Courtesy of San Marcos Growers

Pride of India

Canna ‘Pride of India’

syns Raj Mahal, Taj Mahal
(Crozy Group)

Origin PERCY-LANCASTER Sydney
Height Medium, 1-2 metres
Foliage Green
Form Spreading
Flower Pink
Blooming Outstanding bloomer
Tillering Slow

Canna ‘Pride of India’ is a medium height Crozy Group cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, spreading habit; oval main stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are open, bright pink, staminodes are medium size, edges slightly frilled, petals green, fully self-cleaning, outstanding 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 slow.

Canna ‘Pride of India’ Courtesy of San Marcos Growers
References
San Marcos Growers, 2020
Canna ‘Pride of India’ – Tuberous perennial. Full sun.

This canna features large rich rose-pink flowers and green foliage to 4-5 feet tall Plant in full sun and irrigate moderately to occasionally. Hardy to 0 degrees F if mulched deeply. A favorite and flamboyant plant – it says “Canna” to us and if you like bright pink flowers this is the plant for you. Cannas became very popular in Victorian times with thousands of named cultivars named since.

The breeding is complex and so they are broken into artificial groups with names such as the Foliage group, the Crozy Group (also called the Gladiolus flowering cannas), the Italian group (also called the Orchid flowering cannas), the Australian group (from crossing plants of the Foliage Group with those of the Italian Group), the Premier group (triploids and crosses with the Italian Group, the Variegated foliage group, the Conservatory group, the Aquatic group, the Miniature group, the Agriculture group (for rhizomes with high starch yield) and the Musaefolia Group (banana foliage).

The name for the genus is from the Latin word ‘cannae’ that came from the Greek word ‘kanne’ meaning “a reed” or “cane”. The origin of this plant is a bit of a mystery – we have grown ‘Pride of India’ since 1995 but do not know who bred it.

The information on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources as well as from observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery’s garden and in other gardens that we have observed it in. We also will incorporate comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have additional information, particularly if this information is contrary to what we have written or includes additional cultural tips that might aid others in growing Canna ‘Pride of India’.