Musafolia Grande

Canna ‘Musafolia Grande’

syn Grande
(Foliage Group)

Origin KELLY Herb,
Height Giant
Foliage Dark
Form Branching
Flower Red
Blooming Average bloomer
Tillering Prolific

Canna ‘Musafolia Grande’ is a giant Foliage Group cultivar; green and purple variegated foliage, large, oval shaped, maroon margin, branching habit; half-round main stems, coloured green + purple; spikes of flowers are erect, self-coloured orange-red, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals red with farina, fully self-cleaning, average 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.

References
Kelly's Plant World, California, USA. 1989
Small orange flowers. From Venezuala. Huge. Foliage green. Height 7-9 ft.
Brockings Exotics Catalogue, 1997
(T) This one is a must for those that like gigantic foliage or are creating an exotic garden. The huge, wavy, green leaves are finely rimmed with maroon and matched by dark ribs and stems.
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(T) For the lush foliage effect, this is one of the best! In most seasons it will probably reach at least 2·4m (8ft) and so should be used as a specimen plant or for the back of the border. It occasionally rewards the patient gardener with small, red-orange flowers at the end of the year, although it would not normally be grown for its floral effect. It is probably a variant of ‘Musifolia’ and undoubtedly better and easier to grow. In particular, it makes more substantial rhizomes, which are easier to overwinter.

Musafolia Group

The Musafolia Group, having large leaves and being either tall or giant in size consists of cultivars whose leaves resemble those of banana plants (genus Musa). Until this group was designated, the cultivars were considered to be members of the Foliage Group.

The flowers of this group resemble those of the species and are not of the same size as modern cultivated varieties, but have a charm that appeals to minimalist enthusiasts.

The cultivars of this group are very late in flowering, if they flower at all. The editor has experimented extensively with this group and found that by keeping them growing, albeit slowly, over the winter months then they would flower in late September-October in the English Midlands.

See  also: Canna Cultivar Groups

Musafolia Peruviana

Canna ‘Musafolia Peruviana’

syn peruviana
(Musafolia Group)

Origin CHATÉ Emile
Height Tall
Foliage Green
Form Spreading
Flower Orange
Tillering Prolific

Canna ‘Musafolia Peruviana’ is a tall cultivar; light green foliage, very large, broadly oblong shaped, maroon margin, spreading habit; oval main stems, coloured green + purple; spikes of flowers are cupped, red-orange with orange-red spots, staminodes are medium size, edges regular, labellum is gold flecked, stamen is gold with orange markings, style is orange, petals yellow, 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 pink and purple; tillering is prolific.

This does not normally flower in northern climates, but if kept growing over the winter in a heated greenhouse or conservatory it will happily bloom either in late spring or the following late summer.

References
Le Canna, E. Chaté et fils, 1867
Introduced 1862.
Subtropical Gardening - Robinson 1868
Stems green and downy, 5 ft. to 6½ ft. high. Leaves very large, wide, light green. Flowers small, orange. Rootstocks very small.

Musafolia Rubra

Canna ‘Musafolia Rubra’

(Musafolia Group)

Origin ANNÉE Théodore 
Height Tall
Foliage Green
Form Spreading
Flower Red
Blooming Outstanding bloomer
Tillering Prolific

Canna ‘Musafolia Rubra’ is a tall cultivar; dark green foliage, very large, broadly oblong shaped, maroon margin, spreading habit; oval main stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are erect, self-coloured salmon-red, staminodes are small, edges regular, style is red, petals purple with farina, fully self-cleaning, outstanding bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules round; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured purple; tillering is prolific.

References
Le Canna, E. Chaté et fils, 1867
Introduced 1862.
Subtropical Gardening - Robinson 1868
Stems dark red, 6½ ft. high. Leaves dark purple-red, oval, very large. Flowers small, salmon-red. Rootstocks very tender, with fibrous roots. Neglected as too tender and not sufficiently distinct from several other varieties, such as C. Chatei-grandis, etc.
Claines Canna Collection 2006
Summary: A tall Musafolia specimen, with orange-red flowers over dark leaves.
Size: Tall
Flower: Orange red
Foliage: Brown