Canna Lilies
Canna or canna lily (Canna) bring a tropical vibe with their exotic foliage and flamboyant flowers throughout the summer. Their bold flowers come in shades ranging from orange and yellow to pink, apricot, and white, often featuring spotted, mottled, or bicoloured petals that strikingly contrast with green or variegated leaves.
Native to tropical America, the plant grows well in warm to hot climates with good moisture. These plants thrive in poolside settings or in damp soil, as they are tolerant of wet conditions.
Cannas are herbaceous perennials grown from rhizomes or bought as advanced potted plants in spring, summer, or early autumn. Plant 70cm apart, as established plants naturally form clumps. Established plants can also be divided and replanted (best done in winter or early spring before regrowth occurs).
Plants grow quickly in spring to reach 1.2-1.5m high and 80cm wide in summer. There are also naturally compact varieties for containers or borders. These compact cannas grow 60-100cm in height.
Visit your local hardware or garden centre for varieties to suit your location. Here are a few to consider:
- Tropicanna Black are grown for their boldly patterned or dark leaves in tones of black foliage and red flowers.
- Tropicanna Gold is a medium-sized canna that has exotic green and gold striped foliage with orange flowers in summer.
- Cannova Sunrise can be grown in the garden or in a pot. It makes a striking display with its deep green foliage and sunny yellow flowers.
- Cannova Mango has the colours of a tropical sunset with green foliage and dusty pink flowers to enjoy in summer.
- Cannova Red Golden Flame has bold red petals with golden-yellow edges, creating a striking contrast that resembles flames matched with contrasting green foliage.
Growing conditions
Aspect Grow in a bright, sunny location with sun for all or most of the day. They can be submerged in water features or ponds as they like waterlogged conditions.
Soil Cannas do best in good soil that holds moisture and is enriched with homemade compost and organic matter and/or Seasol Super Compost. In containers use a premium potting mix such as Seasol Advanced Potting Mix. They will also tolerate boggy soils.
Climate Cannas come from the tropics so they grow well in tropical conditions. They will also tolerate warm and cool temperate zones but may die back in winter. In frosty areas lift rhizomes over winter to protect them.
General care
Watering Cannas like moist, boggy conditions so water 2 or 3 times per week in spring and summer. Water more frequently if plants are in very hot, dry or exposed conditions or in containers.
Feeding and mulching Feed cannas when growth appears using a complete fertiliser for flowering plants such as Seasol plus Nutrients Roses & Flowers. Supplement feeding with a liquid fertiliser such as PowerFeed PRO SERIES for Roses & Flowers every 2 to 4 weeks. Plants in containers can be liquid-fed every 2 to 4 weeks while they are growing and flowering. Regular applications of Seasol also assist drought hardiness.
Mulch with organic coarse mulch.
Pruning Remove spent flowers and cut down growth to ground level in autumn. In cold, frosty areas cover the rhizome area with a thick layer of mulch for protection against the cold.
Watch out Cannas have few pest or disease problems. They may be attacked by aphids, caterpillars or snails and slugs. Use an organic method to remove them such as by hand (wear gloves), a spray of the hose, or for snails and slugs use a beer trap or barriers such as egg shells or sawdust.
