Amelanchier


AMELANCHIER ALNIFOLIA.--Dwarf June Berry. N.W. America, 1888. This

is a shrub of great beauty, growing about 8 feet high, and a native of

the mountains from British America to California. This differs from A.

canadensis in having much larger and more brilliant-tinted fruit, and

in its shorter and more compact flower racemes. The shape of the

leaves cannot be depended on as a point of recognition, those before

me, colle
ted in the native habitat of the plant, differing to a wide

extent in size and shape, some being coarsely serrated while others

are almost entire.



A. CANADENSIS.--June Berry. Canada, 1746. Unquestionably this is one

of the most beautiful and showy of early flowering trees. During the

month of April the profusion of snow-white flowers, with which even

young specimens are mantled, render the plant conspicuous for a long

way off, while in autumn the golden yellow of the dying-off foliage is

quite as remarkable. Being perfectly hardy, of free growth, and with

no particular desire for certain classes of soils, the June Berry

should be widely planted for ornamental effect. In this country it

attains to a height of 40 feet, and bears globose crimson fruit. There

are several varieties, including A. canadensis rotundifolia, A.

canadensis oblongifolia, and A. canadensis oligocarpa, the latter

being by some botanists ranked as a species.



A. VULGARIS.--Common Amelanchier. South of Europe, 1596. This is the

only European species, and grows about 16 feet in height. It has been

in cultivation in this country for nearly 300 years. Generally this

species flowers earlier than the American ones, has rounder and less

deeply serrated leaves, but the flowers are much alike. A. vulgaris

cretica, from Crete and Dalmatia, is readily distinguished by the soft

white hairs with which the under sides of the leaves are thickly

covered. To successfully cultivate the Amelanchiers a good rich soil

is a necessity, while shelter from cutting winds must be afforded if

the sheets of flowers are to be seen in their best form.



More

;