If ERNEST H. WILSON, the Arnold Arboretum’s famous plant hunter, were alive today he would be about 140 years old. In the 80+ years which have elapsed since the date of his untimely death, he would have seen scores of the plants introduced by him from China and neighboring countries finding their way rapidly into the gardens of America and many other lands.
He would have watched the regal lily, which cost him a broken leg, become the most widely-grown lily now in cultivation. He would have been pleased with the wide use of his Chinese rhododendrons in England, where they seem more at home than on this side of the water, although doubtless some of them are to be found in and around Vancouver.
In his travels through Europe and in our own Southland, he would have seen the evergreen honeysuckle, Lonicera nitida, from western China, used as a hedge plant. Grown as a specimen, it produces blue-purple transparent fruit, but it is not reliably hardy north of Philadelphia.
Changes in Taiwania (Formosa)
A visit to Australia would have shown the primrose jasmine, Jasminum mesnyi, to be widely cultivated there. It makes a 4-foot bush and carries semi-double yellow flowers, but it is hardy only in warm sections.
Tremendous changes have come to “Formosa” since Wilson went there in search of the tree known as the taiwania, the eastern counterpart of the sequoias of California. Then it was an island of people who had been headhunters and whose trophies were not hard to find.
There was a journey of high adventure before the taiwanias were reached, but several young trees were brought to America, and specimens are now found in the country’s Southern and Western parts. Unfortunately, the taiwania is not hardy in the North.
That is also almost true of the dove tree, although a specimen in the Arnold Arboretum occasionally blooms, as does one in Newport, Rhode Island. This is the tree that was the object of Wilson’s first trip to China, and in warmer spots, its huge white bracts, waving lazily in the breeze, make an unusually dramatic picture.
Two Great Arboretums
Wilson’s woody plant introductions may be advantageous in two places in this country. One is, naturally, the Arnold Arboretum. The other is the Morton Arboretum at Lisle, Illinois, which issues a pamphlet guide, listing almost 30 of Wilson’s trees or shrubs with a description and telling where each may be found in the Arboretum’s very extensive grounds.
Kolkwitzia Amabilis “The Beauty Bush”
Doubtless, no two persons would agree on an evaluation of Wilson’s material. Still, it is a good guess that the Beauty bush, Kolkwitzia amabilis, is planted in amateur gardens more often than any of his other shrubs.
Wilson himself wrote, “This is a Chinaman of surpassing merit.” Its flowers resemble the weigelas, but the bush grows taller. It needs regular pruning to keep it from becoming leggy, but as Wilson also wrote, “about mid-June, it is transformed into a fountain of the purest pink.”
Not every garden has a place for the tea crab, Malus hupehensis, but it is one of the best of the crab apples, particularly because of its habit of growth, although its white or blush flowers are very attractive. Wilson was very fond of this crab and often recommended it.
Two Large-Scale Plants
Among the Wilson shrubs in my garden, Neillia Sinensis has an especially prominent place. It grows to 6′ feet and carries pink tubular flowers in nodding racemes in May or June. Since it grows lushly, it must be cut out often, but it has a way of throwing up shoots that may be dug and transplanted.
Sorbaria Arborea, sometimes called the tree-spiraea, is an impressive shrub bearing immense white flower heads in great profusion, but it grows 20′ feet high and has an equal width.
It is much too big for my small place, and I have just been forced reluctantly to remove a magnificent specimen. Planted at a distance on a large estate, it is superb.
June-Blooming Dogwood
Only an expert can distinguish between Cornus kousa from Japan and C. kousa Chinensis from China, but the latter is the harder and is, I think, what I have.
It is a very handsome tree concerning form, and (as the Morton Arboretum Guide says) its exotic beauty in June is overwhelming.
The fact that the blooms come as late as June means that they are not likely to be damaged by late frosts. However, my tree produces flowers abundantly only every other year. For all that, it is one of my most ornamental plants.
Useful Cotoneasters
Wilson brought several cotoneasters from China, and landscape architects have found them useful. They are somewhat difficult to move, and some are not hardy in the North, but I have seen a colorful effect created with the red-fruited kinds like C. divaricata and C. hupehensis.
