ughly perennial, they are not so hardy as the younger and
less woody stuff--besides, young plants are far more vigorous bloomers.

Flowering period, June to August.

Petasites Vulgaris.

_Syns._ TUSSILAGO PETASITES _and_ T. FRAGRANS; WINTER
HELIOTROPE _and_ COMMON BUTTERBUR; _Nat. Ord._
COMPOSITAE.

I must explain why this native weed, of rampant growth and perennial
character, is here mentioned as a fit subject for the garden. It blooms
in the depth of winter--in fact, all winter; the flowers are not showy
at all, but they are deliciously scented, whence the specific name
_fragrans_ and the common one "Winter Heliotrope," as resembling the
scent of heliotrope. In its wild state it does not flower so early as
when under cultivation; the latter state is also more favourable to its
holding some green foliage throughout the winter. It has been said that
there are different forms--male and female, or minor and major.

Parkinson recognises two forms, and as his remarks are interesting and
clearly point to the variety under notice, I will quote him from "The
Theater of Plants," page 419: "The Butter burre is of two sorts, the
one greater and the other lesser, differing also in the flowers, as you
shall heare; but because they are so like one another, one description
shall serve for them both. Each of them riseth up very early in the
yeare, that is, in _February_, with a thicke stalke about a foote high,
whereon are set a few small leaves, or rather peeces, and at the toppes
a long spiked head of flowers, in the one which is the lesse and the
more rare to finde, wholly white and of a better sent than the other
(yet some say it hath no sent), in the greater, which is more common
with us, of a blush or deepe red colour, according to the soile wherein
it groweth, the clay ground bringing a paler colour somewhat weake, and
before the stalke with the flowers have abidden a moneth above ground
will be withered and gon, blowen away with the winde, and the leaves
will beginne to spring, which when they are full growne are very large
and broad, that they may very well serve to cover the whole body, or at
the least the head like an umbello from the sunne and raine."

The flowers are produced on bare, fleshy scapes, springing from amongst
the old foliage; the new leaves not appearing until much later. The
bloom is small, of a pinky white colour; they are miniature forms,
resembling the coltsfoot flowers, being arranged, how