Félix Ragot

Canna 'Félix Ragot'

syns Felix Ragout, King Midas
(Italian Group)

Origin 
unknown
Parentage unknown
Height Small, under 3ft/90cm
Foliage Green
Form Upright
Flower Yellow
Flowering Early summer to frosts
Tillering Average
Available Specialist

Canna 'Félix Ragot' is a small Italian Group cultivar; green foliage, oval shaped, acute apex, upright habit; round main stems, coloured green; flowers are open, self-coloured yellow, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, petals green, fully self-cleaning, flowers in early summer until frosts, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules round; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white; tillering is average.

Canna 'Félix Ragot' is available from specialist growers. The pure yellow of this cultivar is very impressive, and I am surprised that it is not more popular.

I have grave doubts about the origins of this cultivar, especially as there is no introducer ever associated with it. This is an Italian Group cultivar, with all the features of that group, so there is no disputing its botanical origin. The Italian Group cannas are mostly triploids, and are seed sterile. The pollen has low fertility, and there is no record of anybody or organisation producing new cultivars after Sydney Percy-Lancaster in India, and even he stated that the returns were not justifying the efforts, as the colours being produced were restricted to red, orange and yellow, and nothing new was being produced.

The facts mentioned above make me believe that this cultivar, C. 'Felix Ragot' is simply another synonym of an earlier breeder. The three major breeders of the Italian Group were Karl Sprenger (the originator), Antoine Wintzer and Sydney Percy-Lancaster, and the answer to this mystery probably lies in researching their published introductions.

References

French Grown Stock
0.8m. Green foliage. Yellow.

Claines Canna Collection 2006
Summary: A nice small plant with blooms all yellow with no spots or other marks. Green leaves complete a very neat and trim cultivar. Size: 80-100cm (31"'-3'3") Flower: All yellow, no spots or other marks. Foliage: Green. 

balisier,canna,cannacea,canna lily,canna seed,canna rhizome,canna plant,specialized growers,KAVB registered

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