Canna virus?
 

Hello,

I have a question about Cannas rather than bananas, but as Cannas are related to bananas, I'm hoping that someone on this forum might be able to advise.

In March, I purchased some Rosemond Cole Canna rhizomes from an online supplier in WI. Although they have all now sprouted and produced their first leaves, I'm concerned that these plants might possibly be infected with a virus, as the leaves have odd coloration, including many light-colored speckles. Photos attached. Your thoughts?

If these are in fact carrying one or more of the viruses that commonly affect Cannas, what are the chances that it might spread to the other Canna varieties that I've also planted (again, as rhizomes) this spring, including Tropicanna, Cleopatra, Pretoria, and Yellow King Humbert? I've read that, like most plant viruses, those affecting Cannas seem to need a vector (such as aphids) in order to transfer from one plant to another. If such a vector doesn't happen to be present in my case, is there a reasonable chance that my other Canna varieties will be spared from infection, despite their very close proximity to the Rosemond Coles?

Re: Canna virus?
 

UPDATE: After having looked at many example photos online over the past few days, I'm reasonably convinced that my Rosemond Coles were indeed infected with virus. So, yesterday (wearing disposable gloves) I decided to just carefully dig up all 10 of these plants, which have now been double bagged, and set out for pickup in the trash. It's just not worth it to risk the possibility of these plants eventually infecting my other canna varieties. Removing 10 diseased plants to potentially save 25 others from also becoming infected, definitely makes sense.

Incidentally, the Rosemond Cole rhizomes were imported by the WI supplier from Holland, which I've since learned has been having major problems with canna viruses for years.

Fortunately, my diseased cannas weren't very problematic to remove, since they were still quite young and I'd planted them with considerable spacing. As an added precaution, I took out a large amount of soil from around each one (leaving holes at least 12" in diameter & 12" deep).

A link that discusses canna viruses -

https://www.canna-virus.org.uk/

The symptoms that my cannas had, clearly matched those of the plants shown in the photos at the above link.

Re: Canna virus?
 

Defiantly a mosaic type virus.

Good call for the removal.
Hope it does not jump to your other rhizomes.