Most of the members of this group have inconspicuous flowers, but C. multiflora calocarpa is an exception, having attractive blossoms and highly-colored fruit. C. racentiflora soongorica is one of the hardiest of the tribe and is unique because of its gray-green foliage.
Wilson thought especially well of this shrub and liked C. salicifolia floccosa, which is almost evergreen in the South.
Most cotoneasters are spreading in habit, indicating they need plenty of room. Unfortunately, their names are so difficult for amateurs to cope with.
The Korean Boxwood
The Korean little-leaf boxwood, Elam macrophilia koreana, has found some favor in the North as a substitute for the common boxwood.
The color is not as rich as that of the Southern box, and it may brown somewhat in Winter, but it is adaptable, grows easily, and has a compact habit.
It usually grows 2′ to 3′ feet tall, but larger plants have been reported. Wilson found this plant in Korea in 1919, but its propagation was slow.
The late honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii podocarpa, is a conspicuous shrub in the Fall, for its bright red fruit and dark green leaves often remain until Thanksgiving Day, even in Massachusetts.
In early June, the plant has white flowers, sometimes tinged with yellow, but its chief value lies in its Autumn display. It grows from 8′ to 12′ feet high and thus needs ample.
Lesser Known Wilsoniana
Wilson introduced many species of roses but had a special liking for Moyes’ Rose, Rosa moyesii, from the Tibetan border of China and was named for a missionary.
It is prized for its blood-red flowers, which set off its golden stamens. Unless trimmed, it will grow 8′ or 10′ feet tall. The late Dr. Van Fleet used it freely in his hybridizing work.
Although the Korean bridal wreath, Spiraea trichocarpa, was slowly gaining recognition, having been discovered in 1902, it has now been widely distributed.
It is very hardy and not too tall, growing about 6′ feet, but it is almost as thick. It has white flowers on arching branches in June.
Most lilac collections now have the nodding lilac, Syringa reflexa, but it is grown as a novelty rather than a thing of beauty. The remarkable fact about it is that the flower clusters are pendant or drooping instead of upright. It serves a useful purpose in hybridizing work.
Two Unusual Viburnums
When writing about the Leather-leaf viburnum, which has the difficult botanical name of I viburnum rhytidophyllum, Wilson said, “Apart from the beauty of its flowers and fruit, the strikingly handsome foliage of this plant is sufficient to award it a place in any collection of shrubs.”
In the deep South, it is evergreen. Many nurseries list it. According to Wilson, what is called the tea viburnum gets its name from the fact that the natives of ‘Western China use it for making sweet tea. Formerly listed botanically as V. theiferum, it is now V. setigerum. It is unique because of its orange-colored fruits.
Noteworthy Kururne Azaleas
Doubtless, the Kurume azaleas will always be considered Wilson’s most noteworthy introductions from Japan. Although greenhouse subjects in the North, their great beauty has made them popular, and as exhibited by John S. Ames, who was the first to grow them, they have long been an outstanding feature of the great Spring flower show in Boston.
Wilson’s Perennials
Although less attention has been given to Wilson’s perennials than to his trees and shrubs, some are excellent subjects and have been widely disseminated.
The violet monkshood, Aconitum wilsonii, is an impressive plant growing 7′ feet high, with large, deep blue flowers in September. It is easily raised from seed but requires strong soil.
Anemone hupehensis is like a low-growing A. japonica, but blooms earlier. Artemisia lactiflora, now common in gardens, has creamy-white, fragrant flower heads in August.
Ligularia veitchiana is an excellent garden subject, easily raised from seed, but is less easy to locate in nurseries than L. clivorum, which cuttings or divisions propagate.
Pages could be written about Wilson’s lilies and the part they have played in the creation of new and charming hybrids and about the valuable trees which he was instrumental in getting established in this country.
This great plant hunter penned several books about his introductions as lie knew them a quarter of a century ago. How easily could he have written another about them as they exist today.
44659 by Edward I. Farrington