Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-10-13

Autumn in the Arboretum


After the hydrangeas, which sti
glow and purple with a deeper rose as
the autumn advances, the most strik
ing Towering plant of shrubbery APP
peardnce now is one of the pea fam
ily akin to our native bush clovers-
botanically, respedeza sieboldi, writes
F. S. F. in the Boston Transcript. 1t
stands in the western end of the "or-
der and is mass Of warm purple at
this moment, conspicuous object
from all parts of the shrub collection
There are two of these lespedezas,
hailing from northern China and ia,
pan: l.. bicolor which blooms in July
and bears now its ripened seeds, ana
the first named, which is now in full
bloom. Both are striking and distin
guished plants not only in their flow
ering periods but all through the sea-
son by reason of their attractive foil
age and the soft flowing lines pro
duced by their habit of growth.
The late towering one exceis per,
haps by its somewhat larger and finer
flowers and its more pointed LEAKAGE.
h'c' pants Wei Z lulIOuuCGu 10
European gardens by Russian first and
later by Dutch bOtanists, both about
the middle of the nineteenth century,
but some confusion arose about their
names, and nurserymen have sadly
failed to correct the abuse, plants or
fered under the label of desmodium
pendulifolum generally proving to be
one or the other of these two lespede-
zas.
Sieboldi also has been taken for a
variety of bicolor; it is quite distinct.
however, and, moreover, is really. an
herbaceous plant dying down to the
crown annually, while bicolor is a true
shrub, persisting through the winters
In the great gardens at Kew Eng
land, where this late towering plant
has long been cultivated, it is grown
in large exposed beds in the lawns,
and forms a fine mass dozen feet III
diameter and four in height, which in
September covers itself with rosy pur-
pie bloom, a splendid sight
The arboretum specimen in the
order" is not as large yet, but is
handsome plant in its present opu-
lence Of bloom. It's earlier cousin, L.
biColor, may be seen, full of seeds
now. near by
The southern Towering tree gor
donna altamaha, which produces its
bloom at such a late hour of the floUl
year, is already displaying a goodly
number of large, beautiful camel'a like
flowers. and should hard frosts hold
off, will continue to do so for an indie
finite period-it is full of little round
white buds in all stages
This is one of the most delightfully."-
interesting of all American trees, for
certain air OF mystery hangs abort
its origin and present status; it is not
widely known, and indeed is rarely
seen in collections other than public
ones of Importance.
Though native, it has the singular.
ity of being now found in gardens
only. 1t was first discovered in the
state of Georgia. where, we are told,
lit was last seen growing in its only
known station over hundred years
ago"
Unless it has been recently redis-
covered, of which there has been hope,
but as to which the writer is not in
formed, il can now be found only n
places like the great parks of Philadel-
phia, washington, etc, the Arnold ar
boretum and a few private collections.
Though it appears to be hardy in
Philadelphia, it is not so in the arbor
tum, requiring some winter cover, but
it is thought, in very sheltered ana