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Is this 'president'?

{{gwi:534264}}
They are about 3-5 feet tall. Most are right around 4 feet.

Comments (16)

  • capehlke
    18 years ago

    yes most certainly

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thank you. I was looking to trade, and I wanted to make sure what I was giving away.

  • eken9966
    18 years ago

    I would have to disagree. I am including a link to Karchesky's Cannas. Look up 'President' in the alphabetical listing. I think you will find that 'President' has much larger flowers than the ones I see on your plant.

    Warning Warning Warning Karchesky's website can be extremely addictive to a canna fan!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Karchesky and Harris Cannas

  • skygardening
    18 years ago

    Looks more like indica to me.
    Sky~~

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    eken9966, thanks alot!!! I just spent an hour on a Saturday afternoon looking at more canna that I don't have room for! You did warn me!!! :) Any ways, I believe you are correct. The flowers on "president" are bigger. What height is considered medium? I'm leaning more towards the Indica' cherry red. Thank you Sky!

  • eken9966
    18 years ago

    Just my opinion about sizes:

    Short = 1-2 feet
    Medium = 2-4 feet
    Tall = 4-6 feet
    Very Tall > 6 feet

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Indica and president are both listed as medium. I know it's just a guide, but some of mine are taller than the 2-4 feet you mention.

  • eken9966
    18 years ago

    Yeah, it's difficult to make Cannas understand those size charts. Sometimes they just get carried away and keep growing. :-)

    I think that is why they are just listed as sm, med, and tall without giving an actual an actual range in feet. Last year, my 'Princess Di' canna didn't get over a foot high, and bloomed its head off. This year, the same plant in the same spot is 2 feet tall, and has yet to bloom. Go figure...

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    IIRC, last year I had shorter plants and more blooms. At first I thought it was the weird weather. Who knows!

  • william_illinois
    18 years ago

    This plant is the species Canna compacta. Canna indica has fewer, smaller and more widely spaced flowers. The flowers in Canna indica are red and yellow.

  • skygardening
    18 years ago

    Robert Kemp does look closer. What color are the seed pods on it? And the stem color? In the picture the stem looks to be green. Doesn't Robert Kemp have a Dark stem?
    Sky~~

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Canna compacta isn't listed at the K&H site. I may be wrong, but I'm assuming compacta is a smaller plant. Some of mine are almost five feet tall. The seed pods are green, and the flower stem is green fading to red as it gets closer to the flower. I will check our robert kemp!

  • canna2grow
    18 years ago

    William Z., Illinois identified your canna. He is considered the premier canna species authority in the US. It would be wise to take his advice. The cultivar name ÂRobert Kemp is often used to market this species canna. It is often exchanged and grown from seed. Being a species allows this canna to reproduce from seed if pollen contamination is not incurred. Your photo quest will be better suited if you look for the ÂRobert Kemp label. Regards, Kent

  • skygardening
    18 years ago

    It must be Robert Kemp then. Mine is just a laymans guess by pictures that the experts have made over the years. I wish I did have all that knowledge, as I love my Cannas. I need help to ID half of mine also. Thanks William and Kent for taking the time to let us know what we have. I really appreciate it, as I ask often myself.
    Sky~~

  • william_illinois
    18 years ago

    The name 'compacta' refers to the flower head being compact. The name does not indicate that the plant is short.

    As Kent indicated, 'Robert Kemp' is a name that has been used for Canna compacta. They are the same plant. There is no need to try to compare them.

    The genus Canna was badly neglected by botanists for decades. While there was a recent scientific paper that redescribed the species, there are no popular books yet for you to refer to about the various species.

  • whip1 Zone 5 NE Ohio
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    I looked up Robert Kemp and it is the plant! Thank you so very much! William, I wasn't aware of your credintials. Next time you speak I will will listen closly. :) Thanks to all who helped, I had fun searching for the name!

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