Illustration of 'Mary Brand' peony by Gwen Leighton COMING IN THE NEXT ISSUE In the June/July issue of American Horticulturist, look for BarIDara Emerson's conclusion of her two-part series on weeds and how to control them. Also, read about the Missouri Botanic Gardens, one of several gardens members of the Society will be visiting during the 1980 Congress in St. Louis, September 16-20. In addition, Elizabeth Corning will tell you how to sow seeds for winter bloom and will suggest several flowering plants you may wish to try; Robert Carlson will give you tips on how to prune your fruittrees; Mrs. Ralph Cannon will write about the beauty of double flowers; and the staff will introduce you to a fascinating artist who uses dried flowers to make exquisite floral works of art he calls fleurages. All this and more in the June/July issue of American Horticulturist. VOLUME 59 NUMBER 2 Judy Powell EDITOR Rebecca McClimans ART DIRECTOR Pam Geick PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Steven H. Dav is Jane Steffey EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS H. Marc Cathey Gilbert S. Daniels Donald Wyman HORTICULTURAL CONSULTANTS Gilbert S. Daniels BOOK EDITOR 10 18 22 May Lin Roscoe BUSINESS MANAGER Florence Bayliss FEATURES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS COORDINATOR Plants for Shady Gardens 14 Judy Canady Text and Ph otography by Michael A. Dirr MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE New Trends in Vegetable Gardening 18 Cindy Weakland Text by Jea nnette Lowe ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR Illustrati on by Marjorie Stodge ll John Simmons A Dangerous Passion 22 PRODUCTION COORDINATION Text by Linda Yang Chromagraphics Inc. Photography by John Yang COLOR SEPARATIONS Getting Rid of Weeds 24 Alan Proctor Publisher Services, Inc. First of a Two-Part Series 621 Duke Street Text and Photography by Barbara Hesse Emerson Alexandria, Virginia 22314 ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Buying a Clematis 29 Text by Brewster Rogerson Replacement Iss ues of AMERICAN Photography by Pamela Harper HORTICULTURIST are available at a cost of $2.50 per copy. Roses Update 34 The opinions expressed in the articles Text and Photography by R. J. Hutton which appear in AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of COLUMNS the Society. They are presented as contributions to contemporary thought. Manuscripts, art work and photographs President's Page 3 sent for possible publication will be Gilbert S. Daniels returned if they are accompanied by a Letters self-addressed, stamped envelope. 5 Strange Relatives: The Nettle Family 8 AMERICAN HORTICULTURIST is the official publication of The American Jane Steffey Horticl!lltural Society, 7931 East Seasonal Reminders: Growing Tulips: Advice from an Expert 10 Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, Virginia Frederick Roberts 22308, and is issued in February, April, June, August, October and December. Contributors 37 Membership in the Society automatically includes a subscription to AMERICAN Book Reviews 38 I=IORTICULTURIST. Membership dues Gilbert S. Daniels .start at $20.00 a year, $12.00 of which is desigllated for AMERICAN Gardener's Marketplace 44 HORTICULTURIST. Copyright © 1980 Pronunciation Guide 45 by The American Horticultural Society. ISSN 0096-4417. Second-class postage paid at Alexandria, Virginia and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send Form 3579 to AMERICAN ON THE COVER: Photographer Pamela Harper has captured the beauty of HORTICULTURIST, Mount Vernon, clematis in this specimen, Clematis lanuginosa candida . The picture was taken at Virginia 22121. Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C. For more information about these lovely flowers, turn to page 29. American Horticulturist 1 START YOUR NEW DECADE OF GROWING WITH THE ~R1"CTt. paPERPDT. METHOD The sensible, convenient and economical way to Advantages of the Paperpot Method start your plants is here now. • The expandable form of the PAPERPOT It is the Paperpot system which includes compact, economizes freight and storage space. biodegradable containers, high quality plastic trays • The hexagonal PAPERPOT shape gives ideal use and rational equipment to fill and seed the containers. of the growing space. For the benefit of the grower there are three different • PAPERPOTS are made with a water soluble paper grades and a large variety of sizes from a glue, easy to separate into individual containers. diameter of 1Va" to 4" and depths from 2" to 8". • Shortens production time into one gallon, gives Proven success for 15 years throughout Canada higher yield from your area. and Europe. • Allows direct sticking of cuttings into liners, eliminating transplanting shock and labor. • Balanced roots after cannin9 with minimum transplant shock. • Saves labor in canning line. .PAPERPOT PAPERPOTS FOR PROSPEROUS GROWING. For information contact: California: LANNEN TEHTAAT OY Sales Office, 3600 Wilshire Blvd ., Suite 1720, Los Angeles, CA 90010· (213) 387-5931 