Ruscus
RUSCUS ACULEATUS.--Butcher's Broom, Pettigree and Pettigrue. Europe
(Britain), and North Africa. This is a native evergreen shrub, with
rigid cladodes which take the place of leaves, and not very showy
greenish flowers appearing about May. For the bright red berries, which
are as large as small marbles, it is alone worth cultivating, while it
is one of the few shrubs that grow at all satisfactorily beneath the
shade of our larger trees.
R. HYPOPHYLLUM.--Double Tongue. Mediterranean region, 1640. This species
has the flowers on the undersides of the leaf-like branches; and its
variety R.H. Hypoglossum has them on the upper side. Both are of value
for planting in the shade.
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Polygala
POLYGALA CHAMAEBUXUS.--Bastard Box. A neat little shrubby plant, with small ovate, coriaceous leaves, and fragrant yellow and cream flowers. P. chamaebuxus purpureus differs in bearing rich reddish-purple flowers, and is one of the most showy and be... Potentilla
POTENTILLA FRUTICOSA.--Northern Hemisphere (Britain). An indigenous shrub that grows about a yard high, with pinnate leaves and golden flowers. It is a most persistent blooming plant, as often for four months, beginning in June, the flowers are prod... Prunus
PRUNUS AMYGDALUS (_syn Amygdalus communis_).--Common Almond. Barbary, 1548. Whether by a suburban roadside, or even in the heart of the crowded city, the Almond seems quite at home, and is at once one of the loveliest and most welcome of early sprin... Ptelea
PTELEA TRIFOLIATA.--Hop Tree, or Swamp Dogwood. North America, 1704. A small-growing tree, with trifoliolate, yellowish-green leaves placed on long footstalks, and inconspicuous greenish flowers. The leaves, when bruised, emit an odour resembling Ho... Punica
PUNICA GRANATUM.--Pomegranate. For planting against a southern-facing wall this pretty shrub is well suited, but it is not sufficiently hardy for the colder parts of the country. Frequently in the more favoured parts of the country it reaches a heig... Pyrus
PYRUS ARIA.--White Beam Tree. Europe (Britain). A shrub or small-growing tree, with lobed leaves, covered thickly on the under sides with a close, flocculent down. The flowers are small and white, and produced in loose corymbs. It is a handsome smal... Rhamnus
RHAMNUS ALATERNUS.--Mediterranean region, 1629. This is an evergreen shrub, with lanceolate shining leaves of a dark glossy-green colour, and pretty flowers produced from March till June. There are several well-marked varieties, one with golden and ... Rhaphiolepis
RHAPHIOLEPIS JAPONICA INTEGERRIMA (_syn R. ovata_).--A Japanese shrub (1865), with deep green, ovate, leathery leaves that are not over abundant, and produced generally at the branch-tips. The pure white, fragrant flowers are plentifully produced wh... Rhaphithamnus
RHAPHITHAMNUS CYANOCARPUS (_syn Citharexylum cyanocarpum_). Chili. This bears a great resemblance to some of the thorny Berberis, and is at once a distinct and beautiful shrub. The flowers are large and conspicuous, and of a taking bluish-lilac colo... Rhododendron
RHODODENDRON ARBORESCENS (_syn Azalea arborescens_), from the Carolina Mountains (1818), is a very showy, late-blooming species. The white, fragrant flowers, and noble port, together with its undoubted hardihood, should make this shrub a general fav... Rhodothamnus
RHODOTHAMNUS CHAMAECISTUS (_syn Rhododendron Chamaecistus_).--Ground Cistus. Alps of Austria and Bavaria, 1786. A very handsome shrub, of small growth, and widely distributed in Bavaria, Switzerland, and elsewhere. Planted in peaty soil and in a rat... Rhodotypos
RHODOTYPOS KERRIOIDES.--White Kerria. Japan, 1866. A handsome deciduous shrub, and one that is readily propagated, and comparatively cheap. It is distinct and pretty when in flower, and one of the hardiest and most accommodating of shrubs. The leave... Rhus
RHUS COTINUS.--Smoke Plant, Wig Tree, or Venetian Sumach. Spain to Caucasus, 1656. On account of its singular appearance this shrub always attracts the attention of even the most unobservant in such matters. It is a spreading shrub, about 6 feet hig... Ribes
RIBES ALPINUM PUMILUM AUREUM.--Golden Mountain Currant. The ordinary green form is a native of Britain, of which the plant named above is a dwarf golden-leaved variety. R. AUREUM.--Buffalo Currant. North-west America, 1812. In this species the le... Robinia
ROBINIA DUBIA (_syns R. echiuata_ and _R. ambigua_).--A very pretty garden hybrid form, said to have for its parentage R. Pseud-Acacia and R. viscosa. It is of quite tree-like growth and habit, with unusually short spines, and Pea-green foliage. The... Rosa
ROSA ALBA.--This is a supposed garden hybrid between R. canina and R. gallica (1597). It has very glaucous foliage, and large flowers, which vary according to the variety from pure white to rose. R. REPENS (_syn R. arvensis_).--Field Rose. Europe ... Rosmarinus
ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS.--Common Rosemary. Mediterranean region, 1848. A familiar garden shrub, of dense growth, with dusky-gray green linear leaves, and pale blue or white flowers. There is a golden and a silver leaved variety, named respectively R.... Rubus
