SOME NOTABLE FLOWERING TREES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23595, 3 September 1938, Page 23

SOME NOTABLE FLOWERING TREES

SEE THEM WHILE IN BLOOM PICK SPOTS FOR PLANTING IN AUTUMN Too often amateurs wait until the planting season before giving a thought to what they are going to order for their gardens. Obviously the time to prepare orders is when plants are in bloom, even though this means waiting six months or more for delivery. In no instance is this more true than with flowering trees, which of necessity are planted for permanency, and cannot readily be exchanged or moved to a different place, once they are established. Now is the time to make notes of all the beautiful varieties which might be planted next May. if they fit in with existing schemes in the garden. NEW AND OLD CHERRIES I Cherries, assisted by fine weather, make a particularly magnificent display. Varieties are now so numerous as to be almost confusing, and this is an added reason for making a selection while the trees are actually in flower. Some of the old favourites amongst the Japanese varieties still hold their own. and for a spreading tree with palishpink flowers it would be difficult to imagine anything more beautiful than Prunus serrulata Fugenzo, the new name for the tree that will be far more familiar to most of our older readers as P. serrulata J. H. Veitch. Then there is the rather more erect and deeper-col-oured P. serrulata Kanzan. which used to be known as Hizakura. Rather later in bloom is P. serrulata Shirofugen, which makes a fine companion for its close relative Oku-miyako. Of the newer Japanese cherries, Ama-No-Gawa is one of the most striking. It

has the erect habit ot a Lombardy poplar, and, in consequence, can be grown very, successfully in quite small Hardens. The semi-double pale pink flowers are very freely produced. Of pure white cherries, one of the showiest is still Prunus Avium florepleno. the double bean, but even more suitable for a small garden is the double white Morello cherry, Prunus Rhexi fl. pi., as it is less vigorous in growth. Amongst single whites Prunus serrulata Taihaku is outstanding, with flowers of immense size, contrasting magnificently with the coppery-red voung foliage. THE FLOWERING CRABS

The list of choice flowering crabs has also been much lengthened of recent years by the introduction of such fine hybrids as Pyrus aldenhamensis and P. Eleyi, both with winered flowers, followed by crimson fruits, and the even newer Aldenham Purple, not to be confused -with aldenhamensis, for it has larger and more purplish flowers, followed by a more abundant crop of bronzy-red fruits. Pyru? Arnoldiana is related to that lovely, free-flowering tree Pyrus floribunda, and has similar but bigger ruby buds, opening to pale pink flowers. It is rather slow in growth, and eminently suited to a small garden. Another striking form or hybrid of Pyrus floribunda is known as Excellens Thiel. It has pendent branches and masses of pale pink flowers. One of the latest of all the crabs to flower is the tree often named Pyrus coronaria fl. pi., but more correctly known as P. ioensis fl. pi. In a normal season it does not commence to expand its magnificent double pink flowers until early December, but this year it looks like being in flower by mid-November, or earlier, unless the weather suddenly turns much colder. Pyrus malus Niedzwetzkyana is probably the deepsst red of all the crab apples, and remarkable for the fact that the pigment suffuses the wood and the flesh of the fruits, and is not confined to the surface. In an abnormal season laburnums are in bloom several weeks ahead of their normal time. Most people will agree that Laburnum Vossi is the best varietv at anv rate, for small gardens, as it 'hns particularly long trusses of doldon fl-iwer. and is not too vigorous in growth. The common laburnum is botanicallv known as L. Vulgare It has many excellent varieties, including one with clear golden foliage, but for some reason these are rarely offered by nurserymen THE JUDAS TREE

Those who are on th° look out for something a little out of the ordinary should consider the merits o' the Judas tree, Cercis siliquastrum. This makes a very handsome specimen of moderate size, with attractive roundish leaves and close clusters of purulish-red flowers in October and November. For some reason it has never become very common in this country, though it is not at ill difficult to Grow It certainly likfis a sunny and revels in warmth, but it is quite hardy. The fbliaj'o assumes grand tints of copper and'red before falling in the autumn.

The flowering thorns have the great merit that they will grow almost any-

where, and never fail to make a splendid display. The showiest variety is undoubtedly Paul's Double Scarlet, but it is even more effective when planted in association with the double pink and double white. All are equally easy to grow, and require no special cultural preparations. Catalpa bignonoides. the Indian bean, can be grown in two quite distinct ways, either pruned hard every year, in which case it will produce a wealth of strong young growths with very large leaves, but no flowers, or allowed to grow naturally with little or no pruning, in which case the will- be smaller, but in a favourable year panicles of showy flowers will be produced. At a short distance these closely resemble the candelabra-liKe flower spikes of the horse chestnut The blooms are white, marked with yellow and purple spots, and are very handsome. If flowers are to be produced, however, the wood must be properly ripened, and this necess tates a rather sunny and sheltered position given an average English summer. Most of the horse chestnuts themselves are too big for any but the largest gardens, but there are a few notable exceptions. One of the smallest of the lot is ZEsculus parv.flora. which is really no more than a shrub eight or ten feet in height, and branching from the base, rarely, if ever, forming a tree-like trunk. The flowers are white, and appear late, usually towards the end of January and early in February. Then there is ffi. californica, a particularly fine specimen of which is to be seen in the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Though it does not usually exceed 15 or 20 feet in height. it is rather spreading in habit. The white flowers are fragrant, and very freely produced. The false acacias, or robinias, are well known in the form of R. pseudoacacia, with feathery leaves and racemes of white flowers in December. It is too big a grower for small gardens, but the kind known as R. Kelseyi is better suited, making a small tree or big shrub. Its flowers are brightly rose-coloured, and produced freely in December. While following is a crop of red seed pods.