I purchased 8 Canna rhizomes, two bags of Scarlet Wave and 2 bags of Maudie Malcolm (2 in each bag) from a nursery in my area back in early March. I potted them up to get an early start and then when they started to sprout and unfurl, I noticed the leaves looked suspiciously iffy.
Can someone please tell me if I should just trash these or am I jumping the gun?
I'll post a few pics.
Thanks,
Toni
This message was edited Apr 28, 2011 2:03 AM
This is Scarlet Wave.
This is Maudie Malcolm.
Another Scarlet Wave.
most definitely
Abutilon, say it ain't so! I hate killing plants.
I wonder if the nursery would give me my money back if I hauled these over there and showed them. I spent almost 30 dollars if you figure in tax.
I am sorry to tell you that.
You should take them back and ask a refund.
Toni,
If they were the prepackaged ones (available from just about any store's gardening section) almost all of the ones I've planted have looked exactly like that. I tossed them all to save the rest.
Hi MerryMary, I'm so disappointed with this as they are growing away and I know I have to dump them. These were prepackaged rhizomes and I started them in the house.
I don't know if I should go to the nursery and ask for a refund or just eat the cost. I shop there every year for plants that can't be found at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. My husband is adament that we haul the pots over there and show them the virused cannas and ask for a refund or store credit. I'm a chicken and don't want to cause trouble or be told to "get lost".
Any opinions on what would be the right thing to do?
Toni
It's not the nursery. It's whoever is supplying those cannas dumping them on unsuspecting people.
I cannot believe some suppliers are still doing that knowing cannas like that will infect any healthy ones you may have.
If you have clean healthy cannas, you will learn a hard lesson to plant those among them.
I plan on calling the nursery to state my case and see what their policy is regarding diseased plant merchandise.
I used to grow a tall red flowered canna with burgundy leaves long ago and dug up and stored the rhizomes every year. I gave it up after having boxes and boxes of canna rhizomes that I didn't know what to do with. This was my first purchase of new cannas in many years; looks like it will be my last.
A business is only as good as their reputation. Maybe they did not produce the cannas, but they are distributing them and thereby, unwittingly making a profit off of diseased plants. If they are indeed, reputable, they would want to know about this, especially if they advertise themselves as purveyors of specialty/quality plants that you can't get at the big box stores.
Sharon
If there are more of them at the store, I'd look at the packaging and see who is supplying them to be packaged. The canna virus has been terrible, with large farms losing most. It's irresponsible for them to be selling bad goods. You may also want to contact your local Ag agency, just so they are aware that they are still being sold in your area. I've stopped buying any of the prepackaged ones, and only go with reputable dealers.
I also would recommend any time you buy canna, to start them in a large pot, so you can inspect their growth, before putting them in your garden.
Package states, "Grown from cultivated stock. Inspected by the United States, Canadian and Dutch Departments of Agriculture. Not for human consumption."
I have receipts from the nursery and on them it states, "No Returns/Exchanges on Live Goods. 14-Day Return on Non-Sale Items."
Also, each package cost $5.99 w 2 rhizomes in each. I bought 4 packages and out of that only 5 rhizomes were viable. The other three were black, shriveled up and dead. The packages were filled with peat so it was hard to even see what was in there. I basically picked by "feel".
This message was edited May 2, 2011 1:09 PM
Pardon me, but being new to this virus thing... I have cannas here that came with my house. They are what I thought was HEALTHY ! They have been growing here I figure since the 1970's maybe earlier. Are those splotches in the photos the virus? Or is it the light streaking?
My cannas have NONE of those signs, but I need to know what to keep an eye out for. Thanks!
i'll take a stab at this but if i'm wrong someone correct me..
If you have yellowing of any kind on your leaf keep an eye on them..
Lilyofthenight, those are real neon green/yellow stripes and splotches, not sunlight. I took some pics today in natural outside light. I'll post a few for your reference.
Another
One more
What irritates me is that I know one of these was virused from first it went out. I was truly surprised to see it is still being distributed to unsuspecting buyers.
And like the person with the healthy cannas, it will spread to ruin all their cannas.
Abutilon, I don't understand, do you mean that one of these varieties was diseased from the very beginning of it's introduction? If so, does that mean the growers consider the "virused" look of this particular cultivar to be it's "normal" look?
So -- being a newbie and wanting to plant cannas this year and hearing about this virus...WHERE can I go to get healthy plants/tubers?
Sharon
I did not have the one when it first came out, but I did the the other.
Some knew about canna virus then because it was written in Cooke's book. Others like me who were new did not know it.
When I saw it and what it was doing, I learned as much as I could about it from experts who helped.
We isolated the clean cannas away from the diseased ones so I could work with both, and as I was done with the diseased ones, we destroyed them.
I was saddened to see Toni's post here.
It makes me angry that some of these same cannas diseased years ago are still being distributed by those who know they will cause grief where they go.
You cannot tell by the rhizomes. You have to already have them and growing them to see their leaves to see they are diseased.
