ACACIA (a-kasha).

About 1200 species of acaciaare scattered through the warm regions of the world.
Most of them are shrubs or small trees. Some are matted plants a few inches high.
All are thorny and pod-bearing. The tiny sweet-smelling blossoms cluster together in
fluffy balls or cylinder shapes. They range in color from deep yellow to almost white.
The leaves are usually grayish and fernlike. The acacia is quick-growing and shortlived.Australia has about 300 species of acacia. The early settlers called them
wattles because they used the plant branches to make wattle-and-daub huts. The
golden wattle is Australias national Bower.
In the southwestern United States acacias are grown in many parks and gardens.
The ornamental species were imported from Australia. The native catclaw (Texas
mimosa) growswild and (Types Of Flowers ) is heartily disliked because of its strong
hooked spines. The Arizona Indians, however, made meal of the pods.
Smaller acacias are eaten by cattle and horses.
Gum arabic is obtained from an African species (see Gums and Resins). The
Australians get tannin, used for tanning leather, from the bark of some species and
make furniture of the hard, dark black-wood of acacia. The wood of an Indian
species is the chief source of catechu, a dye for true khaki. France grows several
kinds for perfume.The genus acacia belongs to the mimosa tribe of the pea family.
The black locust is sometimes called false acacia . The plant that florists call
mimosa is actually an acacia.
Several products in the food and manufacturing industries are obtained from acacia.
The best known of these is gum Arabic which is used in both candy and medicine.
Other acacia gums are used in dyes. Tannin, used for tanning leather, comes from
the bark of some acacia trees, especially the wattle.There are only a few members
of this genus in the United States. The most important of these is the cats claw

tree. It is found on the dry, steep hillsides and canyons of the Southwest. Acacias
also are grown in California where the winters are mild. Indians use the seeds from
the pods as food. In the United States the name acacia sometimes is used for locust
trees, which are members of the same family. Both the bristly and clammy locusts
have been called rose-acacia.

ASTER

is a flowering plant of the Compositae family. It is so common in the United States

that it has been suggested as thenational flower. More than 175 species grow in
North America. The flower also grows in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America.
Toward the last of August and throughout September and October, these beautiful
starry wild flowers burst into bloom. The aster (from the Greek aster, meaning
star) was so named because of its radiating or starlike flower head. It is found
largely in North America.
Asters are usually perennial plants. The flowers have yellowish or brownish disks
encircled by white, purple, violet, blue, rose, or pink rays. Two handsome species
are the New England aster, with its numerous large violet or purple rays, and the
New York aster (Aster novi-belgii), which has light blue and white blossoms. They
bloom until after the first frost. Both of these are common in the northeastern
United States. The aster is related to the daisy. It gets its name from the Greek
word for star. The blossoms may be from one-half to two inches in diameter. They
vary in color from white through pink, red, and blue. All have flat yellow centers
surrounded by many narrow petals.
Most asters are perennial (grow year after year). They bloom in late summer and
early autumn.Asters are popular garden flowers because they bloom after other
flowers are gone, have few diseases and insect enemies, and last well after cutting.
Some common types are the purple New England aster, the smooth blue aster, and
certain desert asters. The China, or garden, aster is not a true aster. It is an annual
grown from seed each year.All species of aster need rich soil and sunlight to grow

well, but they cannot stand much hot weather. Wild asters can be transplanted to
gardens without harming them. Asters belong to the family Compositae. The New
England aster (Aster novae-angliae) has flowers 1 to 2 inches across. From 30 to 40
violet or purple ray florets surround 5-lobed, tubular yellow disk florets, set in a
sticky green cup. The rough stem is from 2 to 5 feet high. Long leaves grow directly
from the stem. Most asters are difficult to grow from seed. The plants can be broken
into several pieces and transplanted in the spring. They thrive in almost any type of
soil. The China aster, an annual, is grown from seed. Scientific classification. Asters
are in the composite family, Compositae. The scientific name for the New England
aster is A novae-angliae. The China aster is Callistephus chinensis.

ASPARAGUS,

a member of the lily family of plants, is a vegetable. About 150 species

of asparagus are grown in the temperate parts of the world, but just one
(Asparagusofficinalis) is usually eaten.
Asparagus grows best in loose, rich, sandy soil. In gardens the seeds are sown early
in the spring, though the plants may be started at any time of the year in
greenhouses. Asparagus plants must be from two to four years old before they are
ready for cutting. Asparagus is a hardy perennial of the lily family, with tuberous
roots. The plants are started from seeds and transplanted to a permanent bed in
the spring of the second year. They are ready for cutting after they have grown two
years in the permanent bed. They continue to produce for 20 years or more. A
delicate vinelike varietywrongly called smi-lax by floristsis grown in
greenhouses.
The young stems of asparagus plants are used as food. They are cut when the
leaves of the plant are small buds and the stems or spears are tender and less than
10 inches high. The young spears are cut each day for six to eight weeks.
After that time the stems begin to get tough and woody as they branch and start to
blossom. Each autumn the old stalks of the garden variety are cut down.

