As the summer temperatures rise, you can count on canna’s (Canna x generalis) tropical foliage and flowers to stand out. They start blooming in early summer and continue through fall. Hummingbirds love the flowers too. With or without flowers cannas make a statement in the garden.
The dark foliage and bright red flowers of Australia Canna (Canna x generalis ‘Australia’) are standouts in the garden.
Ginger Long, © 2023 HGIC, Clemson University
Cannas are cold hardy in USDA planting zones 7 to 10. If you live in a climate colder than South Carolina, the rhizomes can be dug after the first frost and stored indoors over the winter.
Grow cannas in full sun to partial shade. In more shade, they will have fewer blooms. Cannas prefer moist well-drained soil, and some thrive in soils with extra moisture. Having your soil tested is the best way to determine what type of fertilizer to use when planting cannas.
Cannas can also be planted in pots. There are many dwarf cultivars on the market today that can give height to pots planted with annuals. Fertilize potted Cannas with an all-purpose fertilizer such as Osmocote.
Some canna cultivars are available to grow from seed, including the Tropical™ series. Many flower colors are available including rose, red, salmon, white, yellow, and scarlet. Plants reach 24 to 30 inches in height. Plants typically bloom 90 days from sowing. Another seed-grown cultivar is ‘South Pacific Scarlet.’ It grows 24 to 36 inches tall.
Tropical White Canna (Canna x generalis ‘Tropical White’) is a dwarf cultivar that can be planted in pots or the front of flower beds.
Ginger Long, © 2023 HGIC, Clemson University
Cannas can also be purchased as potted plants or bare-root rhizomes from your local nursery or online plant retailers. Here are a few of my favorite cultivars:
Tall and Medium Cultivars: ‘Australia’ (Canna x generalis ‘Australia’) grows up to 5 feet tall. It has deep maroon foliage with bright red flowers that rise above the foliage.
‘Bengal Tiger’ (Canna x generalis ‘Bengal Tiger’) reaches 5 feet tall with green and yellow striped foliage. It has bright orange flowers. Some gardeners choose to remove the flowers and just grow the plant for its foliage. This cultivar is sometimes sold as ‘Pretoria.’
Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’ (Canna x generalis ‘Bengal Tiger’) thrives in this part shade site with extra moisture.
Ginger Long, © 2023 HGIC, Clemson University
Cannova® (Canna x generalis) series is a mid-sized group of cultivars that reach 2.5 to 4 feet tall. The series has cultivars with solid green foliage while others have darker foliage. There are nine flower colors available. One of my favorites is Cannova® Bronze Peach with bronze foliage and peach pink flowers.
Tropicana® (Canna x indica ‘Phaison’) grows 4 to 6 feet tall. There are several cultivars available. The original has leaves with orange, pink, red, and green stripes and bright orange flowers. Tropicanna® Gold has green and yellow striped foliage with orange flowers edged in yellow. Tropicana® Black has deep purple leaves and scarlet and orange flowers.
Small Cultivars: Cannasol™ (Canna x generalis) series grows to 20 inches tall. Happy Carmen® has bright red flowers on green foliage. Happy Emily® has yellow flowers speckled with orange dots and green foliage. Happy Wilma® has peachy orange flowers and bronze foliage.
‘Tropical Sunrise’ (Canna x generalis ‘Tropical Sunrise’) reaches 36 inches tall. It has apricot and pink blooms on green foliage.
For more information, see HGIC 1146, Summer and Fall Flowering Bulbs.
