Canna 2012

Having read all these posts about the virus it suddenly dawned on me that nearly all my Canna are infected, I'd been thinking these were 'nice' markings I'd got but now I realise it's not been the bad weather to blame for my poor canna showings this year. The affected cannas were all purchased from Homebase last year. What do you think?

Tropicanna Gold:


Tropicanna Orange:


Tropicanna Black:


Another Orange (following two photos) which I think is OK?



I reckon I should bin the lot and start again next year (apart from pete's cleopatra and some others I've grown from seed this year which look OK)

 

'Fraid so, JWK

 

No wonder mine have been terrible this year.

I think I fall into the category of novice Canna admirer, looking back through my photos taken last year just after I purchased them from Homebase I can see the virus infection already. At the time I'd never heard of it and just assumed the plant was supposed to look like that

Well they are nothing special so it's not a great loss if I bin them. In fact I'm now looking forwad to next year and getting some healthy stock.

 

I'm going to keep the one or two of mine that appear healthy. Next year when the new leaves start to appear it should be obvious if they are still clean or not.

I'll wait till after that to buy new stock.

 

Yes I probably did a lot of damage spreading it about last year when there were plenty of flowers. This year I've hardly got any flowers

 

This is a scary bit from that link to catch out the novice canna spotter (like me):

"There is no law against producing diseased cannas, and exporting them to other countries, so many commercial producers of cannas continue to do it.

...

Therefore it should be assumed that cannas purchased as rhizomes from hardware stores and garden centres will be infected. In early 2011 we purchased 40 pre-packed canna rhizomes from hardware stores and garden centres. 38 were infected with virus disease (these included rhizomes purchased from all the big multiples, and even from the RHS Wisley Garden Shop). It is possible that the other 2 samples will develop the disease later.

Also in 2011, visits to large garden centres and hardware stores to see growing canna plants showed that many plants being offered for sale were already infected."

I'm quite astonished that diseased plants/tubers are allowed to be sold and that the commercial growers aren't the slightest bit worried about selling them

If I'd realised at the time I'd have taken them back for a refund, it's a bit late now, but it's put me right off buying anything else from such places. Next year it will be Hart Canna for me.

 

Sal, it's OK to buy from a good grower like Harts - just a bit more expensive initially. Just need to be vigilant now we know what to look for and ruthlessly zap any that show signs of the disease.

 

Oh that's a shame to lose your nice collection Sal.

 

I think we all need to be aware that the source of a Canna virus is not just ordinary Plant Nurseries and shops. It's so easy to target them for the blame. Diseases to Cannas are past on by biting/sucking insects as well. I bought several Canna rhizomes from Harts last year, one being Yara.....and that's one I suspect of having the virus. If we believe Harts claim that they sell only virus free plants and rhizomes then the plant has been infected by insects blown in by the wind this year. What I'm saying is that no matter how safe we believe the source to be when buying a Canna the plant is still open to getting the virus while out in the garden in circumstances we can't control. So when buying Cannas we know we're going to take losses what ever we do.