Mutations and the Humbert Group

It doesn't matter if you call it Canna 'Yellow King Humbert', C. 'Queen of Italy' or C. 'Cleopatra', the fact is that the foliage of this Humbert Group sport is truly eye-catching.

See Canna Humbert Group definition

 

The plant is a chimera sport, which was explained to me as being two plants rolled into one, with each one fighting for dominance. The photo above shows a plant where  one stem is dominated by the purple leaf, and which will top-off with only red flowers, whereas the other stems in the clump have purple variegation on their green leaves and will probably top-off with yellow flowers adorned with red spots, but will produce red flowers as well.

The effect of the mixed clump is quite dramatic and most people would be tempted not to disturb the plant and continue growing it as it is, but  that can have unforeseen consequences. It has been my experience that if left alone over the course of the summer, the purple stems will begin to dominate the green ones, until eventually, if left to it's own devices, the clump is totally purple.

However, do not be alarmed, as I discovered that the remedy is very simple. You simply need to lift the clump sufficiently with a garden fork to allow you to break of the rhizomes carrying the purple stems, and carefully lower the clump back into the ground and fill up any holes with fresh compost or soil. The purple stemmed rhizomes can then be planted separately, and you now have a purple leaved plant that will stay stable, that is until the day it decides to become unstable and mutate again!