The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-10-06

Oodder a Parasite
Dodder (cuseuta) is not known TO
every one under this name, but when
you mention love vine. most every
body knows what you mean. The
plant has many common names, the
best known of which are love vine,
strangle weed. devils hair. DEVILS
gut, hellbind and few other APP
propriate names. 1t is called love
vine because nothing else clings so
close to its victim. Strangle weed,
because it will literally strangle any
plant it becomes established upoa.
Hellbind. because any plant is doomed
that comes within its grasp. 1t earns
its devil names because like satan. 1t
is great menace, persistent and
hard to get rid of. This plant, like
many people, is a pernicious para
site, literally sponging it's living from
its neighbor, drawing from the host
plant the food assimilated by the
green leaves for its own growth. The
plant makes no leaf growth itself.
because it don't need them, but util-
ICES tho lung power of its victims.
In short. dodder is the vampire of
the vegetable kingdom. The plant
makes seed and they will actually
live in the soil seven or eight years.
When a seed terminates and the
young plant succeeds in attaching it.
self to a host plant, 1t at once dis
engages itself from the soil and lives
wholly as a parasite Never let a
plant make seed and when you buy
clover seed. where it mostly comes
from, demand dodder free seed.
Questions and Answers
@. What is the milk and wine
lily? Mrs. c., Concord, Ga.
A. Crinum fimbriatum or milk and
wine lily, belongs to the amoryllis
family and is one of the handsomest.
The bulb is large, foliage erect and
sword-like. flower large, white, red
striped and very fragrant, 1t is per-
fectly hardy in the south. The bulbs
are available for setting out in De-
cember and January and cost about
35 cents each.
@. Is there white spider lily? I
have several others and would like to
add a white to my collection. Mrs.
N H.
A. There is very desirable white,
commonly called the white Japanese
spider lily and is very fragrant. The
bulbs are generally available about
December and January and usually
cost about so cents each They are
perfectly hardy out doors
O. There is a house plant called
zebra plant that l would like to Sc
cure. Are they much trouble to
care for? Mrs A., Ashland
A. There are several species of
plants. known as zebra plants. The
best one of these is sanseviera
zeylanica and requires less attention
than most any other plant. The
leaves are broad with green back
ground and are beautifully strip I'd
crosswise with broad bands of white.
1t will thrive with but little water
will stand furnace heated houses and
is not injured to any great extent
by dust.
Q. From the description, think
l would like a butterfly bush. Is it
hard to manage or require any special
treatment? What sort of soil is
needed? When do you set out and is
it expensive? Mrs. NJ. E., Tuscaloosa.
A. There is more than one plant
known as butterfly bush. The per-
ennal shrub. buddleia variabilis mag
nifica, is commonly called the ever
blooming butterfly bush and is also
widely known as summer lilac. This
is a fast growing shrub that may be
set out in winter or early spring. The
plant will reach three or four feet
high in season, Is very spreading
and the terminal branches bear
long cluster of lilac colored, flowers.
The plant generally dies down II
winter but comes again, still strong
err, next season and flowers all sum-
mer. Butterflies are fond of It's
bloom and it is altogether a very
desirable plant. easy to grow and not
very particular as to soil. Plants
cost 25 cents and up, depending on
size.
@. What is the California rose ?
Mrs. E., Pell City.
A / don't know of a tree rose SO
named There is plant, 'botanically
known as calystegia salandella, that
belongs to the morning glory family
and whose common or local name is
California rose. 1t is a medicinal
plant used as a laxative. More in