Mahonia Berberidaceae. Mahonia, Now Often Placed Within Berberis
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104 ‘flowers brilliantly during the late November-January. Flowers are bright yellow standing up above the foliage and possess a M most pleasant perfume’; erect shrub, about3m in height, leaves dark green, to 40 cm long, clustered towards tips of stems, Mahonia pinnate with 17-21, flowers bright yellow, fragrant, about 1cm Berberidaceae. across, clustered in slender, erect or slightly arching, spikes, about 30cm long, about 10 spikes forming a crown at tip of each Mahonia, now often placed within Berberis, was named branch; Winter. Produces new growth freely from base, unlike after the Irish-born horticulturist Bernard McMahon of ‘Charity’. Philadelphia, USA. Origin: selected from the batch of Mahonia lomariifolia seed sown at the Slieve Donard Nursery, and then named M. x media ‘Charity’ and introduced by the Slieve Donard Nursery, Newcastle,1940s Shrub to 3 or more metres tall; leaves compound with about 19 Co. Down, after Sir Eric Savill has recognized the worth of leaflets; flowers in more or less erect spikes, lemon-yellow, the other seedlings and named ‘Charity’. November to March, ‘We are fortunate in being able to offer a form of [‘Charity’] Origin: at the Slieve Donard Nursery a batch of seed, which we have raised and christened.’ gathered from an open-pollinated plant of M. lomariifolia, I was, of course, shocked beyond words to find that I was sown and the resulting seedlings grown on. A quantity had let this wonderful hybrid [‘Charity’] slip through of these were sold to John Russell of L. R. Russell Ltd, my hands. Admittedly the plant was a tiny seedling Richmond Nursery, and then they were acquired by Sir Eric when I parted with it and no one could have spotted it. I Savill for planting in Windsor Great Park. (I take the began to wonder if any other seedling of the same opportunity again to correct my previous mistake – the brood remained on the nursery and a feverish hunt person who purchased the seedlings was John Russell, not ended triumphantly. I found eight. These were planted Jim Russell). by themselves and watched carefully for flower during Some years later when differences were noticed between the next winter. All were obviously hybrids and one in the seedlings and the seed-parent, it was realised that a particular is so good that I am beginning to wonder if it hybrid had formed. Two of the Windsor Great Park plants is not, in fact, superior to ‘Charity’. Only time and were considered worthy of propagation and naming. This careful comparison will give the answer to this hope. was the first cultivar; the other was ‘Charity’s Sister’. In all, [L. Slinger, in Nelson & Deane 1993, 82] three seedlings were eventually selected and named from a same batch of Mahonia lomariifolia seedlings (see also It became ‘Winter Sun’ and is perhaps better! ‘Winter Sun’). award: AGM (RHS). Leslie Slinger’s account of the origin and naming of ‘Charity’ refs: Slieve Donard Nursery catalogue January-April 1966, 3*; is printed in ‘Glory of Donard’ (Nelson & Deane 1993): Nelson & Deane, ‘Glory of Donard’ (1993), 80-82; Ir. garden 6 (9) (November-December 1997): 8; The plantsman 1 I think it would be well to shed some light on the rather (1979): 19. odd choice of name for the new Mahonia. I cannot think illust: Ir. garden 6 (9) (November-December 1997): 8. that many people, and certainly not me, will admire it. Yet there is a reason. When my friend, who had ❀❀❀ acquired the original seedling, first had proof of his foresight and ability to pick a winner, he began to Magnolia investigate the origin of the seedlings and, of course, he Magnoliaceae. traced them back to me. When he heard my story, his sympathy and compassion was expressed in his M. campbellii (1885) proposal of ‘Charity’ as the name of the plant. [L. Tree to 70 ft; flowers very large, tulip-shaped, white to deep Slinger, in Nelson & Deane 1993, 82] pink. Origin: I include this species because this sumptuous tree awards: AM RHS (27 January 1959), FCC RHS (November first bloomed in cultivation at Lakelands, Co. Cork, the 1962); AGM (RHS). garden of W. H. Crawford (see Brownea x crawfordii). refs: Walsh, Ross & Nelson, An Irish florilegium (1983), 154-155; Nelson, An Irish flower garden (1984), 35; Nelson I have known this most beautiful of all flowering shrubs & Deane, ‘Glory of Donard’ (1993), 80-82; The plantsman 1 that are natives of temperate climates ever since it first (1979): 12-20. bloomed in Europe many years ago in the garden of my illusts: An Irish florilegium (1983), plate 31; Ir. garden 6 (9) late friend, W. H. Crawford o Lakelands, near Cork.* (November-December 1997): 6. refs: Flora & sylva 2 (1904): 296-297*; The garden 104 (1979): M. x media ‘Charity’s Sister’ 495-496; Elwes & Henry, Trees of GB & Ireland VII (1912), No description traced. 