But by that time they have probably already been in contact with any healthy cannas that gardener may have.
This message was edited May 4, 2011 7:08 PM
i had some canna with the virus that i bought back in march. I was able to return them for a full refund. I'm glad i start everythings in pots or i would have been in trouble.
Hi darkeyes1023, I've been in contact with the nursery where I purchased these cannas and they have been cooperative and apparently removed and discarded their supply. Also, the grower was contacted by them and I am to expect a call.
I think its great when a nursery cares more about keeping healthy plants in stock over making money... If there were more like this, i think the cannas would be in better shape..
Toni..........Ty so much for the posts and pics. I am going to go take a look at my cannas right now to see how they are faring. Will report back with my findings. Thanks again!
Ok... Here are a few pics. The leaves I am posting are all new leaves. ANY white splotching seen is residue leftover from a dust I put out on the cannas a couple weeks ago to deter the catepillars from munching all the leaves.
Let me know what ya'll think. I don't see ANY of the splotches as seen in the virused examples, but I do see streaking... But it looks normal to me. These are all cleopatra cannas.
Thanks. :)
Another...
One more....
Last pic.....
Lilyofthenight, I am no expert on cannas and only posted here after first reading gardenpom's thread "Canna Question" and then seeing the first leaves emerge on my potted up cannas. They looked suspiciously like the pics on the web of diseased and virused canna. Hopefully, Abutilon will swing by and give you an expert opinion.
For what it's worth, in my opinion, your leaves look so much prettier than mine and the flower itself is beautiful.
Toni
This is just an update regarding my dilemma with the cannas.
The nursery removed all stock from their shelves and then contacted the grower/supplier to advise them of the situation. I was asked to email pictures of all the leaves to the nursery manager and he in turn emailed them to the grower who positively identified canna virus and agreed to reimburse the nursery and the nursery reimbursed me. I also received a direct call from the grower/supplier and was told that canna virus was identified through tissue culture this year on some of their product after they had received it from the Netherlands and they were promised clean canna for next year. What will happen, who really knows? I don't think they expected anyone to notice or to be called on it b/c initially I was told by the nursery that I was the first one to complain about this. I told them that's b/c most people don't know about it and you can't tell from dry rhizomes. It was then that they agreed to play nice. All in all, the nursery was very helpful and took immediate action to rectify the situation. I got my money back and will continue to give them my business b/c they proved themselves to be honorable.
Thank you Abutilon and everyone else for all your advice and knowledge.
Toni
Toni, Thanks for your input and keen eye. I am so glad that it all worked out for you. Seriously, I Have had a problem with a mail order nursery out of Illinois..... My first time dealing with them and my last. I won't go into detail here because I would have to write a small book. Let's just say I am out almost 100 dollars and not a Happy Camper.
Happy Gardening to You. !
When I did the Horn Co-op on here a few years ago (and you were able to go straight to their site and order with a DG code to get the discount) I can honestly say what I received should never had been shipped - I had over 6 beds of Canna's that were fine before I purchased over 100 rhizomes from them - I grew a lot in pots to get them started and they looked fine at first so I planted them in with my other beds - it was only while having a round up at my home that Tropicana said "Dee I hate to tell you this but your Canna's have Mosiac Virus" Upon closer inspection I could see they weren't what I thought as a stray varigation to the leaf but the virus.
Needless to say I destroyed all 6 beds knowing that not all canna's in a bed were infected - but just not wanting to take a chance it wasn't showing yet - overkill- perhaps (but because I grow a variety of gingers and elephant ears too I got rid of all Canna's - the virus is said to be able to cross over to them too)
I was truly devastated and sick to my stomach after having done all that hard work to only rip em out and destroy them...
Wow i didnt know they could cross.. Good to know.. Sorry to hear about all yours, but yes i agree its better to be safe.
I am truly sick. I have a pot of cannas that the leaves look awful. Everyday I would see them but was too busy to take a better look. I finally slowed down and can see they have something wrong. I came across the virus online. I think I have another one also and it sickens me to think of throwing them away. I will probably be posting a few pictures of some I am not sure of.
Thanks for the heads up on this.
So -- as a newbie, I will ask again. What is a reliable source for cannas? I wanted to get at least a couple this year and I have no idea what to do! I've had them in the past, but didn't get them out of the ground in time, so I'm starting over.
Sharon
I had only heard of dasheen mosaic on EE's in the past when I was told the mosaic from Canna's could affect other bulbous/rhizomous plants - so I'm passing along what I was told about the virus crossing over - hope it's correct....
I read with interest what Tony Avent posted on Plants Delights Nursery page regarding CMV - http://www.plantdelights.com/Canna-Lilies-for-the-Garden/products/499/
unbelievable that it costs 10K and up to do tissue replication to get rid of mosaic - and to do the entire market will take years...seems like a huge uphill battle...
Sandy - will look for your posted pics - perhaps it will be something else one of us can help you pinpoint!
ebayer Beloved 1 is a reliable source of amazing and healthy canna.