If left to grow the plants reach heights of three to four feet. Most asparagus leaves
are tiny and fernlike; the flowers are small and yellowish, and the fruits are red
berries.
One land of asparagus (Asparagus aspara-goides) is commonly called smilax. Its
stiff, shiny leaves are used in flower arrangements. Wild varieties of asparagus grow
in Europe and Asia, especially along the seacoasts, and in some parts of the United
States.
Asparagus has been a popular food since Greek and Roman times. It is most often
cooked in water and eaten hot, but it is also used to make soup or chilled and
served in salads.
The asparagus fern is a kind of asparagus used in floral arrangements. It also is a
good house plant
Scientific classification. Asparagus belongs to the Llly family, Lillaceae. Edible
asparagus is Asparagus officinalis. The asparagus fern is A. plumosus.

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
theaster, daisy, andsunflower.
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.

DAFFODIL,

a member of the Amaryllidaceae family, is a common flowering plant. Narcissus is

the name of the genus that includes daffodils, narcissuses, and jonquils. Narcissus

and daffodil are both correct common names for all species. Jonquils are daffodils
with small, fragrant yellow flowers, several growing on a stem. All daffodils grow
from bulbs. Most species have long, narrow leaves, either rush like or flat. In early
spring, yellow or white blossoms, with trumpets in the centers, appear. The color of
the trumpet ranges from white, yellow, and orange to pink and brilliant red. Time of
blossoming depends on the species, climate, soil, and depth of planting, but most
species bloom in April or May.
The daffodil is native to Europe where in some regions it grows wild. It grows well in
cultivated gardens, and can also be naturalized (grown like a wild flower) under
trees. Several of the daffodils, especially the paper white narcissus, can be potted
for indoor bloom. There are now more than 10,000 name varieties, and breeders
continue to develop new ones. There are many kinds of daffodils. The best-known
daffodil is also called the trumpet narcissus it has one blossom at the end of each
stalk. The daffodil has a large flower and five or six bluish-green leaves about 15
inches (38 centimeters) long. Daffodil bulbs should be planted in autumn. They
should be planted about 8 inches (20 centimeters) deep, and about 5 inches (13
centimeters) apart. Daffodil bulbs are poisonous if eaten.
Bulbs should be planted in late summer or early autumn, from two to six inches
deep, about 2,5 times the diameter of the bulb. They need little fertilizing, but bone
meal is sometimes added to the soil. After the blossoms die, the leaves should be
left on the plant until dried. Bulbs should be divided and transplanted when clumps
become crowded because crowding reduces bloom.

DAHLIA,

a member of the Compositae family is a flowering plant. It is native to Mexico,

Central America, and northern South America. Dahlias were cultivated by the
Aztecs, taken to Europe by the Spaniards, and soon spread throughout the world in
widely different climates. There are 18 species and thousands of hybrid varieties.
Dahlias are many-branched plants grown from underground rubbers. The stalks
range in height from 10 inches (dwarf varieties) to 20 or 30 feet, but the usual
height is from 1 to 8 feet. Flowers may be single or double. The petals are straight,
rolled upward, and ruffled or flaring. Blossoms may be from 1 to 15 inches across.
Colors range from white to nearly black and in all hues except blue. The petals often
are flecked with another color. Blossoming time depends on climate, soil, and
variety; it is usually from August until frost.
A sunny location and light soil are best for dahlias, but they can be grown in partial
shade and in almost any soil that is not waterlogged. The tubers should be planted
when the soil is warm, two or three feet apart (closer for dwarfs), and four inches
deep. The plants need to be well watered, especially while blooming. It is helpful to
fertilize before planting and again at the beginning of August. Stakes should be
placed firmly in the ground before planting so that the stalks can be tied to the
stakes when they are about two feet tall. After the tops are frozen in late fall, the
tubers may be dug, cleaned, dried for a few days, and stored until spring. Dahlias
may be grown from seeds, and dwarf dahlias can be grown indoors in winter.
Dahlias grow from tuberous, or thick, fleshy roots that look somewhat like bulbs.
They should be planted in rich, well-drained soil and in full sun after all danger of
frost has passed. After the first frost, the roots should be dug up and stored for the
winter in a cool, dry place. Storing the root clump with soil attached will stop
shriveling. At planting time, the roots should be separated and planted about 6
inches (15 centimeters) deep. Dahlias flower in the late summer.

DANDELION.

