Caption
Canna Tropicanna®: The original Tropicanna, Tropicanna Gold, and Tropicanna Black
Image Credit:
Anthony Tesselaar Plants
Botanical Name
Canna x generalis
Grown as
Toxicity
Sun Exposure
Water Needs
Height
Spread
Resilience
Plant Type
Planting
When to Plant Cannas
- Cannas can not tolerate cold temperatures. The soil must be 60ºF or warmer before planting rhizomes—often the time when folks put tomatoes in the ground. See our Planting Calendar for tomato-planting dates. Dig a small hole 2 inches deep and insert a thermometer to determine soil temps.
- In cold, short-season areas, start canna rhizomes in pots indoors or in a greenhouse, ready to transplant outdoors at the right time.
Where to Plant Cannas
Cannas need full sun for good flowering and consistently moist soil with a pH of around 6.0–6.5. Add lime before planting if your garden soil is acidic (low pH). Position plants away from strong wind; their large, soft leaves are vulnerable to damage.
How to Plant Cannas
- Space rhizomes 1-1/2 to 2 feet apart to give cannas enough room. Containers need to be at least 18 inches in diameter (per rhizome).
- Before planting, loosen the soil to a depth of 1 foot, then mix in 2 to 4 inches of compost.
- Dig a hole 2 inches deep and set the rhizome 1 to 2 inches below the soil with the “eyes” (bumps or nodes, which are growth sprouts) pointed up.
- Cover with 1 to 2 inches of soil. Tamp firmly.
- Water thoroughly, then withhold water for as long as three weeks and watch for signs of growth. Cannas are slow to sprout. Once sprouted, water at least once a week by slowly soaking the area around the roots.
- Full foliage color develops when days are warmer (59ºF or more). Blooms should appear in 10 to 12 weeks.
- Cannas should not need to be staked, as they have strong, upright stems.
Growing
Watering
Cannas need wet soil. If the soil doesn’t remain moist, provide a good soaking once a week and every other day during the hottest weeks of summer—water freely in dry spells. Maintain a thin layer of mulch to help retain moisture.
Fertilizing
Where the soil is fertile, fertilizer is optional. However, cannas are big eaters and would benefit from slow-release fertilizer at planting and twice during the growing season. Fish emulsion fertilizer, which is a little higher in nitrogen, is a beneficial organic alternative. Higher nitrogen fertilizers tend to increase canna height. Rose or tomato food products are also suitable.
Photo Courtesy of Anthony Tesselaar Plants
Deadheading Cannas
- To promote blooming, check your canna every few days to deadhead (i.e., remove spent flowers).
- When deadheading, use small garden pruners or scissors. Do not pinch with your fingers.
- Canna stems grow several flowers on a single stem. Snip off only the spent flower where it joins the main stem, leaving the other spikes to continue to bloom.
- Once all the flowers on a single canna spike have bloomed, you may cut that part of the stem back, but avoid cutting off any new budding spikes.
Cutting Back and Pruning Cannas
After the entire plant has been deadheaded several times and with flowers no longer forthcoming, cut the flower stem back to the foliage.
Only at the end of the growing season should you cut the plant—down to around 6 inches off the ground.
If the plant looks “trashy” or the leaves get sunburnt, however, you can simply trim off the brown edges (like a haircut) or trim off any dead leaves at the bottom near the stem.
Be careful not to nick the main stem. If the stem is damaged, cut it back to the ground.
You may see seed pods on your canna! These seed pods will make more cannas, so you can clip them off and put them right in the soil of your cannas; it may take a few years to get going, but you’ll have more cannas in the future.
How to Store Cannas for Winter
In Zones 7/8 and warmer, cannas can be left in the ground year-round. After frost kills the foliage, cut in-ground plants back to 4 inches. Add a healthy layer of straw or leaf mulch in the fall to protect rhizomes from the cold as the plants overwinter in place. (Note: Zone 7 doesn’t always experience canna-killing winter temperatures, so it’s a judgment call.)
Bring cannas grown in pots indoors into a garage or basement for winter. Keep them dry (do not water) until spring’s nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50°F, typically after the tulips have bloomed in northern areas. Only then move them outside for the summer.
In Zone 6 or colder, it is necessary to dig up (lift) in-ground cannas in the fall and bring them inside for the winter. After cutting the canna back (as above), dig out the rhizome with a shovel. Avoid damaging the rhizome by digging about 1 foot away from the stem. With your hands, gently loosen the soil and lift out the clump. Shake off the soil and cut off any foliage. Divide clumps into 3 to 5 rhizomes, each with eyes.
Cure the rhizomes in the sun or in a garage or closet for a few days to toughen them up and help them resist rot. Wrap each rhizome in a newspaper or a paper bag, along with a small amount of dry growing medium, such as peat moss, to absorb moisture and prevent rot. Rhizomes should not touch each other.
