LUCULIAS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 144, 20 June 1931, Page 7 (Supplement)

LUCULIAS

Luculia gratissima (very grateful), an exceeding ornamental evergreen shrub and a native of the temperate Himalayas, is one of the finest winter-flow ering shrubs in cultivation. Its handsome, sweetly-scented, rose-coloured, bouvardia-likc flowers arc freely produced in large trusses at the end of every’ twig and terminal branch ami are invaluable for the decoration of the garden and mixed shrubbery. They are especially welcomed at present, when there is such a scarcity' of flowering shrubs and other plants. The Luculia is easily raised from seeds, and propagated from layers. •Since the introduction of this best-of all winter-flowering shrubs, it has become extensively grown and distributed. It requires a deep, fairly' light soil where the root action is free to penetrate and the roots arc not 'rterfered with. It will not succeed where heavy frosts occur. There is also a white flowered variety and also a species with larger and more fragrant flowers from the mountains of Khasia. The leaves are smaller and quite globrous. This species, named Pinceana (Pinces), has not so far been introduced here.