A. FRUTICOSA.—­False Indigo.  Carolina, 1724.  This is a fast growing shrub of fully 6 feet high, of loose, upright habit, and with pretty pinnate leaves.  The flowers are borne in densely packed spikes, and are of a purplish tint with bright yellow protruding anthers and produced at the end of summer.  It prefers a dry, warm soil of a sandy or chalky nature, and may readily be increased from cuttings or suckers, the latter being freely produced.  Hard cutting back when full size has been attained would seem to throw fresh vigour into the Amorpha, and the flowering is greatly enhanced by such a mode of treatment.  A native of Carolina, and perfectly hardy in most parts of the country.  Of this species there are several varieties, amongst others, A. fruticosa nana, a dwarf, twiggy plant; A. fruticosa dealbata, with lighter green foliage than the type; and others differing only in the size and width of the leaves.

ANDROMEDA.

ANDROMEDA POLIFOLIA.—­An indigenous shrub of low growth, with lanceolate shining leaves, and pretty globose pinky-white flowers.  Of it there are two varieties.  A. polifolia major and A. polifolia angustifolia, both well worthy of culture for their neat habit and pretty flowers.

See CASSANDRA, CASSIOPE, LEUCOTHOE, OXYDENDRUM, PIERIS, and ZENOBIA.

ARALIA.

ARALIA MANDSHURICA (syn Dimorphanthus mandschuricus).—­Manchuria, 1866.  There is not much beauty about this Chinese tree, for it is but a big spiny stake, with no branches, and a tuft of palm-like foliage at the top.  The flowers, however, are both large and conspicuous, and impart to the tree an interesting and novel appearance.  They are individually small, of a creamy-white colour, and produced in long, umbellate racemes, and which when fully developed, from their weight and terminal position, are tilted gracefully to one side.  Usually the stem is spiny, with Horse Chestnut-like bark, while the terminal bud, from its large size, as if all the energy of the plant was concentrated in the tip, imparts a curious and somewhat ungainly appearance to the tree.  From its curious tropical appearance this species is well worthy of a place in the shrubbery.  It is unmindful of soil, if that is of at all fair quality, and may be said to be perfectly hardy over the greater part of the country.

A. SPINOSA.—­Angelica Tree.  Virginia, 1688.  Amongst autumn-flowering shrubs this takes a high place, for in mild seasons it blooms well into October.  It grows about 12 feet high, with large tri-pinnate leaves, composed of numerous serrulate leaflets.  The individual flowers are small and whitish, but being borne in large branched panicles have a very imposing appearance.  It is of free growth, and produces suckers abundantly.

See also FATSIA.

ARBUTUS.