Vesicaria Græca.
Nat. Ord. Cruciferæ.
This beautiful, diminutive, hardy evergreen shrub comes to us from Switzerland, being an alpine species (see Fig. 109).
Fig. 109. Vesicaria Græca.
(One-third natural size; 1, full size.)
When in flower it does not exceed the height of 6in. or 8in., at which time it is very showy, covered, as it is, with flowers of the brightest golden yellow, surpassing the golden alyssum, which in some respects it resembles, being half woody, possessing greyish leaves, and dense heads of flowers, which, however, are arranged in small corymbs, and being also much larger. The leaves of the flower stalks resemble lavender leaves in general appearance; those of the unproductive stems are larger, and arranged sparingly in rigid rosette form, such unproductive stems being few.
The neat and erect habit of the plant renders it most suitable for rockwork or edgings, and otherwise, from its long continued flowering, which will exceed a month in moderate weather, it is one of the most useful spring flowers; whilst, for cutting purposes, it cannot but rank with the more choice, as, combined with extra brightness of colour, it exhales a rich hawthorn perfume. To all who have a garden, big or little, I would say, grow this sweet little shrub. It has never failed to do well with me in any situation that was fully exposed; it flowers freely in a light dry bed, but on rockwork it is most at home. The quickest way to prepare plants of flowering strength is to divide strong pieces; but this interferes with the larger specimens, which are by far the best forms in which to grow and retain it. Another mode is to cut off all the flowers nearly down to the old wood; side shoots will thus be induced to grow earlier than otherwise, so that in late summer they may be taken off as slips, and there will still be plenty of time to strike them like wallflower slips, and get plenty of roots to them before the cold weather sets in. The plant also produces seed freely in its inflated pods, which affords another, but more tedious, way of increasing it.
Flowering period, April to June.