Texas: DACUS SUPPLY COMPANY, 2901 Montgomery, Fort Worth, Texas 76107· (817) 731-1717 forma ll y listed for protecti on under the pose of the Act. The effort and expense Endangered Species Act. This may not seem of presenting the case for each individual like much of an accomplishment consid­ species has now become so excessive that ering the extent of the ori gin al list, but it it is beyond the current abilities of the was definitely progress. The people of the limited staff and budget of the Office of United States had recognized the impor­ Endangered Species. tance of all li vi ng things, no matter how Where do we go from here? If the intent seemingly insignificant. They were ac­ of the original Endangered Species Act is tuall y doing something to protect plants even to be carried out, we had all better and animals that had survived millions of let our elected representatives know our years of evolution but were now in im­ feelings-and quickly. Time is rapidly run­ minent danger of extin ction from the ac­ ning out, and species of plants and animals ti ons of man. currently endangered could easily become Or so it seemed! One of those newly extinct before we can act to protect them. protected creatures was a li ttle fish whose What happens next is up to us! habitat lay in the way of the constructi on of a new dam. The delays in construction and the possible abandonment of the Tel­ As we announced in the March issue of - --~ lico Dam in Tennessee because of the three­ the newsletter, the Society has been forced in ch-long snail darter raised a furor in to raise annual membership dues for the Back to Square One-and Congress. As a direct response to this first time in 12 years. Beginning this month, problem, Congress amended the Endan­ membership in the Society starts at $20 Perhaps Even Further gered Species Act in November of 1978. per year. Last month, all members receiv­ Congress passed the Endangered Species This amendment now req uires not only in g renewal notices were given the op­ Act in December of 1973. It was hailed critical biological data but also a socio­ portunity to renew at the old rate in order as a significant step in preventing the ex­ logical evalu ati on of the effects of protec­ to save $5. We now wish to extend this tinction of many vulnerable plants and ti ve action on the surrounding commu­ invitation to those of you whose mem­ animals. Biologists and conservationists nity. Early in this yea r an Executi ve Order bership is due to expire later in the year. throughout the United States prepared rec­ issued by President Carter imposed essen­ If yo u would like to renew now in order ommendations for plants and animals that tially the same requirements as the amend­ to take advantage of this offer, you must should be given official protection under ment. Together, these actions required two act soon-all future renewal notices yo u this new law. In Ja nuary of 1975, the levels of socioeconomi c evalu ati on as part will receive will refl ect our new rate of Smithsonian Institution published a major of the proposal for the protection of each $20. study which identified 3,187 species of endangered species. The cost and effort to To renew early, send your magazine native plants considered to be in danger prepare the' r.ecessary background studies mailing label or your membership account of extinction. California and Hawaii, where before any plant or animal can be given number, accompanied by your $15 check, many delicate habitats are under extreme protection under the Endangered Species to the attention of Judy Canady in care pressure from human activities, figured Act has now reached an unmanageable of the Society, Mt. Vernon, VA 22121. prominently in this report. Almost half of level. We will then extend your membership in the native flora of Hawaii (1,088 plants) Furthermore, a seemingly minor ele­ the Society by an additional 12 months. and 680 plant species of California were ment of the amendment requires that all on the list. this paperwork be completed within two The Smithsonian report was submitted years of the initial legal proposal that a as a preliminary list by the Office of En­ species be placed on the endangered list. dangered Species of the U.S. Department If all action is not completed within that -Gilbert S. Daniels of the Interior for public review and com­ time, then the plant or animal under con­ President ment as required by the Act. This was in sideration must be removed from the list July of 1975; a year later an official pro­ of proposed species and cannot be listed posal was published in the Federal Reg­ again unless new information can be pre­ Editor's note: There are two congres­ ister. This proposal listed 1,783 species of sented. As a result of this time limit, all sional committees responsible for consid­ plants requiring immediate protection if of the plants on the original list of 1,783 ering changes in the law regarding endan­ they were to continue to survive in their species must now be reprocessed (except, gered species.