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Cultivar

Allemania

Canna ‘Allemania’
syns. Cattleya
(Italian Group)(Aquatic Group)

ORIGIN Karl SPRENGER, 1897
HEIGHT Medium, 1-2 metres
FOLIAGE Green
FORM Branching
FLOWER Multi-coloured
FLOWERING Good bloomer
AWARDS RHS Award of Merit, 1897 

Canna Allemania is a medium sized aquatic Italian Group cultivar, equally at home as a water marginal or in the border; green foliage, oval shaped, branching habit; round stems, coloured green + purple; panicles of flowers are open, salmon-red with a gold margin, throat gold, staminodes are large, edges irregular, labellum is salmon-red, petals purple, fully self-cleaning, good bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; seed is sterile, pollen is low fertile; rhizomes are long and thin, coloured white and purple; tillering is prolific.

Canna 'Allemania'
References
RHS Chiswick Canna Trials, 1898
3. Alemannia, A.M. 1898 (Dammann and Veitch). Very large leaves; flowers large and handsome, with a broad Cattleya-like lip, orange scarlet and deep red, with an irregular golden-yellow margin.
Railton & Co., Australia, 1900-1903
AFRICA. Dark bronze foliage, with rich orange-salmon flowers, darkening to scarlet in the throat. 1/6 each.
RHS Canna Trials 1907 Indoors
2. Africa (Dobbie). — Italian Group Apricot to terra-cotta, irregularly shaded with deeper colour; truss rather small; foliage very rich, bronzy-crimson, striped with green; 5 feet.
RHS Journal of 1908-9
Featured in 1908 Outdoor Trials at Wisley Orange-red orchid flowered with dark foliage.
Das Geschlecht der Canna, by Árpád Mühle
Africa. (Dam.) height of 150 cm. Stature sumptuously, leaves bronze colors with magenta. Flowers very largely, cattleya shape, glowing magenta-brown with orange-charming centre.
Cassells Dictionary of Practical Gardening, Walter P. Wright, 1910
Italian, or orchid, flowered scarlet, gold inside, purple and green foliage.
L. Clause Catalogue, Spring 1929
Feuillage bronzé. Fleur pourpre. Haut. 1 m. 50. Note: Bronze foliage. Crimson flower. Height. 1 m. 50.
Tropical Plants and Gardening, H.F. MacMillan, 1935
Fls orange-red, tinted leaves
Standardized Plant Names, 1942
Listed as correct and current.
Tropical Planting and Gardening, H.F. MacMillan, 5th Edition, 1954
Bronze or purple- leaved, flowers orange red.
Cultivar

Ambassador

Canna ‘Ambassador’

syns Ambassadeur, Ambassador Red, The Amabassador
(Italian Group)

Origin Unknown
Height Medium-sized (1-2 metres)
Foliage Dark
Form Branching
Flower Red
Blooming Good bloomer
Tillering Average
Available Specialist growers only

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Cultivar

America

Canna ‘America’
(Italian Group)

ORIGIN SPRENGER Karl
PARENTAGE ‘President Carnot’ x flaccida ‘Le Roi’ in 1893.
HEIGHT Tall, 2-3 metres
FOLIAGE Bronze
FLOWER Red
FLOWERING Good bloomer

Canna ‘America’ is a tall Italian Group cultivar; bronze foliage; oval stems, coloured purple; flowers are open, orient-red (RHS 42A) with salmon spots, throat yellow, staminodes are large, good bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; seed is sterile, pollen is low fertile; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter.

This showy Italian Group cultivar was granted the RHS Award of Merit in 1897, and mention must be made of the outstanding farina ‘sheen’ on the stems and leaves.

Canna 'America'
Canna 'America'
Photograph courtesy of Ian Cooke.

