I have never really liked these things--the flowers are a bit bright and
seem to shout vulgarity. This year I have grown C. musifolia purely for the
big "sod off" leaves. The promise of no significant flowers and a plant now
over 9 feet tall has been fulfilled. It looks like a banana with smaller
leaves which do not get shredded by wind. I am now a convert and would like
to get hold of cannas with white flowers. Does anyone grow white varieties
and if so could they give me a few names and if possible suppliers.

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
I have never really liked these things--the flowers are a bit bright and
seem to shout vulgarity. This year I have grown C. musifolia purely for the
big "sod off" leaves. The promise of no significant flowers and a plant now
over 9 feet tall has been fulfilled. It looks like a banana with smaller
leaves which do not get shredded by wind.

Well done, 'Musifolia' is the giant of the canna world (almost
certainly a variant of Canna indica) and greatly respected by those who
get a kick out of massive leaved exotics.

I am now a convert and would like
to get hold of cannas with white flowers. Does anyone grow white varieties
and if so could they give me a few names and if possible suppliers.

Ah, now there's a problem. Most of the so-called white Cannas are
realy very pale yellows or blush pinks. I say most, because there's
not a lot and they are very rarely offered. This is possibly because
the palest of the pastel shades tend to have flowers that are extremely
weak textured and are rapidly reduced to a soggy mess in wet weather.
I don't think that any of the major suppliers are offering them at the
moment. They are so poor that I've never given them a second thought
and consequently, can't for the life of me remember a varietal name.
Now if someone could come up with a weather resistant, truly white
flowered Canna that would be something. Unfortunately, such a quest is
akin to the search for the Holy Grail.!

"DavePoole Torquay" wrote in message
ups.com...
Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
I have never really liked these things--the flowers are a bit bright and
seem to shout vulgarity. This year I have grown C. musifolia purely for
the
big "sod off" leaves. The promise of no significant flowers and a plant
now
over 9 feet tall has been fulfilled. It looks like a banana with smaller
leaves which do not get shredded by wind.

Well done, 'Musifolia' is the giant of the canna world (almost
certainly a variant of Canna indica) and greatly respected by those who
get a kick out of massive leaved exotics.

I am now a convert and would like
to get hold of cannas with white flowers. Does anyone grow white
varieties
and if so could they give me a few names and if possible suppliers.

Ah, now there's a problem. Most of the so-called white Cannas are
realy very pale yellows or blush pinks. I say most, because there's
not a lot and they are very rarely offered. This is possibly because
the palest of the pastel shades tend to have flowers that are extremely
weak textured and are rapidly reduced to a soggy mess in wet weather.
I don't think that any of the major suppliers are offering them at the
moment. They are so poor that I've never given them a second thought
and consequently, can't for the life of me remember a varietal name.
Now if someone could come up with a weather resistant, truly white
flowered Canna that would be something. Unfortunately, such a quest is
akin to the search for the Holy Grail.!


Thanks David that explains this statement from a US website
"This Curt Wallace hybrid is still regarded as the closest to white (as
judged by a team of color-blind nurserymen) that is available in the canna
family"
So it sounds like caveat emptor on eBay offerings of pure white cannas at
$5000:-)

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote
Thanks David that explains this statement from a US website
"This Curt Wallace hybrid is still regarded as the closest to white
(as judged by a team of color-blind nurserymen) that is available in
the canna family"
So it sounds like caveat emptor on eBay offerings of pure white cannas
at $5000:-)

Come on Rupert, never say never. You could set up a breeding programme
and eventually make a killing!

These people list one the called 'Creamy White' but they admit it's pale
yellow really.
http://www.hardyexotics.co.uk/
http://www.farnborough.u-net.com/variety.htm

--
Sue

"Sue" wrote in message
reenews.net...

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote
Thanks David that explains this statement from a US website
"This Curt Wallace hybrid is still regarded as the closest to white
(as judged by a team of color-blind nurserymen) that is available in
the canna family"
So it sounds like caveat emptor on eBay offerings of pure white cannas
at $5000:-)

Come on Rupert, never say never. You could set up a breeding programme and
eventually make a killing!

These people list one the called 'Creamy White' but they admit it's pale
yellow really.
http://www.hardyexotics.co.uk/
http://www.farnborough.u-net.com/variety.htm

--
Sue
It's going to be easier for me to accept that scarlet and yellow cannas are
tasteful. A breeding programme sounds interesting. Can I assume you are my
first volunteer:-)
Any road, who needs flowers when you've got the fabulous foliage of C.
musifolia.

Sue wrote:

These people list one the called 'Creamy White' but they admit it's pale
yellow really.

It is a very soft lemon and as far as that colour range goes, not a
particularly good one either. In hot sun the petals burn and in shade
they are too yellow ... if you want a 'white' that is. I'm glad you
mentioned it because I had that variety on the tip of my tongue
originally. I could see it in my mind's eye, but couldn't remember the
name. There's another that is pale blush and claimed to be a 'white',
but I can't think.

I've had a little bit of experience in trying to raise white flowered
plants from parents that do not have it in their background. It's not
easy and you often have to take a somewhat abstract route to get
anywhere near. Cannas are easy because you can see the results of your
efforts in a few months from sowing. They are difficult because the
colour you may be looking for can almost crop up, but brings with it a
host of problems, especially poor flower substance. No-one has
managed it yet and it maybe that no-one ever will. No harm in trying,
but be prepared to raise thousands of plants ... and chuck nearly all
of them away

"DavePoole Torquay" wrote in message
oups.com...
Sue wrote:

These people list one the called 'Creamy White' but they admit it's pale
yellow really.

