HEIGHT Giant, over 3 metres FOLIAGE Green and purple variegated FORM Upright FLOWER Red FLOWERING Low bloomer
Canna ‘Auguste Ferrier’ is a giant Foliage Group cultivar; green and purple variegated foliage, large, oval shaped, maroon margin, upright habit; oval stems, coloured green; flowers are erect, self-coloured orange-red, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals red, fully self-cleaning, low bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules round.
George Nicholson, The Illustrated Dictionary of Gardening, 1888.
(A. Ferrier’s). Flowers orange-red, medium-sized. Leaves very large, oval, erect, pointed, deep-green, with narrow stripes and margins of dark purplish-red. Stems green, very thick, downy. Height 10’.
ORIGIN Jardin de la ville de Paris, 1864 HEIGHT Giant, over 3 metres FOLIAGE Green FORM Upright FLOWER Orange
Canna ‘Aurantiaca splendida’ is a giant Foliage Group cultivar; green foliage, very large, upright habit; oval stems, coloured green; flowers are erect, self-coloured orange, staminodes are medium size, edges regular, petals red with farina, fully self-cleaning, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules round; rhizomes are thick, up to 7 cm in diameter, coloured white and purple; tillering is prolific.
Stems green, downy. rather thick, 6½ ft. to over 8 ft. high. Leaves oval, erect, 2 ft. 4 ins, to 2¾ ft. long and 1 ft. wide, with very prominent membranes. Flowers in September, orange, well-formed, and of a good size. Rootstocks small. A very vigorous-growing variety.
ORIGIN LOMBARD F., 1880’s FLOWERS Pink HEIGHT Giant, over 3 metres FOLIAGE Dark FORM Spreading
Canna ‘Braunti’ is a giant Foliage Group cultivar; dark foliage, spreading habit; round stems, coloured purple; flowers are open, pink and carmine, staminodes are large, edges regular, blooms open in the early morning; seed is sterile, pollen is fertile.
The breeder succeeded in using pollen from C. ‘Ehmanni’ on other existing hybrids, to obtain many different foliage plants with large flowers. The leaves are a magnificent Musa form, the flowers just as large as those of C. ‘Ehmanni’; but they do not produce as many flowers as the Crozy Group.
Tall. Leaves metallic purple-red. Flowers pink, shaded carmine. Breeder: Herrn. F. Lombard Note: The breeder succeeded, with the fertilisation between C. Ehmanni and other existing hybrids, to obtain many different foliage plants with large flowers. The leaves are a magnificent Musa form, the flowers just as large as those of C. ‘Ehmanni’; but they do not produce as many flowers as the Crozy Group.
ORIGIN David PETERSON PARENTAGE Canna ‘Musaefolia Grande’ x Canna ‘Purpurea Floribunda’ HEIGHT Giant, over 3 metres FOLIAGE Dark green with a burgundy blush FORM Branching FLOWER Red FLOWERING Low bloomer
Canna ‘Burgundy Blush’ is a giant Foliage Group cultivar; dark green with a burgundy blush foliage, oval shaped, maroon margin, branching habit; spikes of flowers are erect, self-coloured cherry-red, staminodes are small, low bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules round; rhizomes are thick, up to 7 cm in diameter, coloured purple.
Summary: A tall distinguished plant with deep green, burgundy marked leaves. Red blooms complete the picture. Size: Very tall. Flower: Red. Foliage: Deep green with burgundy marked leaves. Origin: Hybridiser David Peterson, USA. Hybrid between C. ‘Grande’ and C. ‘Purpurea’
Karchesky and Harris 2006
Excellent foliage canna with very large rounded deep green leaves with a burgundy blush and midrib. Deep burgundy stems and budstems. Small bright cherry red flowers are hummingbird attractive. Hybrid between Grande and Purpurea from American hybridizer friend, David Peterson. Very tall height.
ORIGIN CHATÉ Emile, 1862 HEIGHT Giant, over 3 metres FOLIAGE Purple FORM Upright FLOWER Red FLOWERING Low bloomer
Canna ‘Chatéi grandis’ is a giant Foliage Group cultivar; purple foliage, very large, broadly oblong shaped, upright habit; oval stems, coloured purple; flowers are erect, self-coloured scarlet, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals purple with farina, low bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 7 cm in diameter, coloured purple; tillering is prolific.
1862. Breeder: E. Chaté et fils, sentier Saint-Antoine, Saint-Mandé, Paris, France,
Subtropical Gardening - Robinson 1868
Stems brownish-purple, 6½ ft. high, when not divided year after year. Leaves at first erect, afterwards deflected throughout their entire length and spreading very much, 2 ft. 4 ins. long and 1 ft. wide. Flowers late, crimson, in a handsome panicle. Rootstocks brown, conical, very short. Ripens its seeds well.
HEIGHT Giant, over 3 metres FOLIAGE Green FORM Spreading FLOWER White FLOWERING Late bloomer
Cannaliliiflora Warsc. ex Planch. is a giant species; green foliage, very large, acuminate shaped, spreading habit; spikes of flowers are reflexed, self-coloured white, staminodes are medium size, fully self-cleaning, late bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, self-pollinating and also true to type; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white; tillering is slow.
The name means lily-flowered, a native of Bolivia. Flower 10-13cm. (4-5″) long, honeysuckle-scented. Leaves large, Musa-like, oblong, acuminate. Stems stout, erect. Height 2-3 metres (6-10 feet). The only white species, and the only canna with scent, but very difficult to grow in a temperate climate, only a few documented instances of it being successfully grown outside its native environment.
The illustration is from Flore des serres et des jardins de l’Europe by Charles Lemaire and others. Gent, Louis van Houtte, 1855, volume 10 (plate 1055-1056).
Our earliest reference to this specimen is RHS Journal of 1899-1900.
Pollination of liliiflora - Maas
C. liliiflora: According to Vogel (1969), who studied this species in the field (as C. brittonii), the flowers are pollinated by bats. The inflorescence reaches well above the leaves. The flowers are erect, whitish and funnel-shaped, the floral tube is basally thick-walled and curved so that the entrance to the flower is horizontal. Two staminodes form the ‘upper lip’ of the flower, the third one along with the petaloid stamen suggests the ‘lower lip’, while the 4th staminode and the stigma are positioned at the left side of an eventual pollinator. In bud the pollen has already been deposited on the style (secondary pollen presentation). Upon entering the flower, the pollen is transferred from the style to the left side of the pollinator (antero-laterally). Septal nectaries secrete a considerable amount of nectar into the base of the floral tube and constitute a reward for the pollinating bats, which are attracted by a herbaceous-soapy scent to visit the flower.
A DISCUSSION ON ALL MATTERS RELATING TO THE CANNACEAE FAMILY; OF INTEREST TO GARDENERS, COLLECTORS, AND PROFESSIONALS ALIKE.
Canna ‘Auguste Ferrier’
