Canna ‘Picasso’ is a medium sized Crozy Group cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, white margin, spreading habit; oval main stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are open, lemon heavily spotted with red, staminodes are large, edges lightly frilled, fully self-cleaning, good bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white and purple; tillering is average.
Dwarf Cannas make a spectacular show in your garden, but are also excellent for terrace containers. They are perfect center plants which can be surrounded by lower growing flowers and plants. This admirably textured variety is for sure a welcome addition to your summer garden! Height 2·5 feet. Topside rhizomes: 2-3 eyes Spacing 1 foot. 3 for $4.75
Large rich yellow flowers which are uniformly covered in deep red spots. The flower is large and somewhat square-shaped, and this, together with the darkness of the spots, distinguishes it from the other yellow-with-red-spots Cannas. Green foliage, and a fairly short plant which makes it eminently suitable for pot culture. Starts to flower at about 50 cm, and can grow to 1m.
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(M) All stocks of this have soft yellow flowers with light red spots. Although probably the commonest spotted Canna, the quality does vary and there are many inferior types, so it is difficult to know what the true ‘Picasso’ looks like. Readily available but generally not the best of spotted Cannas.
Summary: Large individual flowers are yellow, strikingly spotted red.
Size: An open, spreading clump with upright stems and gently spreading leaves. Plant height 155cm. Foliage height 120cm.
Flower: Staminodes are broad, yellow (13B) spotted red (N30A); labellum and stamen yellow (13B) streaked red (N30A); stigma orange unspotted; petals yellow, lightly tinged red at base. Start of flowering 26 June at Claines. Starts to flower at about 50 cm.
Foliage: Leaves green (146A).
Awards: 2002, ‘Award of Garden Merit’ in the RHS trials at Wisley.
A DISCUSSION ON ALL MATTERS RELATING TO THE CANNACEAE FAMILY; OF INTEREST TO GARDENERS, COLLECTORS, AND PROFESSIONALS ALIKE.
