Cannas are perhaps of the most eye-catching summer bulbs, with their ruffled spikes tapering to delicate buds.
Cannas Facts
Large paddle-shaped leaves and sheathing leaf stalks in colors of green or golden adorn the canna, which is renowned for its brightly colored blossoms. Although they don’t produce flowers, cannas are nevertheless impressive due to their large reedy canes and palmate leaves. However, they continue to produce vibrant blossoms until the first frost, even in the late spring or early summer. It is during the hottest months of the year, in late July and early August, when cannas really shine.
Red, orange, yellow, and pink are just some of the flower hues you can choose from, as well as green, bronze, and variegated foliage.
Canna’s Alluring Appeal
Cannas make a great tall border plant, and their narrow foliage makes them ideal for tight spots. When the light is set, the plant takes on a whole new appearance. Make cannas the star of a huge patio planter loaded with brightly colored annuals, such as geraniums. These cannas will grow in regions with water features like wetlands. You may also grow them indoors in huge planters near windows that are well-lit.
Incorporate cannas with a variety of other plants, such as grasses, lantana, zinnias, and snapdragons. It’s common to use cannas as both a large focal point and a discrete accent. In addition to their vibrant colors, cannas can provide visual interest to a garden by contrasting their foliage with other plants.
Cannas: When to Plant Them
- In late spring and early summer, plant outside. Temperatures in the soil must be at least 60°F (15°C). Cannas can be started in pots inside or in greenhouses if your planting season is short.
- Some people want to know how to find out the temperature of the soil. State extension websites may have this information for your state. The mercury thermometer can also be inserted into the earth by digging a two-inch-deep hole. You can also get a soil thermometer from a local nursery or hardware shop.
- Our planting season always coincides with the planting of tomato plants. Our Planting Calendar has tomato-planting dates in your area.
- Cannas can be kept in the ground all winter in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and above, which don’t face extremely hard winters. If you wish to grow your canna rhizomes again the next year, you must dig them up in the late fall after your first fatal frost in Zones 6 and lower. Adding straw or leaf mulch to protect your cannas or digging them up is your best bet in Zone 7. The USDA zone map is here.
Planting Site Selection and Preparation
- To thrive in the tropics, cannas require a lot of sunlight and rich, moist soil, but they don’t require any special care.
- Cannas prefer full light, but they can handle some shade. Select a location that receives at least four hours of direct sunlight per day. Early morning or late afternoon are the best times to get some sun.
- Compost should be mixed into loosening the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches before planting.
Cannas: A Guide to Successful Planting
In containers or in the garden, cannas lilies are excellent summer bloomers. A small amount of effort is required to make a huge impact with their eye-catching leaves and exotic blossoms. How to grow these delicate beauties:
When it comes to summer bulbs, cannas are one of the most eye-catching options. Plants in the tropics have big, sometimes multicolored leaves and flower stalks with brilliant blooms. Cannas can reach a height of 10 feet or more, depending on the kind. The low-growing annual petunias, sweet potato vine, and other dwarf kinds look fantastic in huge containers. When planted in the back of a flower garden or clustered together, larger types make a powerful, elegant statement. Planting cannas near a pond or in a wet location in the yard is an option due to their tolerance for moist soil.
- The color of the leaves is a common way to classify cannas. The city of Portland, with its salmon-colored blooms, is a popular green-leafed variety. Consider dwarf cannas, which can grow up to 3 feet tall in containers. Similar in size as Ambassador, but with reddish-purple foliage and bright red blooms.
- There were many turn-of-the-century gardeners who cultivated cannas from seed, but this is a difficult process that should be left to the experts, and canna rhizomes should be used instead.
- Despite the fact that they are not technically a bulb, cannas spread into the soil via a fattened stalk extension known as a “rhizome.”
- A low germination rate and requirement for filing or acid baths are two things to keep in mind if you’re growing from seed.
- Set the rhizome in the hole, with its eyes up, by digging a hole 2 to 3 inches deep. (And don’t worry if you accidentally plant your eyes down or to the side. It won’t be difficult for the new growth to find its way to the sun.) Give the rhizome an inch or two of soil around it. Firmly press down on the tamper. Ensure that the area is well-watered.
- Rhizomes should be separated by 1 to 4 feet.
- Until you see signs of development, you don’t need to water cannas very much. Cannas can sprout in as much as three weeks in some cases. One or two times per week, immerse the roots in a gentle stream of water once they have sprouted.
- Give the plants a good soak every other day throughout the hottest months of the year.
Cannas: What You Need to Know
To thrive, cannas need full light, a lot of summer heat, and a regularly moist soil environment. Planting cannas outside should only be done when the earth has warmed and there is no longer any danger of frost. There should be a distance of 1 to 2 feet between each rhizome. Cannas can be started inside or in a greenhouse about a month before the mild weather arrives in order to produce earlier blooms.
Fertilizing cannas on a regular basis is the most effective method of promoting their growth and blooming. Water and weed your plants regularly. Because they are tropical plants, cannas can only survive the winter outside if they are not exposed to freezing temperatures (USDA zones 9 and 10). You’ll need to dig the tubers up and preserve them indoors for the winter in most places. Make sure you store the tubers in a cool, dark, frost-free location when the foliage dies back.
Foliage color reaches its peak when the days reach a temperature of at least 59°F.
When the rainfall is less than an inch each week, make sure to water your cannas, which have a lot of broad meaty leaves. Use water liberally when it’s dry.