It is a very soft lemon and as far as that colour range goes, not a
particularly good one either. In hot sun the petals burn and in shade
they are too yellow ... if you want a 'white' that is. I'm glad you
mentioned it because I had that variety on the tip of my tongue
originally. I could see it in my mind's eye, but couldn't remember the
name. There's another that is pale blush and claimed to be a 'white',
but I can't think.

I've had a little bit of experience in trying to raise white flowered
plants from parents that do not have it in their background. It's not
easy and you often have to take a somewhat abstract route to get
anywhere near. Cannas are easy because you can see the results of your
efforts in a few months from sowing. They are difficult because the
colour you may be looking for can almost crop up, but brings with it a
host of problems, especially poor flower substance. No-one has
managed it yet and it maybe that no-one ever will. No harm in trying,
but be prepared to raise thousands of plants ... and chuck nearly all
of them away


I've had a search around and 'New White' claims to be pure white as does
(nearly?)Canna x generalis 'Alyse',Snow Dragon and Chesapeake.
Some appear to be "new" -so lets see what comes up.
Your original comment about weak flowers may be pertinent to this lot.

On 4/10/06 20:29, in article , "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:


"Sue" wrote in message
reenews.net...

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote
Thanks David that explains this statement from a US website
"This Curt Wallace hybrid is still regarded as the closest to white
(as judged by a team of color-blind nurserymen) that is available in
the canna family"
So it sounds like caveat emptor on eBay offerings of pure white cannas
at $5000:-)

Come on Rupert, never say never. You could set up a breeding programme and
eventually make a killing!

These people list one the called 'Creamy White' but they admit it's pale
yellow really.
http://www.hardyexotics.co.uk/
http://www.farnborough.u-net.com/variety.htm

--
Sue
It's going to be easier for me to accept that scarlet and yellow cannas are
tasteful. A breeding programme sounds interesting. Can I assume you are my
first volunteer:-)
Any road, who needs flowers when you've got the fabulous foliage of C.
musifolia.


I'm not a great Canna fan and I persuaded Ray to move them out of the big
border to the left of the lawn in front of our house. They really do not
'go' with a Victorian vicarage, IMO and to his eternal credit for kindness
and indulgence he did eventually agree with me. OTOH, there are other parts
of this property where they can be grown and look entirely in keeping. I
think it all depends on what look you're striving for in your garden. In
some parts, away from the house, we can grow them and they look good but in
others, near the house, they just don't work. I like 'Durban' because I
love the leaf. One of the things I don't like about them is how quickly
they can look tatty when the wind gets at them. Have you tried Ensete
ventricosum which comes with a 'buyer beware' in terms of rate of growth!
Beautiful thing, IMO.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 4/10/06 20:29, in article , "Rupert
(W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:


"Sue" wrote in message
reenews.net...

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" wrote
Thanks David that explains this statement from a US website
"This Curt Wallace hybrid is still regarded as the closest to white
(as judged by a team of color-blind nurserymen) that is available in
the canna family"
So it sounds like caveat emptor on eBay offerings of pure white cannas
at $5000:-)

Come on Rupert, never say never. You could set up a breeding programme
and
eventually make a killing!

These people list one the called 'Creamy White' but they admit it's pale
yellow really.
http://www.hardyexotics.co.uk/
http://www.farnborough.u-net.com/variety.htm

--
Sue
It's going to be easier for me to accept that scarlet and yellow cannas
are
tasteful. A breeding programme sounds interesting. Can I assume you are
my
first volunteer:-)
Any road, who needs flowers when you've got the fabulous foliage of C.
musifolia.


I'm not a great Canna fan and I persuaded Ray to move them out of the big
border to the left of the lawn in front of our house. They really do not
'go' with a Victorian vicarage, IMO and to his eternal credit for kindness
and indulgence he did eventually agree with me. OTOH, there are other
parts
of this property where they can be grown and look entirely in keeping. I
think it all depends on what look you're striving for in your garden. In
some parts, away from the house, we can grow them and they look good but
in
others, near the house, they just don't work. I like 'Durban' because I
love the leaf. One of the things I don't like about them is how quickly
they can look tatty when the wind gets at them. Have you tried Ensete
ventricosum which comes with a 'buyer beware' in terms of rate of growth!
Beautiful thing, IMO.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

Well Cannas are* the *Victorian plant--probably popular because of the
gaudy colours which brought a bit of colour into their grey lives.
They are still used around here in municipal planting and they look
absolutely ------ along with the impatiens,lobelia and alyssum. Truthfully I
do admire the mass municipal planting of these things but not in my garden .
Ensete--Fab plants--easy to germinate from seed and grow to uncontrollable
proportions in 2 seasons. Ensete glaucum is the one I love and grow each
year. Overwintered inside and then allowed to die the following winter
because it is far too large to bring inside.
http://www.pbase.com/theukoasis/image/67393499
The Canna musifolia is a good substitute and has leaves that are less likely
to get shredded by a breeze.

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:

I've had a search around and 'New White' claims to be pure white as does
(nearly?)Canna x generalis 'Alyse',Snow Dragon and Chesapeake.
Some appear to be "new" -so lets see what comes up.
Your original comment about weak flowers may be pertinent to this lot.

'Chesapeake' looks to be by far the most promising being the nearest to
a white, but it was only released this year. They're all US raised
hybrids by Karchesky and don't appear to have made it to the UK yet,
even though one or two were introduced a few years ago. How these can
perform in UK summers remains to be seen and for me that's the crux of
the matter. I asked someone over there (in San Francisco) about these
and he's just replied suggesting that 'New White' can be rather shy
flowering and needs a deal of warmth to produce its buds. He also
points out that someone mentioned it being very tall, although that
hasn't been his experience so far.