Canna
CAN-ah. Canna family, Cannaceae.
Grown for their enormous leaves and showy hot-colored flowers in shades of yellow, red-orange, red and hot pink, cannas are native to Asia and the tropics of North and South America. There are about 50 species of rhizomatous perennials in the genus, but gardeners primarily grow cultivars, which add a dramatic, tropical flair to gardens. Hummingbirds visit canna flowers, like 'Tropical Rose' (pictured at right).
How To Grow
Cannas thrive in full sun and well-drained, evenly moist soil rich in organic matter. Wet soil rots the fleshy rhizomes. From Zone 8 south, grow cannas outdoors year-round. In the North, either replace them annually or overwinter the rhizomes indoors. Cannas can be started from seeds, but purchasing rhizomes is faster, and the only way to get most of the improved cultivars.
Rhizomes should have one or two pointed growing tips and be thick, fleshy, and firm with no soft spots. From Zone 7 south, plant the rhizomes outdoors, in soil amended with organic matter, after the last spring frost date. In the North, pot up the rhizomes indoors with the growing tips just under the soil surface. Keep them warm (75°F) and barely moist until they begin to grow, then move them to a sunny spot. Keep them evenly moist, and fertilize weekly. Transplant to the garden after the last frost date, once the soil has warmed to about 65°F. Mulch, water regularly, and feed monthly in summer. Deadhead to keep the plants neat looking and encourage rebloom.
To overwinter, dig them after a light frost and cut back the tops. Store the rhizomes in barely damp vermiculite, peat or sand in a cool (40° to 50°F), dry place. Sprinkle the soil with water occasionally during winter to keep the roots from shriveling. In spring, cut the rhizomes into pieces with two growing points each and start them as you would new rhizomes. (Do not divide the rhizomes in fall before storage, because the cut surfaces tend to rot over winter.)
To start from seeds, sow in midwinter. Nick the hard seed coats with a file and soak the seeds in warm water for 48 hours. Then place the seeds in a plastic bag filled with moist peat moss and set it in a warm (75°F) place. Inspect the bag every few days and pot up seedlings as they appear. Seed-grown plants will produce rhizomes that can be overwintered in subsequent years. Use cannas with annuals and perennials in beds and borders, in mass plantings, along foundations or shrub borders, as well as in tubs or large containers.
C. x generalis p.
c. x gen-er-AL-iss.
Bold 5- to 6-foot-tall perennials with 1- to 2-foot-long leaves that can be green or are variegated. Showy, 1-foot-tall clusters of 3- to 5-inch flowers bloom from midsummer to frost. Many cultivars with solid green leaves and flowers in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink or bicolor are available. Types grown for foliage as well as flowers include 'Pretoria' (also called 'Bengal Tiger') with orange-yellow blooms and yellow-striped leaves (pictured at left); 'Roi Humbert' or 'Red King Humbert,' bronze-purple leaves and red flowers; and 'Durban' with red flowers and leaves striped with orange, yellow and red. Dwarf cultivars include 2-foot-tall 'Tropical Rose,' (pictured at top right) with rose-pink flowers, and 2 1/2- to 3-foot-tall "Pfitzer" series cultivars, both of which can be grown from seeds. Tender perennial or warm-weather annual.
EXCLUSIVE ONLINE ONLY AUTHOR’S NOTE
(Text does not appear in book.)
Cannas for the Landscape
A wealth of new canna cultivars have been introduced in recent years, including dwarf cultivars suitable for smaller gardens or for planting near the front of beds and borders. Full-size plants are ideal for adding height and substance to the back of a border or for lining a fence or other landscape feature. Variegated-leaved selections are among the "hottest" tender perennials grown today. Use them to add rich color and a bold, tropical touch to any planting. In the lists below, cultivars described as "self-cleaning" drop their blooms naturally as they fade. This keeps the plants attractive looking without deadheading. Remove any seedpods that form to direct the plant's energy into more foliage and flowers.
