Miss Cheryl, Canna will take all the water you are willing to give them. You could even set the pot in standing water. Not so much that you submerge it, but 1/3-1/2 anyway. That is the likely cause of the burnt looking edges. I would be suspicious of the streaks. If any part of the leaf contiguous to the streak(s) becomes necrotic, it is virus. I'm presuming it is a store bought plant/rhizome? If so, in the future, I would suggest Karchesky and Harris. Their stock was clean the last time I did business with them. Good people too.
FBG... so are you saying the plants aren't getting enough water? You said " If any part of the leaf contiguous to the streak(s) becomes necrotic, it is virus. " I do not understand the words, contiguous and necrotic. Could you explain it in "dummy" terms for me? Canna's grow all over the place around here. I even have some that I dug up along the river bed. I really wasn't looking for any more, but these were at Lowe's on the markdown rack. So I just got them to fill those pots. If they are diseased, it would be no problem for me to just toss 'em. However, I did pick up two more to put in the plant sale at the church next month. I really don't want to pass along an unhealthy plant to anyone. What is your professional opinion on these?
Miss Cheryl, sorry for the technical language. I get that way sometimes, the missus' eyes glaze over, and sometimes roll back in her head when I do that. contiguous = touching, next to, part of necrotic = dying or dead tissue My first reaction to leaf tip damage like that, is insufficient water. I have been and will again be wrong, just don't tell my wife please? I am no professional about canna, I would however, destroy those plants. I am ruthless when it comes to disease in my plants. I know many people who happily grow canna as an annual and dispose of the plants at years end. They care not about plant diseases, nor the vectors that spread it. I try not to judge (but it is soooooooooooooo hard).
Thanks FBG for explaining for me. I won't take the plants to the sale. I'll trim them back and give more water and see how they do. If they look better then I'll hang onto them. Otherwise, they'll go bye bye
FBG, I am really sorry to hear this about your Cannas. I do of course know about the virus through another forum, most of them grow from seed which you have done. I can give you a link but he is not cheap but after you had trouble it could save you in the long run. Not sure if Andy ships to where you are. http://www.deserttojungle.com/categories/canna/25/ I bought from him last autumn/Spring. He is not cheap but clean stock. K
So this virus is spread by insect chewing? I take it that someone has researched the possibility of it also being soil born? BTW FBG my condolences to you for the loss of your canna stock....
I will find out about virus in the Rhyzomes for you, I just asked at Twitter where I bought my Canna. I also want to be sure how to winter protect it.
Found this on a site I bookmarked today: Yellow streak virus is the biggest enemy of cannas. Carried by aphids, it produces yellow streaking on the foliage, which then becomes deformed. Destroy the infected plants and replant the following year with virus-free plants; the virus is not carried in the soil. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardenin...625/Cannas-hot-tropical-and-easy-to-grow.html So you want insects that eat Aphids, I believe one is Ladybirds, possibly Ants too. K
