The Canna or "Indian Shot Plant." 



By Antoine Wintzer, West Grove, Pa. 



'1 lie Canna was a tropical [jlant indigenous to South 

 find Central .America and the \\ est Indies. One species, 

 Canna Flaccida, is a native of Florida. These wild varie- 

 ties were gathered by collectors and taken to Europe, 

 where they were grown and the flowers developed by the 

 leading horticulturists. The development of the im- 

 proved Cannas, as we have them today, is comparatively 

 recent. A few generations ago, the Canna or ""Indian 

 Shot Plant," as it was called (on account of its hard 

 rounded seed), was used for decorative purposes, princi- 

 pally because of its luxuriant tropical foliage, the plant 

 growing to a height of 6 to 7 feet. While good foliage is 

 a desirable quality, the early hybridizers devoted their 

 attention to increasing the size of the flowers, and also 

 their range of colors. 



The Canna that created the greatest furore, about a 

 quarter of a century ago, was Mme. Crozy, which was 

 originated by Alons. Crozy of France and the introduc- 

 tion of this still famous, large-flowering variety was an 

 incentive to other plant breeders in the horticultural world 

 to make use of the possibilities which lay in the Canna 

 flower. A few years later, in the early '90's, Damman. of 

 Italy, sent out the wonderful orchid flowering types, of 

 which Austria and Italia are fair representatives. While 



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these orchid-flowering varieties produced the largest 

 flowers then in existence, they were lacking in durability 

 and early flowering habit.s, which defect has been reme- 

 died by later introductions, including Xew ^'ork, Louisi- 

 ana, King Humbert and others. On account of their 

 robust habit of growth they are used princii)ally for in- 

 dividual specimens, also for ornamental hedges to hide 

 unsightly fences and some of our public park gardeners 



and owners of fine estates use them for the centers of 

 their immense Canna beds. Most of them are tall 

 growers and their silken, large sized flowers flutter in the 

 breeze at a height of 6 to 7 feet. The varieties of this 

 type, since they produce few seeds, are less numerous 

 than the garden Cannas. 



The i.iriginal Cannas were mainly contlneil tn >ha'li'> of 



"BLANCHE WIXTZER," PUREST WHITE. 



red and spotted yellows, but Canna breeders of the 

 present day have produced as great a range of color as 

 can be had in any one plant, from the deepest maroon, 

 almost black, ranging through crimson and scarlet, yel- 

 lows, and rich orange to pure snowy white. It is prac- 

 tically impossible to convey to the reader the almost 

 numberless combinations that now exist, and every taste 

 in color (except blue) can be pleased. It is necessary to 

 >ee a large mass of present-day Cannas to form a true 

 conception of their beaut\- and a view of them en masse, 

 in the evening of a summer day, just before dusk, is a 

 sight that is simply enchanting. 



The person who prefers the more delicate shades may 

 get the Mrs. .\lfred F. Conrad, Venus. Hungaria and 

 other soft pinks, and the stronger colors are represented 

 by Beacon. Comte de Sach, Duke of Marlborough, etc.. in 

 the reds. .'X few of the best yellows are P.uttercup. Eliza- 

 beth Hoss. Ciladiator, and Director Moltze. and for orange 

 we have California, Indiana and Wyoming. For years 

 there were no whites, or even an approach to wliite. iintil 

 .\lsace appeared. This variety was hailed with delight 

 as another break in color, but it was soon superseded by 

 Mont Blanc, which held the field undisputed for 10 years. 