RUBUS ARCTICUS.--Arctic Regions of both hemispheres. An interesting species about 6 inches high, with trifoliolate leaves, and deep-red flowers. For Alpine gardening it is a valuable species of dwarf growth. R. AUSTRALIS, from New Zealand, is a ve... Ruscus
RUSCUS ACULEATUS.--Butcher's Broom, Pettigree and Pettigrue. Europe (Britain), and North Africa. This is a native evergreen shrub, with rigid cladodes which take the place of leaves, and not very showy greenish flowers appearing about May. For the b... Sambucus
SAMBUCUS CALIFORNICA.--Californian Elder. A rare species as yet, but one that from its elegant growth and duration of flowers is sure, when better known, to become widely distributed. S. GLAUCA has its herbaceous parts covered with a thick pubesce... Schizandra
SCHIZANDRA CHINENSIS.--Northern China, 1860. This is a climbing shrub, with oval, bright green leaves, and showy carmine flowers. For clothing arbors and walls it may prove of use, but it is as yet rare in cultivation. S. COCCINEA, from North Ame... Schizophragma
SCHIZOPHRAGMA HYDRANGEOIDES.--Climbing Hydrangea. Japan, 1879. As yet this is an uncommon shrub, and allied to the Hydrangea. It is of slender growth, the stems rooting into the support, and with pinky-white flowers. As an ornamental climber it is o... Shepherdia
SHEPHERDIA ARGENTEA.--Beef Suet Tree, or Rabbit Berry. North America, 1820. This shrub is rendered of particular interest on account of the intense silvery hue of the foliage. The leaves are narrow and lanceolate, silvery on both sides, and dotted o... Skimmia
SKIMMIA FORTUNEI.--Japan, 1845. This is a neat-growing shrub, with glossy, laurel-like leaves, white or greenish-white flowers, and an abundance of scarlet berries in autumn. It succeeds best in a somewhat shady situation, and when planted in not to... Smilax
SMILAX ASPERA.--The Prickly Ivy. South Europe, 1648. A trailing-habited shrub, with prickly stems, ovate, spiny-toothed, evergreen leaves, and rather unattractive flowers. There are other hardy species from North America, including S. Bona-nox (bett... Solanum
SOLANUM CRISPUM.--Potato-tree. A native of Chili, 1824, and not very hardy, except in the coast regions of England and Ireland. It grows stout and bushy, often in favoured places rising to the height of 12 feet, and has large clusters of purple-blue... Sophora
SOPHORA JAPONICA (_syn Styphnolobium japonicum_).--Chinese or Japanese Pagoda-tree. China and Japan, 1763. A large deciduous tree, with elegant pinnate foliage, and clusters of greenish-white flowers produced in September. Leaves dark-green, and com... Spartium
SPARTIUM JUNCEUM (_syn S. acutifolium_).--Spanish, or Rush Broom. Mediterranean region and Canary Isles, 1548. This resembles our common Broom, but the slender Rush-like branches are not angular, and usually destitute of leaves. The fragrant yellow ... Spiraea
SPIRAEA BELLA.--Pretty-flowered Spiraea. Himalayas, 1820. The reddish stems of this rather tall-growing species are of interest, and render the plant distinct. Leaves ovate, acute, and serrated, and tomentose beneath. Flowers in spreading corymbs of... Staphylea
STAPHYLEA COLCHICA.--Colchican Bladder Nut. Caucasus. This is a very distinct shrub, about 6 feet high, with large clusters of showy white flowers. Being quite hardy, and very ornamental, this species is worthy the attention of planters. S. PINNA... Stauntonia
STAUNTONIA HEXAPHYLLA.--China and Japan, 1876. This evergreen twining shrub is not to be generally recommended, it requiring wall protection even in southern England. The leaves are deep green and pinnate, while the greenish-white flowers are fragra... Stuartia
STUARTIA PENTAGYNA (_syn Malachodendron ovatum_).--North America, 1785. This differs only from the S. virginica in having five distinct styles, hence the name. Under very favourable circumstances this is the taller growing species, and the leaves an... Styrax
STYRAX AMERICANA and S. PULVERULENTA are not commonly cultivated, being far less showy than the Japanese species. They bear white flowers. S. OFFICINALIS.--Storax. Levant, 1597. This is a small deciduous shrub, with ovate leaves, and short racemes... Symphoricarpus
SYMPHORICARPUS OCCIDENTALIS.--Wolf Berry. North America. This species has larger and more freely-produced flowers, and smaller fruit than the commonly-cultivated plant. S. RACEMOSUS (_syn Symphoria racemosus_).--Snowberry. North America, 1817. On... Symplocos
SYMPLOCOS JAPONICA (_syn S. lucida_).--A small growing and not very desirable species from Japan (1850). S. TINCTORIA.--Sweet-leaf, or Horse Sugar. South United States, 1780. This is a small-growing shrub, with clusters of fragrant yellow flowers,... Syringa
SYRINGA CHINENSIS (_syns. S. dubia_ and _S. rothomagensis_).--Rouen, or Chinese Lilac. A plant of small growth, with narrow leaves, and reddish-violet flowers. It is said to have been raised by M. Varin, of the Botanic Garden, Rouen, as a hybrid bet...