Canna patens (Roscoe) Tb. Tanaka

A medium sized wild species; green foliage, very small, ovoid shaped, arching habit; triangular stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are erect, yellow with a wide red margin, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals yellow, partial self-cleaning; fertile both ways, self-pollinating and also true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white; tillering is prolific.

Introduced by Aiton, and confirmed by Roscoe. Native of Mexico, thought by Professor Maas to be a synonym of C. indica L. but Dr Tanaka has categorised this as a separate species, confirmed by DNA sample.

Synonyms: C. aura-vittata Lodd., C. humilis Bouché, C. indica L. var. limbata, C. indica patens, C. indica var. limbata Peters., C. indica var. patens Aiton, C. limbata Roscoe, C. 'Little Dragon', C. longifolia Bouché, C. montana Blume, C. recurvata Bouché

Canna compacta Roscoe

A medium sized wild species; green foliage, ovoid shaped, branching habit; oval stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are erect, self-coloured orange-red, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, fully self-cleaning; fertile both ways, self-pollinating and also true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured pink and purple; tillering is prolific.

Species canna introduced to England in 1820 (Johnson’s Dictionary 1856).

Synonyms: C. 'Robert Kemp', C. rotundifolia André, C. 'Tiki Torch', C. 'Tiki Tourche'

Canna patens (Roscoe) Tb. Tanaka

A medium sized wild species; green foliage, very small, ovoid shaped, arching habit; triangular stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are erect, yellow with a wide red margin, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals yellow, partial self-cleaning; fertile both ways, self-pollinating and also true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white; tillering is prolific.

Introduced by Aiton, and confirmed by Roscoe. Native of Mexico, thought by Professor Maas to be a synonym of C. indica L. but Dr Tanaka has categorised this as a separate species, confirmed by DNA sample.

Synonyms: C. aura-vittata Lodd., C. humilis Bouché, C. indica L. var. limbata, C. indica patens, C. indica var. limbata Peters., C. indica var. patens Aiton, C. limbata Roscoe, C. 'Little Dragon', C. longifolia Bouché, C. montana Blume, C. recurvata Bouché

Canna speciosa (Roscoe) Hook. Part 1

A medium sized species; green foliage, large, oval shaped, spreading habit; round stems, coloured green; flowers are erect, red speckled with yellow, staminodes are small, edges regular, petals purple with farina, fully self-cleaning; fertile both ways, self-pollinating and also true to type, capsules round; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white and pink; tillering is prolific.

A species introduced to England from South America in 1820. Flowers from August until the first frost in October or November. This species has been confirmed by Dr Tanake using DNA analysis, so it's future as a separate species now seems assured.

Synonym: C. indica var. speciosa (Roscoe ex Sims) Baker

Species Canna compacta Roscoe

A medium sized species; green foliage, ovoid shaped, branching habit; oval stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are erect, self-coloured orange-red, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, fully self-cleaning; fertile both ways, self-pollinating and also true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured pink and purple; tillering is prolific.

Species canna introduced to England in 1820 (Johnson’s Dictionary 1856).

Synonyms: C. 'Robert Kemp', C. rotundifolia André, C. 'Tiki Torch', C. 'Tiki Tourche'