Evening star., 1941-08-30

LIE hoTean Splred IS. trlChO-
carpa) also resembles the vanhouttei
with its graceful dropping branches
and the clusters of flowers. 1t too
is useful in paintings to prolong
the spring-flowering season as it
flowers after vanhouttei. Although
1t is not so tall to feet-it is
useful both as a foundation plant
ing and as specimen.
Ihe only suggestion for the use
OF spirea vanhouttei that wish
to make is that where space permits
1t is fine hedge plant OF course.
1t cannot be used for this purpose
on a small lot since it is so spread
ing in habit of growth, but where
there is space such a hedge makes
a fine showing.
or the dwarf types of spireas
there are four. I like albiflora be-
cause its main spikes of bloom are
surrounded by many smaller ones
and thus 1t makes quite distinct
showing in the border The jap
anese spirea Is. japonica), Bumalda
IS. bumalda) and its varieties,
Anthony Waterer and Froebels
splrea are low-growing and flower
more or less throughout the sum-
mer. Anthony Waterer is fairly
widely planted. 1t is rosy-crimson
in color and the flat-topped clusters
are freely produced where cultural
conditions are at all favorable
Frobels spirea is bit taller than
Anthony Waterer and in some re-
spects is more desirable. 1t blooms
earlier and the new growth hides
the old seed heads better. Both
Froebel's and Anthony Waterer are
more desirable than Bumalda, the
parent Each has some desirable
characteristic Bumalda has pink
flowers. whereas the other two are
rosy-crimson. This may be a sur
prise to some who think that all
spireas are white. -......
Another dwarf, but with white
flowers, is S. albiflora. 1t makes a
pronounced showing because of the
numerous fuzzy white spikes of
flowers. 1t has an upright habit
of growth that is not liked by some,
although growing to 3 feet high
this can hardly be criticized.
OF slightly taller growth than
albifora, S. Japonica with it's white,
fiat-topped clusters of fuzzy flowers
makes splendid showing. In many
foundation paintings it is more de-
sirable than the taller growing
vanhouttei.
Margarita is about the same
height. but has rose-pink flowers
in the summer 1t resembles
japonica in many ways, especially
the pink -flowered form.
Billiards. spirea is not as widely
grown as it should be- There are
many foundation paintings that
could use this upright, rosy-pink
fowered summer bloomer to good
advantage since it does not have
the spread of vanhouttei. The
color of the flowers is much better
than Anthony Waterer and it sell
dom has the streaked foliage. Be-
cause of its upright growth, how
ever, it is not so useful as a speci-
men plant, although large 5 to 6
foot clump is very attractive.
The bareback Spirea rs. tOmen-
tosa) resembles Billardi in some
ways. The flower spikes have the
same form although those of the
bareback are pinkish-purple and
the foliage is not quite so attrac-
tive. The hardhack, native, grows
about 4 feet high with bloom in
midsummer.
The willowleaf spirea IS. salici-
folia) with its slender leaves has
the appearance of the Thunberg
rather than Billiards spirea, al
though the habit of flower and sea-
son of bloom resemble the latter
I doubt if it should be used in place
of Billardi except where a lower
growth is needed. 1t seldom grows
over feet.
Spirea alba and S. veitchi have
not shown much promise as yet in
my garden. They are tall growing
and should be useful In the plant
ings. Alba has somewhat the same
growth and Towering habits as
Billardi's with plunly, fuzzy white
flowers in midsummer. An upright
5 to 6 foot summer Towering spirea
should be useful. Veitch's spirea
grows even taller, 9 to 10 feet. has
fat-topped panicles of white fiow-
ers in early summer.
To summarize:
Dwarf, Under 4 Feet.
Bumalda, var. Anthony Waterer,
var. Froebeli.
japanese.
Albifora.
Spireas, 4 to 6 Feet.
Margarita.
Bridalwreath.
Thunbergi.
Billardi.
Hardhack
Willowleaf.
Spireas, 6 Feet or Taller.
Korean.
Vanhouttei.
Veitch.
Meadow IS. alba).
Season of Bloom.
Thunbergi, April
Bridalwreath, AprilMay.
Garland, April-May.
Reeves, May.
Vanhouttei, May.
Korean, May.
Japanese, May-June.
Bumalda, June.
Anthony Waterer, June-Septem-
ber.
Froebel's, June-September.
Meadow, June-August.
Billaroi, June-September.
Veitch, June-July.
Willowleaf, June-July.
Margarita, July-september.