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Shrubs and Vines: Mahonia

Mahonia Aquifolia, or Holly-Leafed Mahonia, is a very desirable, low-growing evergreen shrub with handsome, dark, glossy foliage. Does best in shady situations and in soils that are moderately moist, growth is slow and in regions where the winters are severe the foliage is subject to injury.

Philadelphus, Mock Orange. The fragrant white flowers of the Mock Orange are familiar to most of us. The old-fashioned Coronarius variety has been improved upon and many beautiful new hybrids are offered by nurserymen. Their blooming season is late May, they grow well in either sun or shade and transplant easily.

Varieties. Coronarius grows about 12 feet high.

Mont Blanc, 5 feet high, flowers large and showy.

Avalanche, June bloomer, is a graceful arching shrub bearing effective flowers. Boule d'Argent, large double fragrant, white flowers.

Rhododendrons have certain decided likes and dislikes; they cannot tolerate clay soils or those containing any lime, in fact they thrive on the organic acids liberated by decaying vegetable matter. For this [201] reason the rhododendron bed should always be covered with leaves, gradually adding to the mulch as decomposition takes place, if the leaves are unsightly this difficulty can be partly overcome by throwing a thin layer of soil over them. For best results it is well to excavate the beds 18 inches or 2 feet deep and fill in with a mixture of sandy loam and pure leaf mold.

Transplanting may be done fall or spring, lifting the roots with balls of earth and planting the bushes very firmly in well-firmed soil. The question of location is an important one in rhododendron culture, avoid planting in wind-swept places, some shade from the hot sun and protection from high winds are essential to success.

During the growing season the ground should not be cultivated as the roots are very near the surface, if the mulch of leaves is not retained during the summer some weeding will be necessary, but in doing this work do not scratch the surface any more than is required to pull them out. An excellent tonic to apply is epsom salts, one handful to a watering can full of water. Remove the seed pods as soon as the flowers fade to improve next year's bloom.

Varieties. Alba Elegans, white. Boule de Niege, dwarf white, Mrs. Charles S. Sargeant, pink, Lady [202] Armstrong, rose pink, Charles Bagley, cherry red, Punctatum, good flesh pink.

Rhus Cotinus, Smoke Bush. A tall shrub of an upright habit of growth that bears, about the end of June, interesting masses of feathery flowers somewhat purplish in color. Rhus Cotinus is best moved in spring and is easily transplanted when young, it is a rank grower and takes kindly to a well-drained soil. Spiræa. The Spiræas are very well-known ornamental low or medium sized shrubs with bloom from May to September depending upon the variety. The early flowering kinds must be pruned after bloom only, as they form their flower buds on wood of the previous year's growth. The late varieties are trimmed in the fall after bloom, or the following March.

Spiræas are easily grown in sunny situations and soils that are sufficiently retentive of moisture to prevent excessive dryness. They are easily propagated by cuttings treated according to the directions given in the first part of the chapter.

Varieties. Thumbergii, white flowers, the earliest Spiræa to bloom. Prunifolia flore pleno, double white flowers end of April and early May, also called the Bridal Wreath Spiræa. Van Houttei, white flowers in early May, very profuse bloomer, graceful habit of [203] growth. Bumaldi variety Anthony waterer, carmine pink flowers during July and August.

Symphoricarpus racemosus, or Snow Berry, is a low-growing, graceful shrub valued especially for its large white berries which hang on the branches well into the winter. The Snow Berry will grow in sun or shade provided it is not planted directly under shallow rooted trees. The flowers which are white tinged with pink come during the month of June.

Another variety is Symphoricarpus vulgaris, also known as Coral berry, owing to its coral red berries which remain on the bush well into the winter.