Store cannas over the winter in a dry place where the temperature will not drop below 40ºF. Often, this is a basement, attic, or garage. Check the rhizomes a couple of times over the winter to make sure that they don’t dry out. Mist with a bit of water, as needed. If you find rot, trip it away or discard the entire rhizome.
When spring’s nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50°F, replant outdoors. Make sure each divided piece has at least one eye; from it, new leaves will grow. Blooms should appear in 10 to 12 weeks.
Types
- ‘City of Portland’: 4 to 5 feet tall; green foliage with coral-pink flowers
- Ehemann’s canna: 5 to 8 feet tall; green foliage with deep rose-pink flowers
- ’Pretoria’, aka Bengal Tiger: 4 to 6 feet tall; variegated yellow-and-green-striped foliage with orange flowers
- ‘Futurity Red’: 2 to 4 feet tall, on average; burgundy foliage with crimson flowers; self-cleaning (drops spent flowers)
- ‘Toucan Yellow’: 2 1/2 to 4 feet tall; deep green foliage with golden-yellow flowers
- For a tall canna, the Canna Tropicanna® is a popular choice. Growing 4 to 6 feet tall, ‘Tropicanna’ boasts tangerine, iris-like blooms and exotic bronze foliage. Plant in the back of your garden bed or large containers for a dramatic statement on your porch or patio.
- A medium-size gem is ‘Los Angeles’, which has large, deep pink florets and opens out so that you can see the face. Growing 4 to 5 feet tall, this canna blooms from June to August.
As well as medium- to tall-size cannas, you can find smaller “dwarf” sizes and dramatic “giant” sizes!
- Dwarf cannas stand 2 to 4 feet tall and are easy to fit into our downsized modern gardens. ‘Picasso’ is a real attention-getter with bright yellow flowers and deep red leopard-like spots; it blooms from July to frost. ‘Wyoming’ has dark burgundy stems and lush orange flowers that bring life to a quiet bed from mid-summer until frost.
- Interested in a giant canna? One of the most popular is ‘Musifolia’, which grows up to 8 feet! With 3-foot-long red-vein leaves and red blooms, it makes a statement.
Thanks once again John! But I have a question...you're talking about "baby rhizomes"...what are those and how can I tell if we find any of them once we dig? My friend is very generous and says she's done this before thank goodness. I just counted all her cannas yesterday and she has about 20 (!!!) huge adult plants, all growing together in a very small area, I mean real small area, most plants less than inches away from one another. I think we're gonna find the rhizomes all grown together when we dig...I certainly don't want to injure her plants, which she would say won't happen, but they are all growing right on top of each other, no joke, and flourishing, all well above 6 feet tall and very hearty and beautiful. Any other advise you might have with this new twist thrown in? Thanks again so very much for all you're help!!! Best regards to you, Toni
Hi, Lets see where to start. If she has a lot of them, and they are thick planted, it's nearly impossible to NOT hit a root if you are using a shovel, and no, It doesn't seem to phase them much at all if you cut the rhisome in half. If they are well established plants, when you go to pull them out you will see all sorts of "babies" in the mix.. Then you hit the jackpot ( ha). If you see lots of them you can split the clup up 2,3,4 ways and have several plantings, in a 2-3 years you will have lots of them. I do it all the time. If she's being REALLY generous and has an area that she's thinning she probably needs to take out some any way. Take a shovel go around the area you want in a full circle, maybe 12-15 inches round, BEFORE you try to take it up. Then just get under it with the shovel and dig it up. I've done God knows how many this way. I've never dug any up that I transplanted that haven't came back. And if they have been there for a few years, she doesn't have to worry about hers either, they will come back just as thick in then next 1-2 years. As a matter of fact, if you do it this way, you usually don't disturb the plant much at all. I don't know what kind of soil they have, but my soil is good top soil so I don't do much at all. I simply go around the area I want with a shovel usually about 12 inches, when I get it out, I split it four ways, and plant them in different areas, but now my root system is VERY thick, lots of "babies", because these are well established plants. If her rhisome are thick, you aren't going to hurt them at all. If she has one plant here and there and you intend to just get one plant, then just go around it and try to take as much soil as you can with it. Planting: I usually dig a hole about 2-3 times as big as the "clump" that I'm plannting so It will be softer and absorb a lot of water for the next few weeks. Now I have REALLY good soil, so I don't do much. I simply kind of situate some loose dirt on the bottom, pour water in, and plant like you would any other plant, packing the soil in around it well. I usually put in dirt, pour in water, put in more dirt, pour in more water, until I get to the top.. THis way as you fill, water fill, you ensure that the soil is getting "wet packed" really nice and this helps to get the plant established. Especially now that it's getting into hot season. As far as the trenching goes. Now when I plant, I'm not really planting in a small garden bed. I'm planting all over the yard. What I usually do is, leave the area around the newly formed hole kind of sunken in maybe 2-3 inches, the plant will be kind of ""standing in water"", but at this time of the year, it will evaporate quickly anyway, and yes, You may want to put mulch