OriginHoward & Smith HeightMedium FoliageGreen FormBranching FlowerPink BloomingGood bloomer TilleringSlow
Canna ‘La Bohème’ is a medium sized Crozy Group cultivar; green foliage, elliptical shaped, branching habit; spikes of flowers are open, peach tinged with pearl, staminodes are medium size, edges frilled, petals yellow, 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 pink; tillering is slow.
(M) The large flowers are very frilly and ruffled. Soft peach tints are overlaid with pearl and subtle hints of yellow in the throat. This is really the Prima Donna of this theatrical series!
Summary: Flowers soft peach overlaid with pearl. The large flowers are very frilly and ruffled. Green, large leaves complete the repertoire.
One of the Opera series of Canna bred by Howard and Smith Nursery of Los Angeles, USA in the 1930’s.
Size: Medium
Flower: Flowers soft peach overlaid with pearl. The large flowers are very frilly and ruffled.
Foliage: Green leaves.
Origin: One of the Opera series of Canna bred by Howard and Smith Nursery of Los Angeles, USA in the 1930’s.
OriginHoward & Smith, USA HeightMedium FoliageGreen FormBranching FlowerPink BloomingOutstanding bloomer
Canna ‘La Traviata’ is a medium sized Crozy Group cultivar; green foliage, elliptical shaped, transparent margin, branching habit; oval main stems, coloured green; triangular flower stems, coloured green; flowers are open, self-coloured old-rose, throat pale yellow, staminodes are large, edges frilled, outstanding bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white.
LA TRAVIATA. One of the newest Cannas. Chosen from new “Opera Series.”Clear, sparkling old rose, Color is softer than cannas at right, flower heads are larger. Each floret is perfectly placed. Medium Height. Prepaid. Each $1.10. ..3 for $3.00
Montgomery Ward, USA, Catalogue 1955
LA TRAVIATA.
One of the newest Cannas. Chosen from new “Opera Series.”Clear, sparkling old rose, Color is softer than cannas at right, flower heads are larger. Each floret is perfectly placed. Medium Height. Prepaid. Each $1.10. ..3 for $3.00
Montgomery Ward, USA, Catalogue 1961
Chosen from new Opera Series Cannas. New giant size. Clear, sparkling old rose color. Medium height. Blooms all summer.
Montgomery Ward, USA, Catalogue 1964
Opera series. New giant size. Clear, sparkling old rose color. Medium height. Blooms all summer.
Henry Field's Catalogue, 1969
LA TRAVIATA. A lively and delightful shade of old rose. Every petal is perfectly placed. The blooms are immense.
Kelly's Plant World, California, USA. 1989
Flowers rich deep rose to wine colored. Foliage green. Height 3-5 ft.
Cannas for the Florida Landscape, by B. Tjia and R. J. Black, 1990
Wayside Gardens. One of the “Grand Opera” series. Flowers old rose, slightly yellow a the throat. Leaves green. Tall.
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(M) The darkest of this series, this has large flowers in a rich rose deepening to wine (the colour of Violetta’s boudoir?). It is slightly yellow in the throat. The edges of the petals are primly frilly.
OriginHoward & Smith HeightMedium FoliageGreen FormBranching FlowerPink BloomingAverage bloomer TilleringSlow
Canna ‘Madame Butterfly’ is a medium sized Premier Group cultivar; dark green foliage, oblong shaped, green margin, branching habit; flowers are cupped, ivory and pale pink, staminodes are large, edges lightly frilled, fully self-cleaning, average 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 pink; tillering is slow.
Palest of the Grand Opera Series with large, gladiolus-like flowers in ivory, overlaid with shell-pink. It has a curious, furled, rounded flower shape with some similarity to a camellia.
Canna ‘Madame Butterfly’ is a member of the Grand Opera Series, originally developed by Howard and Smith Nursery of Los Angeles, California in the 1930’s. Wayside Gardens later purchased the series and added their own ‘Rosenkavalier’. All cultivars in the series have large flowers in pastel shades, green foliage and are quite tall.
Wayside Gardens. One of the “Grand Opera” series. Flowers are large and very pale pastel pink. Leaves green. Tall, over 1·5m.
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(M) This is the palest of the series with large, gladiolus-like flowers in ivory, overlaid with shell-pink. (The innocent young ‘Butterfly’?). It has a curious furled, rounded flower shape with some similarity to a camellia.
Rivendell Botanic Garden, List January 2001
Soft yellow flowers spotted red; green leaves. Medium height.
KAVB International Canna Checklist, September 2004
Wayside Gardens; flowers pale yellow, shaded pink, leaves green, height over 80 cm.
Summary: Palest of the Grand Opera Series with large, gladiolus-like flowers in ivory, overlaid with shell-pink. It has a curious, furled, rounded flower shape with some similarity to a camellia.
Size: Medium height
Flower: Palest of the Grand Opera Series with large, gladiolus-like flowers in ivory, overlaid with shell-pink. It has a curious, furled, rounded flower shape with some similarity to a camellia.
Foliage: Green leaves.
Origin: A member of the Grand Opera Series, originally developed by Howard and Smith Nursery of Los Angeles, California in the 1930’s. Wayside Gardens later purchased the series and added their own ‘Rosenkavalier’. All cultivars in the series have large flowers in pastel shades, green foliage and are quite tall.
OriginHoward & Smith HeightMedium FoliageGreen FormSpreading FlowerYellow TilleringProlific
Canna ‘Rigoletto’ is a medium sized Italian Group cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, spreading habit; oval main stems, coloured green; flowers are cupped, self-coloured yellow, throat some soft-pink mottling, staminodes are large, edges ruffled, stamen is yellow, petals yellow, fully self-cleaning, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white; tillering is prolific.
Wayside gardens. One of the “Grand Opera series”. Yellow/orange streaked flowers which remain closed and tulip shaped. Dark green foliage covered with bronze or purple streaks and lines. Tall, to 2m.
Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas
(M) Acclaimed in the past as the ‘finest yellow Canna grown’. It has huge, frilly canary-yellow blooms – show stoppers.
Summary: Said to be the finest yellow canna ever grown. It is one of the Grand Opera Series, and has large, lovely, clear, canary-yellow, ruffled flowers with some freckling at the throat. This is supported by medium green foliage.
Size: Medium, normally over 3.3m (4’4″)
Flower: Canary-yellow ruffled flowers with some freckling at the throat.
Foliage: Medium green foliage.
Origin: One of the Opera series of Canna bred by Howard and Smith Nursery of Los Angeles, USA in the 1930’s.
Karchesky and Harris 2006
Large lovely clear canary-yellow ruffled flowers with some freckling at the throat. Medium green foliage. Historically said to be the finest yellow cannas ever grown. One of the Grand Opera Series. Taller medium height.
A DISCUSSION ON ALL MATTERS RELATING TO THE CANNACEAE FAMILY; OF INTEREST TO GARDENERS, COLLECTORS, AND PROFESSIONALS ALIKE.
