File:Some ornamental shrubs for the Tropics (1951) (20382147090).jpg

Title: Some ornamental shrubs for the Tropics
Identifier: CAT31289494 (find matches)
Year: 1951 (1950s)
Authors: Hume, Edward Putnam, 1911-
Subjects: Shrubs Tropics
Publisher: (Washington : U. S. Govt. Print. Off. )
Contributing Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Digitizing Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

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122 CIRCULAR 34, FEDERAL EXPERIMENT STATION This tall shrub from the Himalayas is better suited to the temperate regions or higher elevations in the Tropics. Although rarely seen, it will grow and fruit almost down to sea level in Puerto Rico. It has been included because of the dark shiny foliage and the orange-yellow fruits which hang on for several months in the winter. It is also adapted to live fencing, if pruned, because the thorns make penetration difficult. Unpruned plants have an irregular form with long arching branches. It grows best in full sun, in a wide variety of soils. The flowers are inconspicuous, but the flattened fruits reach 0.4 inch in diameter and carry the withered sepals at the flower end. They grow in small clusters on spur branches. The leaves reach a length of 2 inches and are widest near the end. Fine teeth are found along the leaf margins of some strains. Plants are grown from seed. Quassia amara L. Surinam Quassia (fig. 78) Simaroubaceae The Surinam quassia is a native of northeastern South America and is occasionally planted in other tropical regions. At one time a bitter substance called quassia was extracted from the wood, but now a closely related plant is the chief source of this drug. Under optimum conditions it eventually becomes a small tree, but it grows slowly, especially in unfavorable soils or climates. It
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Figure 78.—The flowers of the Surinam quassia, Quassia amara, are bright red, seldom opening except at the tip. The flower stems and petiole bases are dark red.

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