BULB (bulb). A bulb is a thick, fleshy bud that usually grows underground. In many plants, such as the tiger lily, it grows above ground, in the spot where the leaves branch from the plant stem. Bulbs are of two types: the scaly and the tunicate. The scary type bulb as in most lilies is made up of a short central core inside of thick, fleshy, scale like leaves. The tunicate bulb, such as the onion, has fleshy leaf bases in smooth and continuous layers. If an onion is cut in half, the inside looks like thickened bands or circles of tissue. Roots generally grow from the base of the bulb. The bulb serves as a storage place with enough food and water to supply the plant during winter or a dry period.

The bulb is also a storehouse for new stems, leaves and flowers, after the plant first flowers. In fact, the bulb has in it a new stem and often the beginnings of flowers and leaves as well. These are protected within the bulb by the bulb scales. These scales or leaves are a food storehouse for the plant. The food stored in the bulbs during one season is used for the beginning of the growth of the stem, leaves and flowers during the next season. A number of different kinds of bulbs such as the onion are used for food. Some other examples of the bulb are the lily bulbs, the tulip bulbs, and the hyacinth.

Bugbane is a tall, perennial plant with large, broad leaves divided into many leaflets. It has clusters of small white flowers. Bugbanes live throughout the north temperate regions of the earth. The name originally referred to a kind of bugbane that grows in Asia and eastern Europe. It has an unpleasant odor, and people thought it would keep bed bugs away.

Scientific classification. Bugbane belongs to the crowfoot family, Ranunculaceae. It makes up the genus Cimicifuga. The bugbane is a tall plant with large, broad leaves. This perennial plant grows clusters of small white flowers.

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ARTICHOKE. Artichokes are vegetables that have a very delicate flavor. There are three different kinds of artichokes: the globe, the Jerusalem, and the Chinese or Japanese. The globe and the Jerusalem artichokes are members of the Composite family like the aster, daisy, and sunflower.

The globe artichoke is also called the French or bur artichoke. A native of the Mediterranean region, today it is grown chiefly in the United States and Europe. California produces most of the United State crop, but some are grown in the southern states.

The plants are gray-green and look like this-das. They have long prickly leaves large clusters of white or lavender flowers. The plant parts that are eaten are the tender base of the flower bud (often three to four inches in diameter) and the thick, soft parts of the leaves around the bud. These parts are cut while the buds are still tightly closed.

They are sold fresh or canned, and are eaten boiled, baked, fried, stuffed, or in salads or soups.

New plants usually are grown from sprouts or shoots from older ones. Plants may live for many years, but those raised for sale usually are replanted every three or four years.

The Jerusalem artichoke may grow 12 feet tall, and has yellow, sunflower like blossoms. It grows wild in eastern and central North America. Sometimes it is a troublesome weed because it reproduces from seed and from many small, underground, potato like tubers. The tubers are eaten raw or prepared like potatoes. In France the plant also is used as feed for stock.

The Chinese or Japanese artichoke, a member of the Mint family, comes from eastern Asia. Its tubers may be eaten, but it is not an important crop in the United States.

ARBUTUS. Indian legend tells a pretty story about that loveliest of spring flowers, the trailing arbutus. Each year when the winter spirit, Peboan, fell asleep, his discarded furs turned to icy leaves. Coming across these one spring day, Segun, the summer spirit put them in her hair. Immediately they came to life. Then Segun planted them in the earth and breathed upon them. At the touch of her warm breath, flowers appeared, flushed pink, and gave out a spicy perfume. “When the children find these,” she said, “they will know that Segun has been here, and that Peboan has gone away.” In one of his poems, John Greenleaf Whittier also tells us that the dainty arbutus was the earliest flower to greet the Pilgrims after their first fearful winter at Plymouth. They called it the Mayflower, and as the state flower of Massachusetts, it is still known by that name.

