Cannas

A. Tropical Canna
B. Dwarf Canna
C. Flowering top on Canna
D.Low growing Canna

One of the most popular and easy to grow perennials is the Canna Lily. These are big leafy showy plants with big colorful flowers at the tip of the stalk.

Selecting which Cannas to grow is a matter of choice. There are several varieties and each have advantages. Dwarf, low growing, tall growing. Dwarf usually stay under 18 inches. Low growing range from 24 to 36 inches and tall or giant Cannas can reach up to 4-6 feet tall.

For example if you want to use Cannas on a patio to give it a festive and tropical feel, try the dwarf variety. The grow well in pots and can be moved around in different locations. You can also dig holes in your garden and bury landscaping pots up to the rim and move when necessary. Cannas are a great plant to mix and match. Mixing the dwarf, tall growing, and low growing and also mixing the flowering types, such as gladiolus or orchid.



Cannas like moist rich soil. Select spots that have full sun. In the Summer Fertilize monthly with a 12-4-8 fertilizer as per label instructions.  Removal of the spent flowers will help promote subsequent flowering throughout the season. Cannas generally come as potted plants or bare-root rhizomes. If planting rhizomes plant at least 2 ft. apart. I noticed that with adequate watering my tall variety reached 6 ft but because of the lack of rain this Spring, they were stunted and did not reach the heights of the previous seasons. I assume water was the culprit because they do not show signs of disease on the leaves.

These are my Tall Cannas. They are well over 5 ft.

 Texas heat has been a little unkind to my garden this year, but we've managed to adjust. Triple digits for a week and a half with no relief in the near future. Our heat index on July 20th was 112 degrees.

Cannas really do add tropical flair when all the flowers are blooming. These pictures are showing new blooms coming. The blooms before this were big and beautiful so I'm hoping these will be as well. The leaves have been showing the stress of heat and insects but I'm hoping a little TLC will fix that.

Low growing. These are about 3 ft.

Canna beds can get crowded year after year, so sometimes it's good to dig some up and replant them in other spaces in your garden or give them away.