Centaury

Centaury (Erythraea) - Pretty dwarf biennials belonging to the Gentian family. E. littoralis, common in some shore districts, is worth cultivating. It is 4 to 6 inches high, and bears an abundance of rich pink flowers, which last a considerable time in beauty. The very beautiful E. diffusa is a similar species. It is a rapid grower, with a profusion of pink blossoms in summer.

The native kind and its forms are pretty in the fields and shores, and the plants so far rarely have a place in gardens.

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Erythraea Muhlenbergi

Erythraea Muhlenbergi - A beautiful plant about 8 inches high, putting out many slender branches. It bears many flowers, the blossoms 3 1/2 inches across, of a deep pink, with a greenish-white star in the centre. Seeds should be sown in autumn, and well grown till the spring; the plants will then flower earlier and produce finer flowers than spring-sown plants. They are excellent for the rock garden and the margins of a loamy border. The soil must be moist.