 

RHS Award of Merit(Dammann 1897)
Breeder: Karl Sprenger, Dammann & Co., Naples, Italy
Garden & Forest, 1897
Garden and forest. / Volume 10, Issue 480. [May 5, 1897, 171-180] Canna, America.-We have just had this Canna in flower, the third in Dammann’s list of so-called “Orchid-flowering” Cannas. It has been something of a surprise to us, for in some way we had formed the notion that it was inferior to Italia and Austria. In our present opinion, however, it ranks above both. The foliage seems to be stronger and tougher, and is of a color much harder to get in Cannas. It is dark bronzy-red, with irregular and inconspicuous dashes of lighter greenish color. The flowering-stem is tall and strong, bearing a large spike of flowers of the form and size of Italia.
They are, however, of a most rare and striking color, a sort of brilliant apricot-red faintly spotted with darker salmon. The centre is canary-yellow, marked with the apricot-red of the body color, very much after the pattern of Austria and Burbank, except that in America the centre is lighter-colored than the wings. The blossoms are richer in appearance than any of the earlier Orchid-flowering Cannas. They do not appear to be better in substance, though; and this seems likely to prevent the general use of all the Canna flacida crosses in outdoor bedding. If it were not for this flabby quality of their blossoms they would soon very largely supersede the French dwarf Cannas for all classes of ornamental work.
University of Vermont. Professor F. A. Waugh.

Breeder: Karl Sprenger, Dammann & Co., Naples, Italy

RHS Journal of 1898-9
Lists
Railton & Co., Australia, 1900-1903
Magnificent bronzy foliage marbled with green, having a peculiar lustre , appearing as if varnished; flowers rich orange-salmon, feathered and veined with scarlet. 1/6 each.
RHS Journal of 1908-9!
Featured in 1908 Outdoor Trials at Wisley
Orchid flowered, orange-red flowers with dark foliage.
Das Geschlecht der Canna, by Árpád Mühle
America. (Dam.) height of 200 cm. Leaves brown magenta roth. Flowers, very largely, fires roth, magenta-brown flamed, in the Centrum orange.
Breeder: Karl Sprenger, Dammann & Co., Naples, Italy, EU
Note: America. (Dam.) Höhe 200 cm. Laub braun purpur roth. Blumen, sehr groß, feuer roth, purpurbraun geflammt, im Centrum orangefarben.
Cassells Dictionary of Practical Gardening, Walter P. Wright, 1910
Italian, or Orchid-like scarlet, orange, dark foliage.
L. Clause Catalogue, Spring 1929
America. – Feuillage verdâtre à reflets pourpres. Fleur énorme rouge feu sablé de pourpre orangé à l’intérieur. Haut. 1 m. 50.
Greenish foliage with reflections of crimson. Enormous flame red flower with orange crimson inside. Height. 1 m. 50.
John Telkamp, Holland, Catalogue 1935
America, velvety scarlet red flowers, handsome purple foliage.
Standardized Plant Names, 1942
Mentions name
RHS New Dictionary of Gardening, 1992
Lvs dark copper purple; fls red.
Hart Canna, 2000, Internet October 2000
Flowers red. Leaves bronze. Tall
Canna Handbook, Keith Hayward. Edition 1.06. © September 2000
Red-flowered with green leaves. Tall.
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(M) Sprenger, a partner in the nursery of Messrs Dammann near Naples, crossed C. flaccida with C. ‘Madame Crozy’ to produce C. ‘Italia’. ‘Atlanta’, ‘America’, ‘Austria’, ‘Burgundia’, ‘Allemannia’, ‘Britannia’ followed from the same breeding programme.
Breeder: Karl Sprenger, Dammann & Co., Naples, Italy
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(M) This handsome old cultivar has intense scarlet flowers. The petals are long, thin and reflexed giving the bloom a very open, blowsy appearance. The leaves are a dark purplish-green with pronounced darker veins. There is an attractive white farina on the stems, which contrasts well with the deep red flowers. Raised by Karl Sprenger in 1893, it is very similar to ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Ambassador
Breeder: Karl Sprenger, Dammann & Co., Naples, Italy
Rivendell Botanic Garden, List January 2001
Red; red blue green
French Grown Stock
1.8m. Purple foliage. Dark orange-red flowers.
Podgora Gardens Catalogue, 2004
Brightest and deepest scarlet-red, bronze foliage. 105cm.
KAVB International Canna Checklist, September 2004
(‘President Carnot’ x flaccida ‘Le Roi’)
Karl Sprenger, 1893; flowers orient-red (RHS 42A), brown leaves, height over 80 cm. A.M.-R.H.S 1897.
Breeder: Karl Sprenger, Dammann & Co., Naples, Italy
Claines Canna Collection 2006
Summary: A heritage plant, tall in height with large, dark leaves and intense scarlet flowers. An architectural plant.
Size: Tall
Flower: Intense scarlet flowers, with long petals, thin and reflexed giving the bloom a very open, blowsy appearance.
Foliage: Large, dark purplish green with pronounced purple veins. There is an attractive white farina on the stems, which contrasts well with the deep red flowers.
Origin: Raised by Karl Sprenger in 1893, it is very similar to ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Ambassador’. We have grown all 3 together for 2 years from many sources and can see no visible differences. The other two have no history of their origins, and it is highly likely that they are only synonyms for Canna ‘America’
Cultivar

