillies Avenue and Owen's Road. It attains a height of about forty feet. The flowers are produced in terminal panicles. It is eminently adapted for ornamental plantations and parks. VIRGILIA OAPENSIS, Named in honour of the poefc Virgil, virgilia c-apensis is another exceedingly handsome flowering tree of pyramidal habits, also a native of the Cape. Its pretty rose-purple pea shaped flowers "are freely produced throughout the tree. The leaves have a silky, glossy appearance greatly adding to its distinctive character. It is of quick growth, and like the preceding, succeeds welt. It is propagated from seeds which are very hard and take some time to geriuinate. It is a monotypic genus. PHYTOLACCA DIOIOA. This is another large tree of surprisingly fast, sappy growth, attaining to a considerable height with a great spread of branches. It loses its leaves for a brief period during the winter, and is very hardy and a good drought resister, and it is also fireproof. The wood is very soft and will not burn, and it is an exceedingly distinctive tree that is most suitable for planting as single specimens in park area 3. There is a great need for a wider selection of outstanding varieties of trees of ornamental appearance suitable to our > climatic conditions that would relieve the prevailing sameness and greatly enhance the beauties of our parks and other ornamental plantations. Hence reference to the preceding trees.