The word dandelion comes from the French dent de lion, meaning lions tooth. This
name was given to the plant because of the toothed margins of its leaves. When the
leaves are young, they are used for healthful salad or as greens. The plant has
medicinal value. Its roots, like those of its relative the chicory, are sometimes dried,
roasted, ground, and mixed with coffee or used as substitute for it. For these
reasons dandelions are cultivated to some extent, and a number of improved
varieties have been developed. The wild dandelion, of which there are several
species, is a native of Europe and Asia It has spread throughout all temperate
regions, including the United States and southern Canada. Its golden-yellow flowers
that brighten fields, waysides, and neglected lawns in spring are beloved of
childhood. However, everyone who has the care of a good lawn dislikes this weed
and does his best to get rid of it. This may be accomplished readily by treating the
plants with sprays which kill the dandelions but do not injure the grass. The
dandelion differs from most other plants in the way it reproduces. Its ovaries form
fertile seeds without having to be pollinated (see Pollen).
Young dandelion leaves can be used in salads or they can be cooked. They taste
best when they are young, before the plant has blossomed. Wine sometimes is
made from the dandelion flowers.
In order to keep dandelion plants from growing on lawns, gardeners must cut deep
into their roots. The roots grow to about 3 feet (91 centimeters) long in soft, rich
earth. Slicing close under the surface only encourages the plants to grow. Gardeners
sometimes spray dandelions with chemicals that destroy the dandelions but do not
harm grass.
The flowers close at nightfall and remain closed on a dark day. After fertilization, the
flower head closes and the fruit clusters develop. When the fruit is ripe, the head

opens into a globe of parachuted fruits, which a puff of wind will scatter far and
wide.

Flax

is a plant raised for its fiber and seed. The fiber is made into linen fabric and a
variety of other products, including rope, thread, and high-quality paper. The seeds
contain linseed oil, which is used primarily in the production of paints and varnishes.
There are about 220 species of flax. Only one species, Linum usitatissimum, is
grown commercially. Different varieties of this species are grown for fiber and for
seed.
The flax plant stands from 3.1 to 4.3 feet (0.89 to 1.3 meters) high and has either
white or Uses of Flowers. The variety grown for fiber has a slender stem that
branches near the top. Seed flax is bushier than fiber flax and bears more seeds.
Flax may be attacked by a number of fungus diseases; these diseases include rust,
wilt, and pasmo. Before planting flax, farmers treat the seeds with chemicals called
fungicides to provide protection against these diseases. Farmers also plant varieties
of flax that are resistant to disease.
World production of fiber flax amounts to about 760,000 short tons (710,000 metric
tons) annually. Before its breakup, the Soviet Union accounted for more than half
the worlds fiber flax production. Other leading growers included France, China,
Romania, and Poland, in that order. The United States and Canada do not raise fiber
flax
World flaxseed production totals about 110 million bushels or 2,700,000 short tons
(2,400,000 metric tons) yearly. Leading flaxseed-producing countries, in order of

production, include Canada, Argentina, India, and China. Growing and processing
fiber flax. Fiber flax grows best in cool, moist climates with rainy summers. It is
planted in the spring after the danger of frost has passed. It is generally grown in
rotation with other crops. Rotation helps reduce the effects of diseases. Fiber flax is
harvested three to four months after planting. If the plants are harvested too early,
the fibers will be fine and silky, but weak. If the plants become too ripe, the fibers
will be stiff and rough and difficult to spin into yarn. Farmers harvest fiber flax with a
machine that pulls the stalks from the ground. On some farms, workers harvest flax
by hand.

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 pelargoniums 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 cranes-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 cranes 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 cranes-bill, a smaller plant with smaller, paler
flowers grows throughout the United States. The herb Robert, or stinking cranes-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.

Rose

is one of the most beautiful of all flowers. It is a symbol of fragrance and loveliness.
Its name calls to mind pictures of the sweetbrier, or wild rose, the loveliest wild
flower of the country roadsides. No other flower has been mentioned so often by the
poets of all ages and all countries. In the language of flowers its blossoms have
always been the symbol of love. The rose has even played its part in history. In
England, when the Houses of York and Lancaster were fighting for power, they
chose white and red roses respectively for their emblems. The flowers gave their
name to the War of the Roses. Today the rose is the national flower of England. It is
also the state flower of several states in the United States. The rose is not limited to
any one country, however. Its many species and varieties can be found throughout

the Northern Hemisphere. They will even grow in the mountain districts of the
tropics. All present-day roses are descendants of wild roses. We may doubt this if we
compare a full-flowered cultivated bloom with a five-petaled swamp or prairie rose.
But many wild-rose species tend to bear double bloomsflowers with more than
five petals. A skillful gardener can select a wild rose plant that shows an occasional
double blossom, give it and its descendants expert care for several years, and
produce plants that consistently bear handsome double flowers.
Until the 19th century all rose culture was of this type. Many species were popular
for cultivation, including cabbage, damask, and French roses. The cabbage (Rom
centifolia) is a large pink rose that grows wild in the Caucasus. It was cultivated in
ancient Greece and Rome. Later the French called it Flower experts recognize three
main classes of cultivated roses. Members of the first class, sometimes called old
roses, bloom once a year, usually in early summer. They include the yellow briers,
damask roses, moss roses, and many climbers. The second kind of roses bloom in
early summer and again in fall. The best-known members of this class are called
perpetual roses or summer-and-autumn roses are the hybrid perpetuals. Members
of the third main class, the ever blooming hybrids, flower almost constantly during
the growing season. These roses include floribundas, grandifloras, hybrid teas, and
polyanthas.