Africa

Canna 'Africa'

Canna 'Africa'

(Italian Group)
(Heritage Group)

Origin SPRENGER Karl
Parentage unknown
Height Tall, over 6ft/185cm
Foliage Dark
Form Branching
Flower Red
Blooming Average bloomer
Flowering Summer to frosts
Tillering Prolific
Available Specialist

Introduced by Karl Sprenger of Messrs Dammann et Cie, Italy in 1898, Canna 'Africa' is a tall Italian Group cultivar; bronze foliage, large, ovoid shaped, maroon margin, branching habit; round main stems, coloured purple; triangular flower stalks, coloured purple; clusters of flowers are open, orange-red tinged with cardinal-red, throat gold, staminodes are large, edges lightly frilled, petals purple, fully self-cleaning, average bloomer, flowers in summer until frosts, blooms open in the early morning; seed is sterile, pollen is low fertile; rhizomes are tuber-like groups, coloured purple; tillering is prolific.

Canna 'Africa' is available from specialist growers.

Research indicates that the first mention of this heritage cultivar is in the RHS Journal of 1898, the last record is Tropical Plants and Gardening, H.F. MacMillan, 5th Edition, 1954. Our specimen was imported from Austra-Asia.

References

RHS Journal of 1898-9

Damman & Cie, 1899
Africa - 1896 Height about 3 feet, leaves lanceolate, purple, bronzy, striped green with dark green shades. Very large flowers similar to a Cattleya of a rich purple scarlet, golden yellow and orange inside. A splendid variety.

Railton & Co., Australia, 1900-1903
AFRICA. Dark bronzy foliage, with rich orange-salmon flowers, darkening to scarlet in the throat. 1/6 each.

RHS Journal of 1908-9
2. Africa (Dobbie). — 0rchid. Canna ‘Africa’ Apricot to terra-cotta, irregularly shaded with deeper colour; truss rather small; foliage very rich, bronzy-crimson, striped with green; 5 feet.

RHS Journal of 1908-9
Featured in 1908 Outdoor Trials at Wisley Orange-red orchid flowered with dark foliage.

Das Geschlecht der Canna, by Árpád Mühle
Africa. (Dam.) Height 150 cm. Grows luxuriantly, foliage bronze with purple. Flowers very large, cattleyen-shaped, glowing purple-brown scarlet with orange-gold centre.

Cassells Dictionary of Practical Gardening, Walter P. Wright, 1910
Italian, or orchid, flowered scarlet, gold inside, purple and green foliage.

L. Clause Catalogue, Spring 1929
Bronze foliage. Crimson flower. Height. 1 m. 50.

Tropical Plants and Gardening, H.F. MacMillan, 1935
Fls orange-red, tinted leaves

Standardized Plant Names, 1942
Confirmed that the plant name is currently in use.

Tropical Planting and Gardening, H.F. MacMillan, 5th Edition, 1954
Bronze or purple- leaved, flowers orange red.

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