American Flag

Canna ‘American Flag’
(Italian Group)

ORIGIN Wintzer, 1902
HEIGHT Tall, 2-3 metres
FOLIAGE Green
FORM Upright
FLOWER Red
FLOWERING Good bloomer

Canna ‘American Flag’  is a tall Italian Group cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, maroon margin, upright habit; oval stems, coloured purple; panicles of flowers are open, self-coloured orange-red, throat yellow, staminodes are large, fully self-cleaning, good bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; seed is sterile, pollen is low fertile; rhizomes are long and thin, coloured white and pink; tillering is average.

REFERENCES
Standardized Plant Names, 1942
The name is listed.
Canna Handbook, Keith Hayward. Edition 1.06. © September 2000
A very tall Canna (over 2m) with large bright orange/red flowers with some yellow in the centre. Foliage is bright green.
Claines Canna Collection 2006
Medium sized, stunning deep red Italian style flowers held high above large green leaves with distinctive purple stems and leaf margins.
Size: Medium
Flower: Deep red (44B) large, Italian style blooms.
Foliage: Green with Purple leaf margins and stems.
Cultivar

Aphrodite

Canna ‘Aphrodite’
(Italian Group)

OROGIN SPRENGER K., Damman et Cie.
HEIGHT Medium, 1-2 metres
FOLIAGE Green
FORM Upright
FLOWER Multi-coloured

Canna ‘Aphrodite’ is a medium sized Italian Group cultivar; green foliage, broadly oblong shaped, upright habit; spikes of flowers are open, gold with salmon blotches, throat salmon, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, labellum is salmon, stamen is salmon, blooms open in the early morning; seed is sterile, pollen is low fertile.

Still grown with this name in France and Austra-Asia. A totally different plant is on the market using the same name.

References
Brunning's Catalogue, 1906
Broad green leaves, immense trusses of bloom, golden yellow, with large salmon spots, inner petals salmon.
Brunning's Catalogue, 1907
Broad green leaves, immense trusses of bloom, golden yellow, with large salmon spots, inner petals salmon.
RHS Journal of 1907-8
Featured in the 1907 RHS Indoor Trials. Orchid flowered, red, edged with yellow. Green foliage.
RHS Journal of 1908-9
Featured in the 1908 RHS Outdoor Trials. Orchid flowered, red, edged with yellow. Green foliage.
Das Geschlecht der Canna, by Árpád Mühle
Aphrodite. (Dam.) Höhe 200 cm. Laub breit, grün. Blumen in großen Dolden sitzend, gold gelb mit lachs rothen Flecken und Zeichnungen.
Standardized Plant Names, 1942
Listed, but no description.
Cultivar

Asia

Canna ‘Asia’
(Italian Group)

ORIGIN SPRENGER K.
HEIGHT Medium, 1-2 metres
FOLIAGE Dark green
FORM Upright
FLOWER Multi-coloured
FLOWERING Average bloomer

Canna ‘Asia’ is a medium sized Italian Group cultivar; dark green foliage, oval-acuminate shaped, white margin, upright habit; oval stems, coloured green; flowers are self-coloured gold, throat dotted scarlet, staminodes are large, edges regular, average bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; seed is sterile, pollen is low fertile; rhizomes are long and thin, coloured white; tillering is prolific. Still available in Southern and Eastern Europe.

Our earliest reference to this specimen is Railton & Co., Australia, 1900-1903.

Canna 'Aisia'
Canna 'Aisia'