The Amateur's Greenhouse and Conservatory/Chapter 15
CHAPTER XV.
HARD-LEAVED PLANTS.
The plants that claim attention in this chapter have for several years past been rising in popular estimation, but as yet are not sufficiently understood as to their management, or appreciated as to their beauties. Being for the most part quiet in colour and slow in growth, they do not readily obtain a hold on the affections of amateurs, and only such as are amateurs indeed, and influenced by peculiar tastes, will ever become permanently interested in them. Their claims on our attention are many and strong. The more distinctive of them are strikingly tropical in aspect and present us with a majestic and masculine order of beauty. They are long lived, robust habited, and bear ill treatment as patiently as any plants known to cultivation. But ill treatment will not develope their proper characters, and the best treatment is of so simple a nature that it would be a shame anywhere and anyhow if a collection of these noble plants should be allowed to fall into decline through neglect or mismanagement.
The plants we have in view as “hard leaved” are Agaves, Beaucarneas, Dasylirions, Dracænas, Fourcroyas, Hechtias, Palms, and Yuccas. For the cool conservatory there is ample room for selection amongst these plants, but the amateur must be careful not to purchase for the cool house any species that require intermediate or prove temperature, for this mistake may be easily made in the case of palms and dracænas, some of the noblest of which are decidedly tender in constitution. A few notes on the cultivation of the several sections of this group will suffice for all practical purposes.
Agaves are usually classed with succulent plants, but this appears to us to be the proper place for them. The so-called “American aloe,” A. Americana, is the representative of the family, the members of which differ considerably in their pictorial features. The Variegated American agave is a noble conservatory and terrace plant. A. applanata, A. horrrida, A. filifera, A. ensiformis, and A. schidigera are distinct and fine. Agaves are usually starved out of character owing to the prevailing notion that they can live on sunshine alone. Of light indeed they must have plenty, but they must also have a good body of soil to root in, and during the growing season plenty of water. A mixture consisting of turfy loam three parts, and one part each of sharp grit and leaf mould will suit them all, and the drainage must be perfect. If they can be allowed to make the whole of their growth in the open air, say from the first of June to the first of September, they will be the handsomer and healthier for it, but they will do very well under glass all the summer if allowed plenty of light and air. During winter they should be kept quite dry and have enough heat to secure them against frost. If by any accident the leaves are wetted in winter raise the temperature of the house to dry off the moisture, for if it is allowed to lodge for any length of time black spots will result and these will in time become ugly holes. Propagation is easily effected by means of suckers. Young plants must have regular shifts to promote growth, but large specimens may be kept in the same pots or tubs for several years. If pots sufficiently large can be obtained they are to be preferred to tubs, and it will be well to remember that overpotting is no advantage, and the size of the pot, may, as a rule, be determined by its ability to carry the plant without toppling over. Large plants should be repotted every three years at least, and the simplest way to do is to tie the plant carefully and securely and then to cut it through just above the roots and then plant the top with its short stump in a well prepared pot of fresh soil one or two sizes smaller than the pot or tub it was taken out of. If this is done in the early part of June, the plant may be put out of doors in a sunny place, and will make new roots directly and be well established in the new pot long before winter. The next year it may be shifted into a pot one size larger: the next year it need not be shifted and the next it may be shifted again, and it may be cut off as before and potted in a comparatively small pot.
AGAVE SCHIDIGERA.
some cases the flowering results in the death of the plant; in others the plant is so disfigured and weakened by the process as to become worthless.
Beaucarnea.—The species of this genus are superbly picturesque, and invaluable for the temperate winter garden. They make true stems which terminate below in a swollen bulb-like base. They require liberal culture, the soil to be rich fibrous loam and sand, with plenty of water all the summer. They are increased by seeds imported from Mexico, where the plants flower freely. Home-grown seed is unknown, as hitherto the flowering of a Beaucarnea in Europe has been a rare event.