around if it's really hot. I usually water late evening for this reason when planting in hot season. If you do it at night, it will give time for the water to absorb in the ground without evaporation and it doesn't get too hot on the plant either. I don't do it when I transplant in the spring, I just plant leave the area of the new hole kind of a little lower so that it catches water it will eventually fill in on it's own and by then the plant will be well established. Since its summer, I would probably do the trench / mulch thing or even some plain old straw. That's what I use because I'm on a farm and don't have to buy it. Stray holds a LOT of water. As far as places to plant, You can pretty much plant them most places, They grow best when they get a lot of sun, but if you plant directly in the sun, you will probably need to water every couple days even with the trenching, if you are planting in sun / partial shade maybe twice a week, just make sure you keep them good and wet for the next 3-4 weeks ( water evenings) until you are sure they have adapted to moving. Then water as needed for your area. Most of the time it doesn't seem to phase them much if you take out a lot of soil with them. If you want to help out with stress, you can even put a little miracle grow in your water, maybe table spoon to a 5 gallon bucket of water, and pour it in as you are planting. Miracle grow does wonders when planting any thing. I've planted probably 500 trees on my place over the years, pines, cedars, wilows, fruit trees, When I plant one, I ALWAYS put in some miracle grow if I'm planting when it's this time of the year. In the winter / "dormant months" I don't do much of anything except "transpant". I do it mostly very early spring when its still cool rainy season so you really dont have to water or do much else. Anyway, I think I covered most of it. It's not much to it, just take as much dirt with it as you can get, "wet plant" them, that's what I call it, because they are bulbs and they love water, do a little trench and you won't have any problems or at least I never do. One last thing, if you have bad soil there, when you go to plant, maybe get a bag of some kind of inexpensive potting soil from your local farm supply or dollar store and mix half and half with the dirt you took out of the hole. I don't think you will have much problem. As I stated before, I have lots of them so when I go to move mine, I just get my shovel out and dig me up a big clump, split it into fours and plant. If shes got a well established garden, she won't miss them much. Next year hers will fill back in. When I'm thinning I pass mine out to neighbors all the time. I think that's about it, I didn't mean to write another book. ( ha).
John,
Thank you for all the great information. This was exactly what I needed to know. My cannas moved in from my neighbor's yard and I want to move them across my yard. I love surprise gifts from nature, and I want to make the best of them.
Thank you for your excellent information! My friend has beautiful cannas and we are going to dig up one so I can transplant it into my yard...we really don't know what we're doing but I've been searching online for help. So we need to dig it up carefully so we don't damage the rhizomes, right? And rhizomes could be pretty wide right? She has about 6 plants that are all very close together and I don't want us to damage the rhizomes. Any other recommendations on our big transplant? ...not much other info out there on digging up a plant and transplanting it. We live in east Texas, right along the Louisiana border...it is June 28 today and we will probably do this in the next week or so. Any other tips or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again! Toni
Thank you for your excellent information! My friend has beautiful cannas and we are going to dig up one so I can transplant it into my yard...we really don't know what we're doing but I've been searching online for help. So we need to dig it up carefully so we don't damage the rhizomes, right? And rhizomes could be pretty wide right? She has about 6 plants that are all very close together and I don't want us to damage the rhizomes. Any other recommendations on our big transplant? ...not much other info out there on digging up a plant and transplanting it. We live in east Texas, right along the Louisiana border...it is June 28 today and we will probably do this in the next week or so. Any other tips or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again! Toni
This is the best advice I've ever read. Thank you.
That's gotta be the most in-depth, accurate review I've seen. I'm on the other side of TN and they love mountains and clay dirt just as much as the muddy and Memphis dirt. (Never been, dunno what you got there). I brought some down from MD in a trash bag, they sat in my garage for a few months, planted em, and after a season I split em back up and garaged them for fear of the cold. Must've missed some cause they're growin in the spots I originally planted em in. The rest I planted all over the forested area to see how they did. They're bloomin.
Hey I agree.. I've done the same thing. I've had areas where they were established and i've TRIED to dig them all up, thought I was moving them and the next year, there would be some come up. If they've been there a while you always seem to miss a few of the smaller rhisomes. You area is a lot like mine as far as weather. I know my sister lived in N.C and another sister in Knoxville, they had canna all the time. They never dug them up either. I think once they get established, they are a lot more durable than most people think. Good chatting.
