Canna Cultivar ID?

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA

10 years ago

I a friend who has an unknown canna growing in her garden. Hoping someone might b able to ID it for us? It is so very lovely. I'd like to add it to my garden as well. Thanks in advance.

Patty S.

Featured Answer

canna2grow

10 years ago

Well it
certainly seems that the world plant specimens are being subjected to an ever
increasing number of ailments at an ever increasing rate. Much of this is a
direct response to the speed that both people and goods traverse the world and
the regulatory authorities are simply overwhelmed trying to screen for
problems.

Viruses in
cannas are rather widespread and often the grower or supplier is totally ignorant
of the problem or simply refuses to acknowledge it. Purchase cannas directly
from a reputable grower that is aware of the issue and checks their crop for
virus issues. Better yet would be to purchase cannas that have been virus
indexed. This is often done in tissue cultured plants and if the test results are
negative the plants would be clean at the time of testing. That is about as
good as it can get but few plants are sold this way at this time. Some cannas
being offered in a few of the box stores are grown from seed strain cultivars
(grown from seed) and typically would be virus free to start their growing
cycle.

Recently we
have begun to see some of our beautiful old hybrids being cleaned and offered
for sale at select nurseries.

Checking for
virus in purchased cannas can be somewhat inexact because the symptoms are
sometimes difficult to casually observe. There will be times in the season when
the symptoms are quite obvious. Doing a quick search for canna virus will
produce a number of leaf symptoms that range from mild to terrible. Keep in
mind that each canna virus produces somewhat different symptoms and plants can
be infected by more than one virus at the same time. It is always a good idea
to grow any new canna segregated from any existing plants to check for disease
issues.

The above is
not meant to scare one from purchasing new cannas but to rationally deal
with the problem and enjoy the results.

Kent

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Comments (10)

hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
10 years ago
Okay, I'm answering my own post, lol! Pretty sure this is the lovely heirloom 'Florence Vaughan'.

http://www.karcheskycanna.net/florencevaughn.html
canna2grow
10 years ago
Patty,

The cultivar
you pictured is definitely a lovely heirloom variety. Unfortunately many canna
cultivars from the past were renamed for reasons that are difficult to
understand in this age of instant communication. Many of these renamed
cultivars persisted in the trade for the past 50 years or more.

The valid
name for your cultivar is Canna ‘Roma’ and no you will not likely find it
listed by any current grower here in the states. It was introduced by Sprenger
in about 1898.

The original
(valid) cultivar Canna ‘Florence Vaughn’ was actually a yellow with many red
dots on the flower bloom with green foliage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canna_%27Roma%27

Your canna
is also sold under the name of Canna ‘Yellow King Humbert’. This name is also
invalid but has persisted for 40 to 50 years here in the U.S.

https://www.cannas.net/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/11/index.htm

With the
above in mind you may wish to look for the C. Yellow King Humbert and compare
to the one you see or check with Alice at Karchesky.

http://garden.org/thread/view/32392/Canna-Identification/

Best,

Kent
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hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you, Kent. I also found Yellow King Humbert, and you're correct, this is the cultivar (although misnamed). And so sad I cannot find 'Roma', I like it very, very much. I'll check with Alice to see if they will have this (along with 'Cleopatra') for next season. I'm re-doing a south facing bed at my house, and it will be filled with several tropical gingers, heliconias and cannas. With a couple of Solo papayas in the back, and a few philodenrons for some green. A nod to to Oahu, Hawaii. My second most favorite place besides where I live :-)

Patty S.
canna2grow
10 years ago
Patty,

For clarification
purposes; you will be getting the original Canna ‘Roma’ if you are able to
purchase the misnamed cultivar Canna ‘Florence Vaughn’ or Canna ‘Yellow King
Humbert’ from the above sources listed in the links.

Canna ‘Roma’
does exist but is sold under the different names. Please be sure to check for
virus infection in any cultivar purchased.

Kent
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, Kent. You suggest checking for virus infection if I purchase any cultivar. What are the signs and symptoms of this virus? Gosh, seems like we have something affecting about every nice plant specimen these days, sigh.

Patty S.
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks, Kent. I've spent some time doing just that - Googling - and have looked at numerous photos. I think I'm pretty clear on what to watch for. In fact, going out tomorrow to check my own cannas, just to make sure I don't have anything infected in my own yard. I want to do some more investigation to see what the vector is or means of transmission, with regard to spreading the virus. I'm a Master Gardener and a nurse, so have a pretty good eye. And appreciate the suggestions on how to purchase clean specimens. I've had quite the (quick) education on cannas. I just love them, and very sad to see this. They grow so well out here in my neck of the woods with little to no care.

Patty S.
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
10 years ago
That is one beautiful canna. Can you ask your friend for a division?
hoosierquilt USDA 10A Sunset 23 Vista CA
Original Author
10 years ago
Popmama, because she is such a lovely, generous person, she is sending me one in the fall. And, I'll send her a division of one of my cannas in return. But, we're now going to make sure ours are disease-free for sure.

Patty S.
popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
10 years ago
That's a beautiful friendship!