Bonapartea.—This is a fine genus of bromeliaceous plants requiring the same treatment as agaves. B. juncea, on account of its elegant rush-like leaves, is one of the most popular plants of the class in cultivation. It makes a fine ornament for a vase in the open air during summer. B. gracilis is equally valuable, though but little known.
Cycas.—The Cycads combine the gracefulness of the tree fern with the noble aspect of the palm. A considerable proportion of the species succeed in the conservatory with no more warmth than is necessary to keep the ordinary stock of decorative plants in health. They merely require an abundance of light, with protection from frost and cold chilling winds. It is true some of the species will make a more rapid progress when in a temperature rather higher than that at which the conservatory is usually kept; but, on the other hand, it is equally true that reputed stove species are sufficiently hardy to admit of their being placed in the conservatory for the summer season. Further than this, the more hardy kinds are of the utmost value in the embellishment of the garden, C. revoluda, having been employed for several years in the subtropical department of Battersea Park. However, they are too rare to admit of more than a solitary specimen here and there being put out.
Although the annual growth made by the most healthy specimen is exceedingly slow, it must not be considered of little consequence whether they are dealt with in a thoroughly generous manner, or kept simply in a state of semi-starvation. It is, indeed, of the highest importance that they should be dealt with generously, and although the effects of good management will not be so strikingly apparent as in the case of a geranium or fuchsia, or a number of other soft-wooded plants, it will show its effects in time, and the cultivator will receive an ample reward in having specimens of a highly increased value. In this respect they differ from soft wooded plants, insomuch that they steadily increase in value and yield a fair interest on the first outlay. To grow them well it is only necessary to pot them in strong loam and sharp siliceous grit, and give them liberal supplies of water all the summer, and decidedly scanty supplies during winter, but they must not be allowed to become quite dry at any time. They are increased from suckers and imported seeds.
Dasylirion.—These are distinct and noble plants, well adapted to give a fine character to the conservatory in the winter, and a touch of tropical tone to the flower garden in the summer. The compost should be three parts good loam and one part each of peat and sharp sand. Give plenty of water all the summer, and very little all the winter.
Dracæna.—This glorious family furnishes a number of remarkably noble conservatory plants that are nearly hardy; and a still greater number of richly coloured plants that are rather tender. Among the conservatory kinds D. australis, D. cannafolia, D. indivisa, and D. robusta are the hardiest; and, with the exception of those with coloured leaves which require warmth, the handsomest. To grow them well is such an easy matter that it only needs to be said that a compost consisting chiefly of good peat with a little loam will suit them, and that they must have plenty of water when growing. They are propagated in various ways but chiefly by cuttings or by circumposition. The last named process consists in attaching by the aid of a flower pot cut through from top to bottom, a body of soil to the stem of the plant. When roots have been thrown out the stem is cut through and a ready made plant is the result. Soon afterwards the remainder of the stem throws out shoots and forms a bushy plant, every stem of which may in time be circumposed if stock is wanted,
Dyckia.—A spiny leaved race of curious plants that assort well both as to appearance and treatment with agaves. They must however not be kept so dry in winter as agaves. They are increased by suckers. There are not many species in cultivation, and of these D. argentea is the best. It is closely related to Hechtia.
Encephalartos, Macrozamia, and Zamia.—Are to be treated as directed for Cycas, but as they are cooler and dryer plants, care must be taken to provide them with a somewhat stony soil and to guard against giving too much water.
Fourcroya.—Treat the same as Dasylirion, taking care to put the plants out all the summer.
Hechtia.—The plants of this genus closely resemble the
HECHTIA GHIESBREGHTI.
pine-apple, and indeed belong to the same natural order. A warm greenhouse will suit them better than a stove. H. Ghiesbreghti is a fine conservatory plant, with spiny recurved leaves of a rich green colour tipped with purple.
