Greenhouses and Gardening

Christmas decoration fashions may change, but succeeding generations are continuing to utilize the traditional symbols and especially the favorite evergreen tree. Another Christmas green for this season is the holly with its glossy foliage and red fruits. Pyracanthas covered with scarlet berries are offered by a few florists. These two berry plants are indeed prized treasures. hut they are not suited to window garden culture. The florists’ Christmas offerings are beautiful and satisfying, yet there is also room for home grown berry plants. When we look around for unusual plants for our window gardening we may overlook some of the old favorites because they have not been called to our attention in the garden pages for some time.

House plants add color to Christmas decorations, and life to any home. Ardisia crispa and Rivina humilis are among the easily obtainable berry plants. In warm climates ardisia is grown as a shrub or tree, but it is a good subject for pot culture. It does not require special soil or care and its berries are the same size and color as those of holly. My largest plant is about ten years old and it is five feet tall above its seven-inch pot. It is constantly well decorated with numerous red fruits. It is a rather slow grower that does not require repotting often. The thick textured, way-edged leaves, four by 1 inches, make this plant attractive even before it begins to fruit.

When it becomes the desired height, the bushy top may be air-layered and rooted and another excellent plant will he the result. Cuttings for propagation may be obtained from young shoots of semi-matured branches. Well ripened seeds germinate in from four to six weeks and the seedlings are easily grown if given good light and some sunshine. They begin to bloom and produce berries at about three years of age and as plants become older they produce more and more drooping clusters of long lasting fruit. Each cluster holds from 15 to 20 one-seeded berries. They remain on the plant two years or more and a plant may carry several seasons’ fruit, constantly enhancing its beauty.

The flowers are small. white or slightly colored, with a five parted corolla and five stamens attached to the throat of the corolla. The anthers are large and hand-pollination is not necessary to insure a good crop of fruit. The berries are green while small, but with rich soil and good light and sunshine the color soon becomes bright and uniform. Watering overhead (sprinkling) should be avoided until the berries are set.

Although there are probably more than 200 species of ardisia, only .a few are available in the usual lists. The white, black or rose colored berry plants may be found in some collections. A good standard soil mixture of sandy loam. leaf mold or peat moss suits ardisia. Pulverized manure should be added to the mixture for older plants. The soil should be kept moderately moist as for most house plants and good drainage is essential. Bright light, near the glass, hastens blooming, and plenty of sunshine, when not too hot, intensifies the color of the fruit.

Tags: greenhouse, garden