When it comes to fertilizer, cannas aren’t fussy. There is little care required to keep cannas blooming throughout the summer months. To give your plants an extra boost, you can apply a 5–10–5 or 10–10–10 fertilizer twice a year, in the spring and fall. If you want to feed your cannabis plants organically, consider using fish emulsion fertilizer, which has a higher nitrogen content. Using more nitrogen fertilizer can result in cannas growing taller on average. Cannas love rose and tomato food, so keep those on hand for a quick and easy meal.
- You may assist keep the soil moist by covering the cannas with a layer of mulch.
- Tall varieties can be staked if necessary.
- To encourage re-blooming, remove faded blooms from the plant.
Cut the flower stalk and any associated leaves to the ground after it has been deadheaded numerous times and is no longer producing blooms in order to help surrounding cannas catch more light and flower themselves. Just trim the stem back to the leaf if you want, which will last until the first frost.)
Caressing the Autumn Leaves
- In late October, trim the plants back to 4 inches in order to prepare for the upcoming exhibition.
- Remove the stems and leaves after the first frost has killed the foliage. Check the dates of the first and last frost in your area.
- Allow cannas to grow in the southern United States until the clusters become quite matted. Dig out the clumps, split the roots, and plant them in well-enriched soil every three to four years in the winter.
- Dig up the rhizomes before the first hard freeze (28°F) occurs in colder areas (Zones 6 and colder). See below for guidelines on harvesting and storing.
Pests/Diseases
Cannas have a low risk of infection. When cannas are kept too moist and crowded, they are susceptible to rust, fungal leaf spot, and bacterial blight.
Caterpillars can eat the leaves of cannas, but they are rare. The most prevalent culprits are slugs, snails, spider mites, and caterpillars.
Bean yellow mosaic and tomato spotted wilt viruses may be present in the environment.
It’s important to keep in mind that because some cannas have huge, delicate leaves, it’s best to place them away from strong winds.
Species to Consider
The Canna Tropicanna®, a tall canna, is a popular option. It can reach 48 to 72 inches in height and has stunning, iris-like tangerine blossoms and exotic bronze leaves. Make a statement on your porch or patio by planting in the back of your garden bed or in huge containers. Deer aren’t a problem because cannas are so simple to grow.
‘Los Angeles,’ a medium-sized diamond with a huge floret and an open face, is a rich, deep pink. Blooming from June to August, the plant is 42 to 60 inches tall.
Smaller “dwarf” cannas and spectacular “giant” cannas are also available.
Dwarf cannas grow to a height of 3 to 4 feet, making them a good choice for our smaller modern gardens. With its vivid yellow blossoms and leopard-like spots, the ‘Picasso’ is a true attention-getter that blooms from July till frost. Wyoming features deep burgundy stems and bright orange flowers from mid-summer till frost, bringing liveliness to a calm bed.
Do you want to see a gigantic canna? A favorite is the ‘Musifolia’, which can reach 8 feet in height. Make a big impression with its banana plant-sized leaves, which are also a great tropical backdrop!
Canna Rhizomes can be harvested at this time of year, in the fall.
Cannas need to be dug up?
Digging up cannas is only necessary if you live in an area that has hard winters. Canna-killing winter temperatures often occur in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 or below, however, Zone 7 may also be affected. Cannas can be left in the ground year-round in zones 8 and warmer.
It is necessary to dig up the cannas in the fall and store them inside for the winter in order to replant them in the spring. The pots can be moved to a garage or basement if they were cultivated in containers.
Cannas: When and Where to Dig Them Up
It’s best to perform this task after the leaves have turned yellow and died back, but before strong cold sets in. Most gardeners remove their bulbs as soon as the foliage dies back in the fall or early winter following the first light frost. Frosting cannas before digging isn’t required, although it’s a good idea.)
Tips for Harvesting Cannabis
Pruning shears are needed. Trim the rhizomes’ foliage to a height of 2 to 3 inches.
To avoid damaging the rhizome, use a shovel or garden fork to remove the roots. Gently loosen the dirt and remove the clump with your hands. Cut the foliage and remove the dirt. Clumps should be broken up into three to five eye bulbs/rhizomes each.
If at all feasible, let the bulbs cure for a few days to harden and prevent decay. The bulbs can be cured in a garage or a closet.
Bring rhizomes indoors for safekeeping. The best way to prevent bulb rot is to place them in newspaper or paper bags and sprinkle on some peat moss or another dry growing medium to help absorb any excess moisture. Do not allow any contact between bulbs. Cannas should be stored in a dry environment that doesn’t fall below 40°F / 4°C during the winter (often in an attic or basement).
During the winter months, be sure to check on your bulbs to ensure they don’t dry out. Use sand or peat moss if necessary. Rotted sections should be cut away or discarded if they are discovered. Remember that no matter what you do, some bulbs will fail to make it. Around 80% of people make it out alive.
Plants should be kept dry in pots until they can be moved outside for the summer. When nighttime temperatures reliably rise above 50°F / 10°C, plants can be replanted outside or transferred outside, often after the tulips bloom in northern latitudes.
Each separated piece should include at least one node, which is where new leaves will sprout in subsequent seasons when transplanting. Plants should be spaced 1 to 4 feet apart and 4 to 5 inches deep. In 10 to 12 weeks, they’ll be in full flower.
Wisdom and Humor
Hummingbirds may be drawn to the brilliant blossoms of cannas.
There is no relation between these perennials, sometimes known as “canna lilies,” and genuine lilies.
The Greek word kanna is the origin of the name canna. It refers to a plant that resembles a reed.
