L. SEMPERVIRENS.—Scarlet Trumpet Honeysuckle. A North American evergreen species (1656), with scarlet, almost inodorous flowers, produced freely during the summer. For wall covering it is one of the most useful of the family. The variety L. sempervirens minor is worthy of attention.
L. STANDISHII, a Chinese species (1860), has deliciously fragrant while flowers, with a slight purplish tint, and is well worthy of attention, it soon forming a wall covering of great beauty.
L. TATARICA.—-Tartarian Honeysuckle. Tartary, 1752. This is a very variable species, in so far at least as the colour of flowers is concerned, and has given rise to several handsome varieties. The typical plant has rosy flowers, but the variety L. tatarica albiflora has pure white flowers; and another, L. tatarica rubriflora has freely produced purplish-red flowers.
L. XYLOSTEUM (syn Xylosteum dumetorum).—Fly Honeysuckle. Europe (England) to the Caucasus. The small, creamy-white flowers of this plant are not particularly showy, but the scarlet berries are more conspicuous in September and October. The gray bark of the branches has also a distinct effect in winter when grown in contrast to the red-barked species of Cornus, Viburnum, and yellow-barked Osier. It is one of the oldest occupants of British shrubberies. L. Xylosteum leucocarpum has white berries; those of L. Xylosteum melanocarpum are black; and in L. Xylosteum xanthocarpum they are yellow.
The Honeysuckles are all of the readiest culture, and succeed well in very poor soils, and in that of opposite qualities. Propagated from cuttings or by layering.
LOROPETALON.
LOROPETALON CHINENSE.—Khasia Mountains and China, 1880. This is a pretty and interesting shrub belonging to the more familiar Witch Hazel family. Flowers clustered in small heads, the calyx pale green, and the long linear petals almost pure white. Being quite hardy, and interesting as well as ornamental, should insure this Chinese shrub a place in every good collection.
LYCIUM.
LYCIUM BARBARUM.—Box Thorn, or Tea Tree. North Asia, 1696. A pretty lax, trailing shrub, with long, slender, flexible twigs, small linear-lanceolate leaves, and rather sparsely-produced lilac or violet flowers. Planted against a wall, or beside a stout-growing, open-habited shrub, where the peculiarly lithe branches can find support, this plant does best. Probably nowhere is the Box Thorn so much at home as in seaside places, it then attaining to sometimes 12 feet in height, and bearing freely its showy flowers during summer, and the bright scarlet or orange berries in winter.
L. EUROPAEUM.—European Box Thorn. South Europe, 1730. This is a spiny, rambling shrub, that may often be seen clambering over some cottage porch, or used as a fence or wall plant in many parts of England. It often grows nearly 20 feet long, and is then a plant of great beauty, with linear-spathulate leaves of the freshest green, and pretty little pink or reddish flowers. For quickly covering steep, dry banks and mounds where few other plants could exist this European Box Thorn is invaluable. Either species will grow in very poor, dry soil, and is readily propagated by means of cuttings.