Although the name arbutus is given to several evergreen plants, all belonging to the heath family and ranging in size from the tiniest plant to a tall tree, the most common species is the trailing arbutus. Its fragrant clusters of waxy white blossoms, often tinged with pink, make it one of North America’s most attractive wild flowers. The tough, heart-shaped leaves and the hairy brown stems contrast strikingly with the dainty blossoms. The arbutus is becoming scarcer each year because thoughtless pickers uproot the plant in their attempt to gather long stems with the blossoms. Growing throughout the eastern and Middle Western United States, as far south as Florida, and even in Canada, the arbutus grows best in sandy or rocky soils, especially in pine woods, where it creeps along the ground, almost hidden beneath dry needles and leaves.

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MORNING GLORY is any of several flowering vines of the Convolvulaceae family. This family includes hundreds of species found in all the warmer parts of the world. Among them are the sweet potato, bindweed, and moonflower. Some are showy vines, and others are troublesome weeds. The common morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea) is the showy flowering vine that is widely grown in the temperate regions of North America. It is an annual, but certain other species are perennials.

All morning glories thrive in hot weather. The leaves are usually heart shaped and light green. The blossoms are spreading and funnel shaped. They may be white or light pink. The unproved varieties also have large blue, red, purple, or striped blossoms. One species, I. pandurata, has large, white blossoms that open in the evening. The blossoms of most of the others open in the morning and close about the middle of the afternoon.

Morning glories are easily cultivated in good soil. They are popular as coverings on fences and trellises. The tip of the plant slowly revolves around in a circle until it touches some object. Then it coils around it and starts to climb. Morning glories need brush, fences, string, or other vines to climb on.

Moonflower is an attractive flower in the morning glory family. It is a climbing vine that may grow 10 feet (3 meters) high. It’s broad, heart shaped leaves block sunlight and make an excellent screen for porches. The moonflower’s pure white trumpet shaped flowers may be 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) across. These strongly scented flowers open at night and close in sunlight. The moonflower grows quickly. The parts of the plant aboveground die every year, but the roots remain alive. New parts grow from the roots each year. The moonflower is an attractive climbing vine. The plant has broad, heart-shaped (eaves and white trumpet-shaped flowers. Its large leaves make it a good sunscreen for porches. Scientific classification. The moonflower is a member of the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its scientific name is Ipomoea alba.

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　　HONEYSUCKLE . The name honeysuckle is sometimes given to the columbine and to several species of azalea. It should correctly be given only to the members of the honeysuckle family. This is a group of more than 150 species of sturdy shrubs and climbing plants which grow wild or in gardens throughout the Northern Hemisphere. All the species have dark rounded leaves and funnel shaped, often sweet-scented, flowers, which are followed by brilliant crimson or orange berries. In North America there are some 25 species, including the evergreen trumpet honeysuckle, which bears flowers that are scarlet outside and orange inside. Most cultivated honeysuckles, however, have been introduced from other countries. They may spread from cultivated gardens to the fields and woods. Among these are the Tartarian honeysuckle, a large Asiatic shrub which bears its rosy-white flowers in early spring; the honeysuckle has funnel-shaped, sweet scented flowers.

European woodbine honeysuckle, the flowers of which are yellowish white inside and red or purple without; the Japanese honeysuckle, which opens its flowers in the evening; and the bushy fly honeysuckle, the branches of which are used in Europe, its native home, as pipe-stems and walking sticks.

　　HOLLYHOCK is a favorite garden flower throughout the United States and many other countries. It is native to China, but has been grown in other places for hundreds of years. The hollyhock belongs to the Mallow family. Among its relatives are marshmallow, cotton, and okra.

The stately flowering stalks grow from five to nine feet tall. The large showy flowers are three or more inches across. They are white or shades of maroon, red, pink, yellow, or salmon. They may be single or double, with plain or frilled petals. The flowers bloom from June to late summer and last three or four days. When the fruit is ripe, it breaks into many parts, each with one seed. Hollyhocks are mainly biennials. They are grown from seed usually planted in July or early August for bloom the next year. There is an annual hollyhock that blooms during its first summer if it is started early indoors. Some hollyhocks are short-lived perennials.

