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Cultivar

Ambrosia

Canna ‘Ambrosia’

ORIGIN Ben R. Hager of Stockton, California, USA.
HEIGHT Small, under 1 metre
FLOWER Pink
FOLIAGE Green
FORM Spreading

Canna ‘Ambrosia’ is a small cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, spreading habit; flowers are open, salmon and orange, throat pink, staminodes are medium size, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not known if true to type, not self-pollinating.

Ben R. Hager of Stockton, California, was co-owner of Melrose Iris Gardens and a highly successful breeder of Iris and Hemerocallis. He also introduced several fine varieties of Narcissus.  He was also responsible for Eileen Gallo and Tropical Sunset. For a man whose breeding efforts were primarily focused on iris and daylilies, he also had the Midas touch with cannas. 

REFERENCES
Kelly's Plant World, California, USA. 1989 A melody of colors,
salmon, orange, yellow, pink. Foliage green. Height 1-2 ft.
RHS New Dictionary of Gardening, 1992
Dwarf to 60cm; fls large, pink
Louisiana Nursery Catalog, 1996
Exceptionally nice, dwarf Canna with showy clusters of very large orange-pink flowers on stalks to 2-5 feet tall
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(M) A compact cultivar with a fusion of salmon, orange and pink in the flowers. The foliage is green. Available only from a few specialist nurseries in the USA and New Zealand
Podgora Gardens Catalogue, 2004
Large petalled, orangy-pink blooms appear amazingly vigorous despite the fact that the stalk rarely ever grows taller than 60cm.
RHS HORTICULTURAL DATABASE, 2 April 2006
Ambrosia’
Cultivar

Eileen Gallo

Canna ‘Eileen Gallo’

syns. Eileen Gail, Eileen Gale, Elaine Gallow, Ellen Gallow
(Crozy Group)

ORIGIN HAGER Ben
HEIGHT Small, under 1 metre
FOLIAGE Green and purple variegated
FORM Branching
FLOWER Pink

Canna ‘Eileen Gallo’ is a small Crozy Group cultivar; green and purple variegated foliage, branching habit; oval stems, coloured green + purple; flowers are open, pale pink and apricot, staminodes are medium size, edges regular, petals yellow, fully self-cleaning, 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.

Mr Hager is renowned primarily as a highly successful breeder of Iris and Hemerocallis, so we are grateful that he has produced such a fine hybrid for canna enthusiasts.

Canna 'Eileen Gallo'
Canna 'Eileen Gallo'
Canna 'Eileen Gallo'

Our earliest reference to this specimen is David Clulow, 2001.