VERONICA HYBRIDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19475, 9 May 1925, Page 3

VERONICA HYBRIDS.

Since the interest that has been created lately -in the garden cultivation of veronicas, it is only natural where a number of these plants are congregated together, that crosses will take place, and that many new forms and types of these plants will arise. Veronicas seed freely, and arc most, fertile, consequently they germinate readily, the young plants showing an astonishing amount of virility. Ihe ordinary grower of our native plants shuns the garden hybrids, being content with tlic wild ones” gathered from their mountain habitat. He uproots the young seedlings, never giving them a chance of coming to maturity. There axe others comparatively few—who are interested ■ » garden- crosses, and are constantly on the look out for hybrids. Some of these on coming into bloom show little merit; others, certainly in rare cases, have been raised that are an improvement on the parents A plant on exhibition at Mathesju and Roberts’s, a cross between V. spcciosa and V. Lewisi, is certainly a plant of distinction. The bush has an aristocratic appearance. The leaves are an intense shining green, and the flowers are a most delight ful shade of magenta. This hybrid is very floriferous, and is of compact and neat appearance. It has fnrtber merit in flowering at this time of the year, following the habit of one of its parents. V. spcciosa, which is a much later bloomer in Otago than in its native home in the North Island. The plant has been named Lady Fenwick by the grower, and when put on the market will certainly be much sought after. What a field is open to the hybridist amongst onr veronicas, colmisias, olearias. and senecios! If some enterprising in dividual would only go into the systematic crossing of the various species of these genera it cannot be doubted that wonder ful improvement could be effected in the beauty of the flowers, and bright colours, which are lacking amongst most of oir indigemous flora, would be introduced Further', industrious work in this direction would prove a good commercial proposi tion, as in New Zealand the cross fertilisation proposition of our flora has not been persevered with. Many nurserymen find it impossible to supply, the demand for New Zealand plants, which has increased enormously these last two or three years