Cannas are one of the showiest and most productive summer blooming flowering bulbs. The flowers stand tall against the exotic looking tropical leaves. The canna leaves are valued for its tropical look that resembles banana leaves. If you are looking for a beautiful summer bloomer, then canna will make a great addition to your garden.
Canna Varieties
Grand opera: 2 feet tall
Pfitzer Dwarf: 2.5 to 3 feet
Seven Dwarf: 1.5 feet
Are Cannas Perennials or Annuals?
Cannas are perennials. It will come back year after year. However, if planted in places with harsh, cold winters, it may not grow back the following year unless you move and store the canna rhizomes indoors over the winter.
How Big are Cannas?
Canna can grow 1.5 to 6 feet tall.
What Kind of Light is Best for Canna?
Canna grows best in full sun.
When is the Best Time to Plant Canna?
Best time to plant canna is during the Spring.
When is the Bloom Time for Canna Flowers?
Canna flowers bloom during summer to autumn.
Colors of Canna Flowers
Canna flowers come in many bright colors- red, orange, yellow, pink, cream, white and bicolors.
What’s the Best Soil for Canna?
Canna grows best in well-drained, moist rich soil.
How Deep to Plant Canna?
Canna bulbs should be planted deep around 4-6 inches deep.
Zone Hardiness for Canna
Canna grows in Hardiness Zones 7 to 11. In places without harsh cold weather, you can leave your canna in the ground all winter. If you grow canna in places with cold winter weather, you will need to dig up your canna bulbs in late fall so you can grow them again the following year.
Are Canna Flowers Good Cut Flowers?
Canna are not good cut flowers. The blooms do not keep well, however, the leaves are useful if you want to add a tropical touch to your flower arrangement.
How to Plant Canna
The first step to planting canna bulbs is to choose a nice sunny location. Pick a location where it will receive regular watering. Prepare the soil for your Canna bedding by digging up and mixing organic mix into the soil (see below for organic mix). Follow package directions for planting. Setting the Canna rhizomes after the last frost in spring where the climate is hardy for the rhizomes. Space Canna rhizomes 1.5 to 2 feet apart, cover Canna rhizomes with 2 to 4 inches of soil mix. In colder regions, start Canna rhizomes indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost so that you can give your canna a headstart. By starting indoors, your canna will bloom earlier than compared to planting canna rhizomes outdoors without the indoor prep. During blooming season, give the Canna plant plenty of water. To preserve the energy and to prevent fungus, cut to the ground level, the stems that have already bloomed. By cutting, new stems with flowering buds will continue to emerge from summer throughout autumn. Lift and store roots over the winter where soil freezes deeply.
Organic Soil Mix for Canna
The following is a simple soil mixture for garden and container culture bedding of Canna.
Canna Soil Mix Ingredients:
1 part peat moss
1 part other organic material such as earthworm castings, compost. Leaf mold or Nitrogen stabilized bark
1 part builders’ sand
After preparing the organic mix above, dig and mix the soil to amend the bedding for Canna. Follow planting instructions below. Water immediately and thoroughly.
How to Use Earthworms to Help Canna Plants Grow Better
Dig a small ½ inch hole beside the plant the day after planting and put a dozen live earthworms into it, then cover the earthworm with soil so that birds won’t come and pick them up right away
How to Plant Canna in Containers
Cannas make stunning container plants. The bright blossoms and bold exotic looking leaves will add a tropical touch to your space. Put the organic mix described above in the pot, plant the Canna rhizomes 2 to 4 inches deep water evenly. Put a dozen of live earthworms in the pot after a day of planting.
How to Propagate Canna
Buying new top quality canna rhizomes each year are costly. Single Canna rhizomes could cost $5.00 to $15.00. Fortunately, the propagation of canna is easy. After 3 to 4 years of patience and diligently propagating canna, you will have plenty of canna to use in your garden. All this from just one canna rhizome to start! Canna can easily be propagated. During early Spring, you can divide canna by separating overcrowded clumps of canna. Cut each canna rhizome into pieces with at least two growing points on each canna rhizomes, then plant each cut pieces of rhizomes in pots on potting mix described above and grow them indoors until the weather warms up. Another way is by cutting new leaf growth from under the ground around half an inch from the canna rhizomes. Then re-plant the new canna growth in a shaded area, with moist rich soil. Make sure to water it well and water it regularly.
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