Canna 'Musaefolia Peruviana'

A tall Foliage Group cultivar; light green foliage, very large, broadly oblong shaped, maroon margin, spreading habit; oval stems, coloured green + purple; spikes of flowers are cupped, red-orange with orange-red spots, staminodes are medium size, edges regular, labellum is gold flecked, stamen is gold with orange markings, style is orange, petals yellow, fully self-cleaning, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules round; rhizomes are thick, up to 7 cm in diameter, coloured pink and purple; tillering is prolific. 

Introduced by E. Chaté et fils, sentier Saint-Antoine, Saint-Mandé, Paris, France, EU. in 1862. This cultivar does not normally flower in northern climates, but if kept growing over the winter in a heated greenhouse or conservatory it will happily bloom either in late spring or late summer. 


The earliest known book on Canna is "Le Canna" by M. Chaté and Sons, 1867, which provides us with the correct spelling of this cultivars name. 

Canna 'Chatei Grandis'

A giant Foliage Group cultivar; purple foliage, very large, broadly oblong shaped, upright habit; oval stems, coloured purple; flowers are erect, self-coloured scarlet, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals purple with farina, low bloomer; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 7 cm in diameter, coloured purple; tillering is prolific.

Introduced by E. Chaté et fils, route de Charenton, 143, Berey, France, EU. in 1862.

Canna 'Annei Rosea'

A tall Foliage Group cultivar; dark green foliage, very large, lanceolate shaped, maroon margin, upright habit; round stems; spikes of flowers are open, self-coloured carmine-rose, staminodes are narrow, edges irregular, petals red, not self-cleaning, late bloomer, blooms open in the evening; seed is sterile, pollen is fertile; rhizomes are long and thin, coloured pink and purple; tillering is prolific.

Introduced by E. Chaté et fils, route de Charenton, 143, Berey, France, EU. The flowers are few and late, and this is primarily a foliage plant, averaging about 2 ft. 4 ins long. Breeding is unknown seed parent x Canna 'Annei' as the polen parent.

Canna 'Annei Rubra'

Photo courtesy of Malcolm McFarland

A tall Foliage Group cultivar; deep green and purple variegated foliage, large, acuminate shaped, maroon margin, branching habit; medium thickness round stems, coloured purple; flowers are erect, self-coloured bright orange, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular; seed is sterile, pollen is fertile; rhizomes are thick, up to 7 cm in diameter, coloured pink and purple; tillering is average. 

Introduced by E. Chaté et fils, route de Charenton, 143, Bercey, France, EU. in 1861. One of the most free-flowering of the Foliage Group of Cannas. Canna 'Annei' was the pollen parent.

Revisiting Canna 'Annei'

A tall aquatic Foliage Group cultivar, equally at home as a water marginal or in the border; glaucous green foliage, oval-acuminate shaped, upright habit; round stems, coloured green; flowers are erect, self-coloured salmon, staminodes are medium size, edges regular, petals red, late bloomer; seed is sterile, pollen is fertile; tillering is prolific. Introduced by Théodore Année in 1848. A hand-cross of C. indica and C. glauca.

It is a very tall foliage plant, growing up to 300cm (9'9"), and topped by interesting small flowers that start in August and continue through to the first frosts. There are few plants with more architectural significance than a well-grown specimen of C. 'Annei' in a prominent position.

The earliest known book on Canna is "Le Canna" by M. Chaté and Sons, 1866, which provides us with the correct spelling of this cultivars name.

Awards: This is the world's first Canna hybrid, introduced in 1848. Winner of Royal Horticultural Societies 'Award of Garden Merit' (AGM) at the 2002 Wisley outdoor trials, 154 years later.

Synonyms: C. glauca var. annaei Petersen, C. 'Omega'

Revisiting Canna 'Chatei grandis'

A giant Foliage Group cultivar; purple foliage, very large, broadly oblong shaped, upright habit; oval stems, coloured purple; flowers are erect, self-coloured scarlet, staminodes are long and narrow, edges regular, petals purple with farina, low bloomer; fertile both ways, not true to type, self-pollinating, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 7 cm in diameter, coloured purple; tillering is prolific.

Introduced by E. Chaté et fils, route de Charenton, 143, Berey, France, EU. in 1862.