Dwarf Cannas
'Apricot Dream' - Bears gray-green leaves and soft salmon flowers with rose throats. Mostly self-cleaning.
'China Doll' - A 3-foot-tall selection with rich pink blooms and green leaves. Self-cleaning.
'Harvest Yellow' - Bears rich yellow blooms and green leaves on 4-foot-tall plants.
'Lucifer' - Bears green leaves and red flowers with petals edged in yellow on 2- to 2 1/2-foot plants.
'Orange Punch’ - A 2 1/2- to 3-foot-tall selection bearing tangerine-orange blossoms with yellow throats. Self-cleaning.
'Pfitzer's Primrose Yellow' - Bears pale yellow flowers on 2-foot, green-leaved plants.
'Pfitzer's Crimson Beauty' - Green-leaved cultivar with brilliant red blooms. Reaches 2 feet.
'Pink Beauty' - A 2- to 3-foot-tall selection with green leaves and hot pink flowers. Each petal is outlined with a delicate tracing of gold.
'Picasso' - Features yellow blooms heavily spotted with red set against green leaves. Plants are 2 1/2 to 3 feet tall.
'Red Futurity' - Bears dark, bronze-green to black leaves and deep red flowers. Self-cleaning.
'Rose Futurity' - Bears dark, burgundy leaves and rich coral-pink and rose flowers. Self-cleaning.
'The President' - Green foliage set off large clusters of rich red flowers on 3- to 4-foot plants.
Standard-Size Cannas
All of the following cultivars reach 4 to 6 feet in height by the end of the season.
'Australia' - Features especially rich burgundy-black leaves that hold well in summer heat. Flowers are rich red.
'City of Portland' - Bears deep pink flowers set off by green leaves.
'Cleopatra' - Green-leaved plants produce flowers in various combinations of red, white or yellow.
'Intrigue' - Burgundy-leaved selection with pale salmon flowers. Large plants range from 6 to 10 feet by the end of summer.
'Red King Humbert' - Handsome burgundy foliage sets off scarlet flowers.
'Wyoming' - Bears glowing, burnt orange flowers and handsome burgundy leaves.
'Yellow King Humbert' - Deep yellow flowers contrasted against rich burgundy leaves.
Cannas With Variegated Leaves
'Durban' - Handsome leaves striped with reds, yellows and greens and scarlet red flowers.
'Pretoria' - Bears striking, yellow-and-green striped leaves edged in maroon and topped by bright orange flowers. (Pictured above left.) Also sold as 'Bengal Tiger.’
'Phaseon' - Bears purple leaves striped with yellow and red. Topped by orange flowers in summer.
'Pink Sunburst' - Bears green-and-yellow-striped leaves that have a glowing pink cast. The 3-foot-plants produce salmon-pink flowers.
'Striped Beauty' - Dwarf, 2- to 3-foot-tall selection with yellow-and-green-striped leaves. Flowers are yellow with white stripes and open from red buds.
'Stuttgart' - Leaves are variegated with blocks or blotches of green and creamy white. Best in light shade, especially in the afternoon, because the white portions of the leaves tend to burn. Bears small peach-pink flowers.
For the Plant Of The Month index click here.
The above copyrighted information is adapted with permission from the "Taylor’s Guide to Annuals: How to select and grow more than 400 annuals, biennials, and tender perennials," (Houghton Mifflin, 1999, softcover) written by Barbara W. Ellis and published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. The Exclusive Online Only Author's Note comes directly from Ellis and is not included in the book.
Ellis is also the author of "Taylor's Guide to Growing North America's Favorite Plants: A detailed, how-to-grow guide to selecting, planting, and caring for the best classic plants." (Houghton Mifflin, 1998, softcover). Country Living magazine called this comprehensive reference "The 'must-have' gardening book of the year."
For more information about these books, please visit your local bookseller.
Images provided by Houghton Mifflin Company.