Canna 'Tivoli'

A tall Australian Group cultivar; green foliage, large, lanceolate shaped, upright habit; spikes of flowers are pendulous, deep-pink with a wide ivory margin, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, petals yellow, fully self-cleaning, good bloomer, blooms open in the evening; 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 average. Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2008.
When writing, Bernard explained that plants of Tivoli are quite tall, (nearly 6ft) and leaves are obviously related to the pollen parent in that they are long green and quite pointed. However, the plants make a good sized clump quite quickly with foliage all pointing upwards. The rhizomes are not creeping like the pollen parent. Flowers are somewhat pendulous but nicely variegated. C. heliconifolia(Omega) is the pollen parent, "I have had some successes with using a species type as one of the parent plants, but a lot of ‘trashy' ones can result before getting the special ones I am after."
"We are now approaching winter in Queensland, and with a lot of recent heavy rain, rhizomes are already showing new growth from the base, and I haven’t yet cut them back to give the plants a rest for our short winter. I still have a moderate show of flowers in the garden, but as I said earlier, our winters are usually short lived, but with climate change, nothing is the norm any more."


Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Canna 'Temptation'

A tall Crozy Group cultivar; green and purple variegated foliage, large, oval shaped, branching habit; spikes of flowers are open, orange-red and yellow, staminodes are large, edges irregular, petals purple with farina, good bloomer; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured purple; tillering is prolific.

Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2009. The colour combinations in the flowers are quite unique, in that there is yellow spotting and shading irregularly placed over the hot orange-red blooms.

Bernard was quoted as saying that "I have been hybridizing for some time but this is the first time I have developed this form of spotting. Unfortunately I cannot name the pollen parent, the seed parent being one of my earlier reds, presently unnamed."

"Most of the other forms of spotting I have developed have been red and purple spotting over cream or yellow. To my mind, this is an unusual combination. In just one year, it has grown quite easily into quite a few clumps."

Bernard Yorke Cannas

Canna 'Sarina'

A large Australian Group cultivar. The outstanding feature is the foliage, which is almost black, the darkest foliage that the introducer, Mr Bernard Yorke of Australia, has ever developed. The new introduction has beautiful medium sized deep rose blooms.

Mr Yorke is quoted as stating that "This is a hardy grower, up to to one and a half metres... the foliage stands out in the garden and has been remarked upon even from a distance."

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Canna 'Rosebud Cream Supreme'

Another New Year and another new Canna cultivar. Bernard Yorke has released details of another of his new varieties, lauding in the long name of Canna 'Rosebud Cream Supreme', but one which Bernard feels sums up its outstanding features correctly.
A tall Australian Group cultivar; dark green foliage, oval and cupped shaped, maroon margin, upright habit; spikes of flowers are cupped, pale-rose and cream, staminodes are large, edges serrated, fully self-cleaning, outstanding bloomer; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose. Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2008.

A hand-cross between Canna 'Red Stripe' x C. 'Bengal Tiger'. Bernard confided that, "From this cross, I have obtained several Look alike Wyomings... in fact, their blooms are somewhat larger than Wyoming. With this cross, there were, to my mind, a lot of trash types, but I still have quite a few of them growing as they may be good for hybridizing on account of their vigorous stock."

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Canna 'Rosebud Cream'

News of a new variety from the Canna Biz of Bernard Yorke in Australia.
A tall grower with masses of giant green foliage, very large tubers one and a half inches in diameter, stems are thick as well to over one inch. The plant grows to nearly two metres with very large heads of tightly clustered cupped, cream blooms of a small size, the average bloom being about 2inches wide. Mature heads of blooms resemble an arranged posy of blooms.

Bernard Yorke, the breeder of this new, exciting variety is quoted as stating, "The parentage is C. 'Red Stripe' x C. 'Bengal Tiger' (aka Pretoria). It appears to set seed and have viable pollen. Whilst we are often aiming to achieve large blooms, sometimes smaller blooms can still make an impact in ones collection."

In a future blog, we will be discussing Canna 'Red Stripe'.

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Canna 'Mazurka'

Bernard Yorke, of Australia, has confirmed that after contemplating many names for the new Canna cultivar group he has created, he has settled for the name Australian Group.
The members of this new cultivar group are instantly recognisable for their very large foliage, inherited from the Foliage Group that provided the seed parent, and the large flowers, inherited from the Italian Group that provided the pollen. The actual cross was C. 'Red Stripe' x C. 'Bengal Tiger'.


Link to Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Canna 'Jezabel'

Bernard Yorke, of Australia, has stated that having been inspired by Canna 'Eva Maree Lleonhart', he has developed a darker version of this dwarf canna, but they are not directly related.
C. 'Jezabel' is a dwarf canna, with wavy green foliage and over-sized, dark spotted flowers of deep purple overlaid on  pale yellow which fades to ivory.
Jezebel multiplies up prolifically from the base, and forms a tight bunch of wavy foliage in a short time.