1590-1592; Curtis’s bot. mag. (1885), tab. 6793; Garden Origin: the second of the three seedlings that were history 7 (2) (1979): 23-26; Lamb & Bowe, A history of eventually selected and named from the batch of M. gardening in Ireland (1995), 147-148. lomariifolia seed sown at the Slieve Donard Nursery, illusts: Curtis’s bot. mag. (1885), tab. 6793; Flora & sylva 2 Newcastle, Co. Down. This was named after ‘Charity’ and (1904): opp. p. 296 [painted at Belgrove by H. G. Moon]. was its sibling; introduced by Sir Eric Savill, Windsor, Berkshire. M. sargentiana var. robusta ‘Multipetal’ before 1986 Strangely, I have been unable to find a published syn: M. multipetala. description of this plant. Tree, flowers with 19-27 tepals, ‘double’; ‘flowers often have refs: Nelson & Deane, ‘Glory of Donard’ (1993), 80-82; Ir. garden twenty-four or more individual petals’. 6 (9) (November-December 1997): 8; The plantsman 1 Origin: from Mount Congreve, Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford. (1979): 18 [name but no description]. The Latin name Magnolia multipetala, (stated to have been published ‘provisionally’, by Smithers, but I have not traced M. x media ‘Winter Sun’ any original publication) used in Bowe & Georgebefore (1986), 1966 is syn: M. x Charity ‘Winter Sun’* invalid, and has been modified by Callaway (1994) to a 105 cultivar name ‘Multipetal’, and while it is acceptable under Irish origin are printed in bold. the code of nomenclatural it is not euphonious! This plant was ‘discovered on a visit to [Mount Congreve] ‘Abraham’ before 1802 by Sir Peter Smithers’. Mount Congreve, situated on the No description traced. banks of the River Suir, in one of Ireland most remarkable Origin: listed by William Tighe (1802) as one of the gardens and contains a veritable forest of magnolias. cultivars grown for cider production in Co. Kilkenny. No refs: Bowe & George, The gardens of Ireland (1986), 54-55; other record was noted by Dr Lamb. Callaway, Magnolias (1994), 151. Not in the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale Horticultural Trust, Kent, in 1979; perhaps extinct. M. wilsonii form ref: Lamb, ‘The apple in Ireland; its history and varietiesbefore’, 1953 Flowers ‘large ... sometimes come semi-double’. Economic proc. Roy. Dublin Society 4 no. 1(1951): 59. Origin: from Slieve Donard Nursery, Newcastle, Co. Down. ‘These interesting plants were grown from seed’. They may ‘Ahern Beauty’ before 1898 have been hybrids between M. wilsonii and M. sinensis, and syn: ‘Aherne Beauty’ in that case the name M. wilsonii would not be appropriate. ‘Conical rich crimson show fruit’; ‘size large, shape intermediate None of these plants is known in an Irish garden. to tall, conic; skin red; season mid to late.’ ref: Nelson & Deane, ‘Glory of Donard’ (1993), 80. Origin: William Baylor Hartland listed this as ‘Aherne Beauty’ in his 1907-1908 catalogue. It was exhibited from ❀❀❀ Ireland in 1898; there is a note in Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society (1898). The name suggests an Irish Malus origin, but no history has been traced. Rosaceae. Apples. Not in the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale Horticultural Trust, Kent, in 1979; presumably extinct. Ornamental apples refs: National apple register of UK (1971), 4; Journ. Roy. Hort. Society 22 (1898): cxcvi; Lamb, ‘The apple in Ireland; its ‘Donard Crab’ history and varieties’, Econ. proc. Roy. Dublin Soc.before 4 (1951): 1955 A strong growing tree; flowers rosy-crimson; fruits huge, purple 59. Origin: from Slieve Donard Nursery, Newcastle, Co. Down. This tree is evidently scarce. I did manage to locate one in ‘All-Hallows’ before 1869 Belfast, but I am not sure whether an attempt has been syn: ‘All Hallows’ made to propagate it. Fruit medium-sized, rectangular; flesh tender; mid-season. refs: Nelson & Deane, ‘Glory of Donard’ (1993), 82; IGPS newsl. Origin: raised by Richard H. Graves, and described 44 (1992): 12. originally in 1869. Not in the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale Horticultural Trust, Kent, in 1979; presumably Eating and cooking apples extinct. refs: National apple register of UK (1971), 7; Scott, The A gentleman favour’d me so far as to bring some of the orchardist (1873); Downing, The fruits & fruiting trees of Apples of Ireland, but by the time I had an opportunity of America (1869), 75. seeing them, they were so decay’d, that I cannot describe them to you. The Cyder is of the Colour of Sherry, (or rather ‘Antrim Lady’s Finger’ 1934 of french White Wine) and every whit as fine and clear ... and Fruit medium-sized, conical, yellow flushed red; flavour acid; the Gentlemen just now mention’d brought some of the season mid to late. Cyder, as well as the Apple, from Ireland: It hath a more Origin: from Northern Ireland; the only record of this apple vinous taste than any Cyder I ever drank; and as the Sight was of its exhibition in 1934, so it was not in the National might deceive a curious Eye for Wine, so I believe the Taste Fruit Collection at Brogdale Horticultural Trust, Kent, in might pass an incurious palate for the same Liquor.