Königen Charlotte

Canna 'Königen Charlotte'

Canna 'Königen Charlotte'

syns J.S. Lochner, Johnny Lochner, Königin Charlotte, Queen Charlotte, Reine Charlotte, S. Lochner
(French Group)(Heritage Group)

Origin PFITZER Wilhelm
Parentage unknown
Height Medium, over 3ft/90cm
Foliage Green
Form Spreading
Flower Multi-coloured
Blooming Outstanding bloomer
Flowering Summer to frosts
Tillering Average
Awards RHS Award of Merit in 1893
Available Specialist

Introduced by Wilhelm Pfitzer Nursery, Germany in 1892, Canna 'Königen Charlotte' is a medium sized cultivar; green foliage, oblong shaped, spreading habit; oval main stems, coloured green; spikes of flowers are open, orient-red with a wide canary-yellow margin, staminodes are medium size, edges irregular, petals purple, fully self-cleaning, outstanding bloomer, flowers in summer until frosts, blooms open in the early morning; fertile both ways, not self-pollinating or true to type, capsules globose; rhizomes are thick, up to 3 cm in diameter, coloured white and purple; tillering is average.

Canna 'Königen Charlotte'was awarded RHS Award of Merit in 1893; is available from specialist growers.

This old favourite has been delighting garden lovers for over 100 years, and it's continual vigour and energy means that it looks like it will be popular for the next 100 years as well. This is a good choice for those wanting just a few specimens to liven up a dull border.

References

RHS Award of Merit (Pfitzer 1893)

RHS Journal of 1894

F.R. Pierson, Garden and Forest Journal, 1894

Among the new introductions which are held at high prices this year, Konigen Charlotte, which belongs to the Crozy type, is perhaps the most distinct. It is a compact grower, and the scarlet petals have a broad yellow margin, which differs essentially from the narrow edging of Madame Crozy. These colors do not blend together, but the line between them is sharply marked, the yellow of the margin being intense and the scarlet unusually brilliant. One-hardly knows whether to say that the petals are scarlet with a yellow margin, or yellow with a scarlet centre.

RHS Journal of 1907-8

RHS Journal of 1908-9

Featured in 1908 outdoor trials at Wisley. Gladiolus-flowered, classified under green foliage and flowers scarlet, edged with yellow.

Cassells Dictionary of Practical Gardening, Walter P. Wright, 1910
Gladiolus type bright red flowers edged with gold.

The I.W. Scott Co., Pittsburgh. PA, USA, Catalogue 1939
Rich pomegranate-red flowers bordered with golden yellow. Height 3½ feet.

Vilmorin Catalogue, 1941
Reine Charlotte. Feuillage vert. Rouge vermillion largement bordé jaune citron. Hauteur 0 mt. 70 --- Green foliage. Vermillion red widely yellow bordered lemon yellow. Height 0 mt. 70

Canna Handbook, Keith Hayward. Edition 1.06. © September 2000
(‘Queen Charlotte’, ‘Reine Charlotte’) G Ernst, 1892. Small loose flowers which are a brilliant combination of deep red centre and bright yellow margin. May be confused with ‘Lucifer’ but has a broader yellow margin. Very eye-catching. Bushy, with ribbed small green leaves. Medium height, up to 1·2m.

Ian Cooke, The Gardeners Guide to Growing Cannas

(M) this lovely old Canna was described in a 1902 catalogue as having ‘enormous flower spikes, towering grandly above the foliage, bearing a beautiful bouquet of large flowers of perfect form, with petals of velvety blood red, banded with a border of canary yellow’. This is basically accurate but the flowers are medium-sized and iris-like. The plant is quite compact with apple-green leaves. It is very similar to ‘Lucifer’ but has more yellow with a red cross in the centre. Raised in 1892 by G. Ernst.

KAVB International Canna Checklist, September 2004
Reine Charlotte' is a synonym G. Ernst, 1892; flowers orient-red (RHS 42A), edged canary-yellow (RHS 9B), leaves green, height over 80 cm. A.H.-R.H.S. 1893

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