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Canna 'Elaroo'

Another one of Bernard Yorke's indigenous named varieties, Canna 'Elaroo' has behind it all of the vigor of the old Foliage Group, along with the flower size and refinement of the Italian Group.

A tall Australian Group cultivar; green foliage, large, ovoid shaped, maroon margin, branching habit; oval stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are open, ivory with cerise stripes, throat cerise, staminodes are large, edges regular, good bloomer, blooms open in the early morning; fertility unknown; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white and pink; tillering is average. 

Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2008, the breeding is C. 'Red Stripe' x 'Bengal Tiger'

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Introducing Canna 'Tivoli'

A tall Australian Group cultivar; green foliage, large, lanceolate shaped, upright habit; spikes of flowers are pendulous, deep-pink with a wide ivory margin, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, petals yellow, fully self-cleaning, good bloomer, blooms open in the evening; 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 average. Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2008.

When writing, Bernard explained that plants of Tivoli are quite tall, (nearly 6ft) and leaves are obviously related to the pollen parent in that they are long green and quite pointed. However, the plants make a good sized clump quite quickly with foliage all pointing upwards. The rhizomes are not creeping like the pollen parent. Flowers are somewhat pendulous but nicely variegated. C. heliconifolia(Omega) is the pollen parent, "I have had some successes with using a species type as one of the parent plants, but a lot of ‘trashy' ones can result before getting the special ones I am after."

"We are now approaching winter in Queensland, and with a lot of recent heavy rain, rhizomes are already showing new growth from the base, and I haven’t yet cut them back to give the plants a rest for our short winter. I still have a moderate show of flowers in the garden, but as I said earlier, our winters are usually short lived, but with climate change, nothing is the norm any more."

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

More Canna 'Félix Ragot'

On the 8th April I blogged an article on Canna 'Félix Ragot'. This resulted in Bernard Yorke, from Australia, writing to explain that he also grows this plant, under the name Canna 'Felix Ragout', having acquired it two years ago from Podgora Gardens in New Zealand. Bernard is also of the impression that this cultivar is a Podgora introduction.

The earlier blog also included a photograph of my specimen, which also emulates from Podgora, but which lacks the rather attractive spotting and distinct colouring of the stamen and style as shown on Bernards' specimen.

The next time that Bernard contacts Sonya he will make enquiries and establish the correct details. So, watch this space.

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Introducing Canna 'Port Denison'

A tall cultivar; bronze foliage, large, oval shaped, maroon margin, upright habit; spikes of flowers are open, self-coloured pink, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, petals purple with farina, fully self-cleaning, good bloomer; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured purple; tillering is average.

Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2007.

Bernard Yorke CannaBiz

Introducing Canna 'Temptation'

A tall Crozy Group cultivar; green and purple variegated foliage, large, oval shaped, branching habit; spikes of flowers are open, orange-red and yellow, staminodes are large, edges irregular, petals purple with farina, good bloomer; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured purple; tillering is prolific.

Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2009. The colour combinations in the flowers are quite unique, in that there is yellow spotting and shading irregularly placed over the hot orange-red blooms.

Bernard was quoted as saying that "I have been hybridizing for some time but this is the first time I have developed this form of spotting. Unfortunately I cannot name the pollen parent, the seed parent being one of my earlier reds, presently unnamed."

"Most of the other forms of spotting I have developed have been red and purple spotting over cream or yellow. To my mind, this is an unusual combination. In just one year, it has grown quite easily into quite a few clumps."

Bernard Yorke Cannas

Introducing Canna 'Rosebud Cream Supreme'

Another New Year and another new Canna cultivar. Bernard Yorke has released details of another of his new varieties, lauding in the long name of Canna 'Rosebud Cream Supreme', but one which Bernard feels sums up its outstanding features correctly.

A tall Australian Group cultivar; dark green foliage, oval and cupped shaped, maroon margin, upright habit; spikes of flowers are cupped, pale-rose and cream, staminodes are large, edges serrated, fully self-cleaning, outstanding bloomer; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose. Introduced by Bernard Yorke, Queensland, Australia in 2008.

A hand-cross between Canna 'Red Stripe' x C. 'Bengal Tiger'. Bernard confided that, "From this cross, I have obtained several Look alike Wyomings... in fact, their blooms are somewhat larger than Wyoming. With this cross, there were, to my mind, a lot of trash types, but I still have quite a few of them growing as they may be good for hybridizing on account of their vigorous stock."

