PERIPLOCA, Virginian silk, in botany: A genus of the dignia order, belonging to the pentandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 30th order, Centorte. The nectarium surrounds the genitals, and sends out five filaments. There are five species, four of which are natives of warm climates, and can only be raised there. The fifth, however, is sufficiently hardy for this climate. The periploca is a fine climbing plant, that will wind itself with its ligneous branches about whatever tree, hedge, pale, or pole is near it; and will arise, by the assistance of such support, to the height of above 30 feet; and where no tree or support is at hand to wind about, it will knit or entangle itself together in a most complicated manner. The stalks of the older branches, which are most woody, are covered with a dark brown bark, whilst the younger shoots are more mottled with the different colours of brown and grey, and the ends of the youngest shoots are often of a light green. The stalks are round, and the bark is smooth. The leaves are the greatest ornament to this plant; for they are tolerably large, and of a good shining green colour on their upper surface, and cause a variety by exhibiting their under surface of an hoary cast. Their figure is oblong, or rather more inclined to the shape of a spear, as their ends are pointed, and they stand opposite by pairs on short footstalks. Their flowers afford pleasure to the curious examiner of nature. Each of them singly has a star-like appearance; for though it is composed of one petal only, yet the rim is divided into segments, which expand in such a manner as to form that figure. Their inside is hairy, as is also the nectarium which surrounds the petal. Four or five of the flowers grow together, forming a kind of umbel. They are of a chocolate colour, are small, and will be in bloom in July and August, and sometimes in September. In the country where this genus grows naturally, they are succeeded by a long taper pod, with compressed seeds, having down to their tops.
The propagation of this climber is very easy; for if the cuttings are planted in a light moist soil, in the autumn or in the springs, they will readily strike root. Three joints at least should be allowed to each cutting: they should be the bottom of the preceding summer's shoot; and two of the joints should be planted deep in the soil. Another, and a never-failing method, is by layers; for if they are laid down in the ground, or a little soil only loosely thrown over the young preceding summer's shoots, they will strike root at the joints, and be good plants for removing the winter following.