Revisiting Canna 'Chouchou'

A small Crozy Group cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, branching habit; oval stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are open, yellow with pink spots, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, petals yellow, fully self-cleaning; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white.

Introduced by Ernest Turc, Angers, France, EU.

Revisiting Canna 'Champion'

A medium sized Crozy Group cultivar; green and purple variegated foliage, oval-acuminate shaped, branching habit; oval stems, coloured purple; spikes of flowers are open, salmon and rose-red, throat gold markings, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, labellum is gold, fully self-cleaning, average bloomer; 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 prolific. Introduced by Ernest Turc, Angers, France, EU.

There is a previous cultivar with this name, it is a medium sized Italian Group cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, branching habit; oval stems, coloured green; flowers are yellow with red blotches; seed is sterile, pollen is low fertile; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white and pink. It featured in the 1908 RHS outdoor trials at Wisley. Also, listed in the Standardized Plant Names, 1942, and is still being grown in France, EU.

The Turc Canna Dynasty

An interesting exchange of mails on the International Canna Club revealed details of the French Canna growing industry, that I was not familiar with, so I repeat them here.

The founder of the Turc dynasty was the canna breeder Adolphe Turc. He had 2 sons, Ernest Turc and Adolphe Turc. They each created their own establishments in the early 1960's. The two houses were called Ernest Turc and J.P. Turc et Fils (& sons).

Ernest Turc had 2 sons, Jean Turc and Robert Turc. Robert Turc was the head of the horticultural company Ernest Turc, of Brain sur l'Authion, Angers, France.

Some years ago Robert passed control of this company to the next generation of Turc, of whom there are several in the company, the organisation now being led by his son-in-law M. Velé. However, Robert continued to be active in the company.

Adolph, the 2nd of the originating brothers, had a son Pierre Turc (now dead), who had 2 sons Jean Pierre and Louis Marie, who jointly run the other Turc enterprise, Messrs J. P. Turc et Fils, located at Maze, Angers, France, a much smaller organisation, which also grows cannas.