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Australian Group marches on

Bernard Yorke writes from Australia, where the Canna season is in full swing, to show us the F2 generation of the Australian Group cultivars he founded when he first crossed Canna 'Red Stripe' with the Italian Group. The new group has vast potential, as anyone can see from this photograph.

Bernard stated that the foliage, as can be seen from the picture above of an, as yet, unnamed cultivar, has an impressive texture and they are quite large, as well as thick in structure.

My own reaction is to say "Look at the size of the staminodes on that flower! That is almost a Premier Group sized flower."

I fully intend to replicate Bernard's crosses this year, as the mixture of Foliage group leaves with large flowers is very impressive.

Bernard Yorke - Canna Biz

New joint Canna Sales announced

The Canna Wizard of Oz, Bernard Yorke, of Park Ridge, Australia, has been breeding and hybridizing cannas on his Queensland property for many years.

On his retirement from business, Bernard created a mail order business selling Cannas which he called CANNABIZ. This has been operating for some years.

Now it is announced that when International buyers access the CANNABIZ site to purchase cannas, they can also purchase from the Classical Collection of cannas called CANPELKNI BLOOMS, see link below. By purchasing from these two joint collections, buyers can save on permit fees as well as postage. i.e. CANNABIZ can combine both shipments in the one consignment.

Link to Canpelkni Blooms

Link to Cannas by Bernard Yorke

New Canna Australian Group

Bernard Yorke, of Australia, has confirmed that after contemplating many names for the new Canna cultivar group he has created, he has settled for the name Australian Group.

The members of this new cultivar group are instantly recognisable for their very large foliage, inherited from the Foliage Group that provided the seed parent, and the large flowers, inherited from the Italian Group that provided the pollen. The actual cross was C. 'Red Stripe' x C. 'Bengal Tiger'.

Members of this new Canna Group were entered into the 2008 International Canna Trial and received praise from visitors.

Link to Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Introducing Canna 'Jezabel'

Bernard Yorke, of Australia, has stated that having been inspired by Canna 'Eva Maree Lleonhart', he has developed a darker version of this dwarf canna, but they are not directly related.

C. 'Jezabel' is a dwarf canna, with wavy green foliage and over-sized, dark spotted flowers of deep purple overlaid on pale yellow which fades to ivory.

Jezebel multiplies up prolifically from the base, and forms a tight bunch of wavy foliage in a short time.

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Introducing Canna 'Eva Marie Lleonart'

Submitted by Bernad Yorke, of Australia, it is interesting to be introduced to a southern hemisphere favourite that is unknown in Europe or the USA.

Bernard stated that, "I thought growers would like to see this Australian hybrid developed in the late 1990s...a most attractive dwarf growing canna with beautiful ivory petals featuring broken stripes of pale magenta with the lip being of a darker shade,... this is a hybrid from Cannabrae Gardens in Victoria and will be in collections for a very long time. I am pleased to have this in my collection."

I also understand that Bernard has also used this cultivar in his own breeding programme.

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Introducing Canna 'Sarina'

A large Australian Group cultivar. The outstanding feature is the foliage, which is almost black, the darkest foliage that the introducer, Mr Bernard Yorke of Australia, has ever developed. The new introduction has beautiful medium sized deep rose blooms.

Mr Yorke is quoted as stating that "This is a hardy grower, up to to one and a half metres...the foliage stands out in the garden and has been remarked upon even from a distance."

Cannas by Bernard Yorke

Bernard's new Canna Group

Canna 'Elaroo'

A few months ago I wrote descriptions of several new Canna cultivars introduced by Bernard Yorke, the Canna hybridist from Australia. I was at a little bit of a loss, as I could not assign them to the existing Canna Groups. The existing groups for those with short memory retention (like me!) are:

• Foliage Group- right foliage, but flowers too small.
• Crozy Group - flowers are OK, but the overall plant size and foliage size is much larger than this group permits.
• Italian Group - although a contributing group, it does not match the overall size, foliage size or flower size.
  
• Miniature Group - definitely too large
• Variegated Group - obviously not.
• Conservatory Group - not been tested in conservatory conditions.
  
• Agriculture Group - no connection with agriculture.
• Premier Group - flowers way too small for this group
• Aquatic Group - no aquatic connections.
  

These were cultivars that Bernard had created by crossing Canna 'Red Stripe' of the Foliage Group with Canna 'Bengal Tiger', of the Italian Group. The latter are very tall, with very large foliage, but with flowers that are much larger than the traditional Foliage Group.

Then it eventually dawned on me, the reason that they did not fit into any of the existing groups was because they *ARE* different. Nobody, before, has introduced cultivars with this breeding behind them. So, I believe that we now have a new cultivar group on our hands. Well done to Bernard Yorke!

All we need now is a suitable name for the group. It appears that the originator normally decides the cultivar group name, so come on Bernard, let's have a name for this group of cultivars.