A friend at work gave me 12 or so cannas. I put them in water for about a week. Decided to plant them this week-end. My mother said cut them back. They are about 12-14 inches now. Did I goof up? What should I do now?!?!
They will be fine. They are A little more work when planting bulbs this time of year, but you can do it sucessfully.. You will just need to till the soil good around them. I don't usually plant "plants" this late in the year unless I'm transplanting with dirt and all. The biggest thing with you doing it getting into hot season is keeping them wet for the next few weeks. This is kind of "out of season" to plant them in my opinon, but you can. It does require a little more work. If I were to do it this late in the year, What I would do is, get some miracle grow, mix about a heaping tsp into the soil before I put it back in..I usually fill the hole with water, then pack the soil back in.. This ensures the soil gets packed back in well and the plant gets plenty of moisture when you plant. Its a little "muddier" doing it this way, but it works for bulb type plants. They need a lot of moisture, particularly this time of the years. After that, I would keep them watered for a few weeks, see what they do. You may or may not have much luck with them planting this late / going into hot months, but if they don't come out now, they will usually come out in the spring. I would imagine you will see some growth this summer if the rhysome are ok but if they happen to go "dormant" as I have had them do planting this late in season, then they will usually come back in the spring. If I were you, I would try to do most of my planting in very late fall or very early spring for now on. It elminates 99% of the maintenance ( ha), and I'm a lazy gardener for the most part and its SO much easier to do it in season. Ps. If your friend gives you more plants, tell her to dig you up a shovel full with the dirt and all around them. Give you one BIG scoop.. Then maybe split it into fours. Just dig holes, fill with water, pack back in the soil, they will grow. It's not going to hurt them if some of the rysome get cut in half, they will still come back. IF your planting in very late spring or summer, you still may want to water every few days for 3 or 4 weeks until they get well rooted, then you can slack off after you see how well they are responding. . When planting this late into the season, when you plant the entire plant, they seem to do a lot better than bulb or seed planting which require a little more patients and work this time of year. Anything I plant, I try to plant it at peek season for planting that variety unless I get in one of those "just want the extra work" moods ( which isn't often with as many as i have ha).. You CAN have success with planting bulbs, rysomes or seed this time of the year, it just takes a little more work. I would also suggest since you are planting this late in and planting more rysome than plant, leave the area a little "indented" where the plant will be so it will catch some moister. I sometimes even trench out an areas around where I plant to catch water. I plant everywhere but the "more moist" the area, the faster they will grown and mulitply. I even plant them in ugly drainage ditch areas and they FLOURISH like crazy.. I will say this as well, I plant in pretty much any area of my property. The reason why is, they have a tendcy to come out at different times this way.. Meaning, the ones in the wetter areas always sem to start blooming / take off quicker than the ones in the not so wet areas. This way, I usually end up with blooms starting in different areas of my yard all thoughout the season and tha'ts why I end up with flowers most of the summer and even into late fall.. Again , I have a lot of them so it allows me this luxury. I wouldn't really do a lot of transplanting until you get yours set in good and they start spreading well. Usually takes around 3 years or so.
Anway, I do the trenching / watering thing if planting in later season to help with moister. I always do this when planting late season even if planting trees. shrubs etc.. Helps to irrigate them and keeps me from having to water every day until they get rooted. . I will leave a little "holed out" area so that when I water, it will catch a lot of moisture long enough to give it time to soak into where the roots of the plants are. A lot of people will water but when you water the top of the ground, unless you let the water run for quite some time, it really doesn't soak into the roots well like it would in a big rain. Just because it rains, doesn't mean the roots get much water either unless we have what my dad always called a "Soaker".. This time of the year, not a lot gets to the root unless you make sure you have an area to catch some moisture and that's not good for starter plants or bulbs unless you want them to go dormant until spring. You may also get a bag of cheap mulch to help keep the water around them. When I said""""" I don't do "anything"""" that meant when I plant in correct season for my area. To "me" this isn't the best time to plant but I have done it. I'm not saying its not ok to plant now, people do, but you will notice even the garden centers are pretty much sold out of these plants or discounting them already. They do that because they are getting out of season and it gets a little "chancier' to plant during this time of year in very hot areas unless you intend on doing the maintenance and watering for a while. Anyway, Most of all just keep them watered well for a few weeks until they get rooted in. You may even loose a couple planting this late in, but USUALLY not if your plants are healthy and you keep them good and moist. Tell your friend when their plants start to come up early next spring, to send dig you up some with the dirt around them, transplant the entire thing, you will have an "automatic" garden and a lot less work.. Although I know how that goes as well, us "beggers" can't be choosey ( ha).. We take what we can get .. Hope it helps. Good luck..
- « Previous
- 1
- 2
- …
- 10
- Next »
📣The Gardening Club Just Got Better! 3 Deliveries, 10% Store Discount, and more!
Comments