Australia, diseased Australia or not Australia?

I've seen Australia growing -- a gorgeous, glossy blackblackblack -- but the five rhizomes I bought on line are making bronze-green leaves.

If it helps distinguish it, the rhizomes are fat indica-types with very short internodes.

These are getting direct sun most of the afternoon, and I just discovered their growing medium had completely dried out. So, although I've been watering them with the other plants, the dry medium was not absorbing it.

This would stress the plant, but I don't see how it would cause the color to be so different. Could this be something like Black Knight that the seller misidentified?

Some other canna rhizomes I bought might be diseased, but they were from another source and haven't been near these. Could the lighter color be the result of disease?

............ or was I just scammed?

The Australia which I purchased is a dark maroon-brown colour.
It does not have any green in it.

I think there are many hybrids being sold as named varieties.

I have my eye on a Red Humbert which is very black.
If it comes down in price--I'll buy it.

This message was edited Jul 4, 2012 12:54 AM

*sigh*

It's as I figured. Now I can't even find a record of the seller.

Good luck on the Red King Humbert. I'd love to see pictures if you get it.

Will do---if it comes down!

It's not 'Australia'. It looks to be one of the purpurea types.

^ Thanks for posting. I was hoping you would. That makes it conclusive.

And I managed to dig up the seller. It wasn't coming up in searching my documents and email because it was listed as "Australian."

Argh. Half the summer's gone, and I have to start over.

The Australias is keeping its colour, but I notice another recent purchase
of Scarlet Bronze is turning green in the sun.
It was quite dark in the store.

They sold out of the Red King Humbert!
I'll watch next year for it.