1875, Berry-Bearing Plants, Iris foetidissima

The Garden p517, Dec 18, 1875

BERRY-BEARING PLANTS.

Ornamental-fruited plants in pots are useful, either for the decoration o£ the conservatory or sitting-room, or for supplying variety in the drawing-room vases. During the dull winter months they are of more than ordinary value, as the bright-ness of their scarlet, yellow, or purple fruits forms an agreeable contrast to the colours of Chrysanthemums, Salvias, Cyclamens, Primulas, Ericas, and other winter flowers.

Scarcely any object is more attractive than healthy Aucubas, covered with glowing scarlet berries, and these are easily to be had on warm soils in sheltered positions. The large Aucubas in the Botanic Gardens, Regent's Park, fruit freely every year, flowering male plants in pots being placed in the centre of the female bushes, just when the plants are in flower, or a day or two before. Some plants, of which the common Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus) may be cited as an example, bear inconspicuous flowers, hardly perceptible to the naked eye ; but their fruits render them as ornamental as the generality of floweringplants. One of the prettiest of these (and one which is now becoming extremely popular for winter decoration) is the scarlet-berried Gladwin (Iris foetidissima), a plant that grows and fruits well in any warm border or wood in the south of England. Some of the Peonies, again, bear great brown woolly capsules, which, after their showy flowers are past, burst open and reveal their shining black and scarlet berrylike seeds; these are even more ornamental than those of the Gladwin. The golden-fruited Bromeliad (Bromolia sceptrum) is one of the most striking of all stove

Tne Gladwin {Iris fictidissima) in fruit.

or warm greenhouse plants that bear ornamental fruit, not even excepting the more prolific of the Granadillas (Passion-flowers), many of which bear very ornamental egg-shaped fruits of a bright golden-yellow or rich purple colour. Bromelias are easily grown, and, like succulents, they require but little attention beyond occasional watering and syringing during hot weather. Any compost seems to suit them; but a good sandy loam with a well-drained bottom is best. The golden-fruited species has long spiuose leaves, and bears an erect spike of flowers, which are not particularly ornamental ; but they are succeeded by a cluster of golden-yellow fruits, each as large as a pigeon's egg. Collectively, these are very ornamental; and, if kept dry, they will last for several months in perfection. The crimson-fruited Carex (C. baccans) is another plant which produces fruit of an interesting kind. It is a robust-growing Himalayan species, well adapted for pot culture, or for planting out in conservatories. It has gracefully recurved Grass-like leaves, from 18 inches to 2 feet in length, and about half an inch in width. The most ornamental part of the plant, however, is its clustered spikes of deep vermilion or crimson-tinted fruits, which contrast well with the bright green leafy bracts by which they are supported, each little fruit shining as if varnished. When seen on the plant, these clusters are very pretty, and they last for months in perfection; they are also well adapted for cutting and niixuig with choice flowers and Ferns. The plant grows well in a pot in fresh sandy loam, if well-drained ; it requires a regular and copious supply of water when growing, and should never be allowed to become thoroughly dry at the root. The illustration, which appeared in The Garden (see p. 279, Vol. V.) gives an excellent idea of the habit of the plant ; it was taken from one which fruited during the previous winter in the Palm-house at Kew. The cluster of fruit represented is, however, little more than half the size which it attains under good cultivation. The plant is easily propagated, either by means of division or seed, and is well deserving of general cultivation. .........

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-- BobPries - 2014-09-26