Hollyhocks need rich, well-drained soil, and grow best in sunny places. They often grow from self sown seeds, but flowers from such plants may be a different color from those of the parent.

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GERANIUM is a plant of the family Geraniaceae. There are more than 300 species that are grouped together into three genera. The true geraniums are dainty wild flowers which grow in all temperate climates. The pelargonium’s are showy flowers which are raised in summer gardens and winter window boxes. They are usually, but incorrectly, called geraniums. The erodiums, which in the western United States are known as pin grass or pin clover, form a valuable forage plant both in North America and in Australia.

The true geraniums are often called crane’s-bills because of the shape of their long seed pods. About 70 species are found in North America. The most common of these is the crane’s bill, or wild geranium, of the eastern United States and Canada, It has large purplish-pink flowers growing in clusters on plants about two feet tall The Carolina crane’s-bill, a smaller plant with smaller, paler flowers grows throughout the United States. The herb Robert, or stinking crane’s-bill has small purplish-rose flowers, reddish sterns, deeply-divided and ill-smelling leaves. Its roots, like those of the American alumroot, are sometimes used in making medicines. Both the wild geranium of southern Europe and of Australia have edible roots. An African species produces oil of geranium, which is used as a substitute for attar of roses.

Cultivating Geraniums.

Far more beautiful than the true, or wild, geraniums both in the color of their flowers and in the shapes and markings of their leaves are the cultivated geraniums. These plants came originally from South Africa, and in colder northern countries they cannot be left outdoors during the winter. They make very satisfactory summer bedding plants and in the winter are good house plants because they require very little care, and bloom over a long period. Cultivated geraniums are grown easily from cuttings. Cuttings should be started in the spring for summer flowering and in the fall for winter flowering. They should be planted in light; rich, well-fertilized soil to which sand has been added to insure good drainage, for too much water is bad for the plants. If the soil is too richly matured and the pots are too large, the leaves will grow luxuriantly, but there will be few flowers. Each winter the plants should be trimmed thoroughly, for otherwise they will be tall and poorly-shaped. During 200 years of cultivation many variations in colors of the cultivated geraniums have been developed, but as a rule tie flowers are white, rose, or red. Often the leaves are delicately fragrant those of the rose and the nutmeg geranium. The best variety for growing in window boxes is the ivy leafed geranium.

GINGER is a reed like tropical plant of the family Zingiberaceae. The rhizome, or underground stem, of the plant, Zingiber officinale, is an important spice. Ginger is believed to be native to tropical Asia. It has been grown and used in India and China since ancient times. Spanish conquerors first took ginger to the West Indies and Mexico in the mid-16th century. Jamaican ginger is considered to be the best that is grown today.

The leafy stems of the ginger plant grow 8 to 4 feet high. The green and purple flowers are borne in dense, cone like clusters on leafless stems. After the plant’s upper stems wither, the roots are dug up.

Sometimes the crude ginger is washed, dried, and sold as black ginger, and sometimes it is scraped and dried or bleached in lime and sold as white ginger. The white ginger is milder in flavor than black ginger.

Ginger is ground and used in food and beverages such as gingerbread and ginger ale. Ginger is used in medicines for stomach ailments. Oil of ginger is used as a food flavoring and also as an ingredient of some perfumes. Candied ginger is eaten as a confection. Preserved ginger is prepared by peeling young rhizomes and boiling them in syrup.

Wild ginger, Asarum canadense, grows in shady woodlands of the northern United States. It is a low, creeping plant of the birthwort family. Wild ginger has heart shaped leaves, and bell-shaped purplish blossoms. The plant has no resemblance to true ginger except for the flavor of its rhizome.

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