Palms.—Are less cared for by amateurs than they deserve to be, for if prudently selected and favoured with a little commonplace attention they contribute in a material degree to the dignity and variety of the conservatory. The most useful of the family for greenhouse culture are Chamoerops humilis, C. Fortunei, C. palmetto, Areca sapida, Latania Bourbonica, Jubæa spectabilis, Phoenix dactylifera, and Rhapis flabelliformis. Palms are raised from seed and suckers, and stove heat is absolutely essential in either mode of propagating. To secure a nice collection it will be prudent to purchase plants of small size, and as they are remarkably cheap considering how choice they are, every conservatory that is kept safe against frost in winter may have the advantage of their elegant tropical leafage. Palms are generally starved in small gardens, and hence they make but little growth. But if annually shaken out and repotted in a mixture of tough fibrous peat and sharp grit, or fibrous yellow loam and silver sand, they will grow luxuriantly and acquire a splendid brightness of leafage. The best time to repot them is the month of May, and as a rule they may be put into the same pots after some portion of the old soil has been removed from the roots and the pots have been well scrubbed to receive them. Palms enjoy partial shade in summer and plenty of water. In winter the water supply must be moderate but they should never go dust dry. When planted out in turfy peat in a cool fern house the hardier kinds of palms make a charming addition to the elegant leafage that prevails.
Phormium.—The “New Zealand Flax,” P. tenax, is a well known plant which bears our winters without harm, in the milder parts of South Devon and Cornwall, but elsewhere is a cool conservatory plant. There is a variegated variety of it, and another with narrow leaves, called P. Colensoi var., which, with the common green-leaved form, constitute a group of three noble habited and rather peculiar looking plants. They may be well grown in pots, but do much better planted out either in peat or loam provided it is gritty or stony in texture and well drained. They should have plenty of water all the summer, and very little in winter. The easiest way to multiply them is by dividing the stool by a sharp cut downwards, and potting the rooted pieces in small pots in compost consisting chiefly of silver sand.
Xanthorrhæ.—This is the “grass tree” of the Australian bush. They are decidedly ornamental and very peculiar. Grow them in equal parts peat, loam, and bricks broken to the size of walnuts and the sharpest siliceous grit obtainable; give abundance of water in summer and very little indeed all the winter.
Yucca.—The well known Adam’s Needle represents one of the most interesting groups of plants in our gardens, and one which has peculiar claims on the attention of the amateur who can take interest in plants of noble forms while awaiting patiently for their full development. It is no small recommendation of the yuccas that there is very little to be said about their cultivation, for the fact is, it is difficult to kill them and it is a delightfully easy matter to grow them properly. They must have light always, and our sunshine is never too strong for them even in the height of summer, when they should be out of doors. In potting them take particular care to drain the pots well, and let the compost consist of about equal parts of the best turfy loam obtainable, bricks broken to the size of walnuts, and the drift from a gravel road, or lacking that, the finest siftings from the sweepings of gravel walks. Give plenty of water in summer but very little all the winter, taking care that they do not go quite dry. They are all nearly hardy and therefore need but little fire heat. For a beginner the best will be Y. aloifolia, of which there are two forms, the green and the variegated; Y. concava, Y. filamentosa var, and Y. recurva. The last is a hardy plant, but good enough for a place in any conservatory.
Yuccas vary considerably in their frequency of flowering. The cheap and very hardy Y. flaccida and Y. gloriosa bloom early in life and often; while Y. aloifolia, Y. recurva, and Y. plicata are in no haste to flower. Cultivators do not usually repine when they see the stately flower stems rising, because when the flowering of the plant is over, it loses its single stem and unity of character, and throws up a number of crowns. These new growths afford ready means of multiplying the species if removed, and if allowed to continue as parts of the old stock, will in time add to its dignity and massiveness. Therefore the flowering need not be all loss, and as for the flowers themselves, so beautiful are they that, in one respect at least, it is all gain.