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Planting and Growing Cannas (Canna Lilies)

Canna Tropicanna®: The original Tropicanna, Tropicanna Gold, and Tropicanna Black

Canna Tropicanna®: The original Tropicanna, Tropicanna Gold, and Tropicanna Black

Image Credit:
Anthony Tesselaar Plants
Botanical Name
Canna x generalis
Grown as
Tender Perennial
USDA Zones
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
10a
10b
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
High
Height
3-6 feet
Spread
3-6 feet
Soil pH
Acidic
Neutral
Alkaline
Bloom Time
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
Orange
Pink
Red
White
Yellow
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Erosion Control
Long Blooming
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Pollinators
Deer-resistant
Rabbit-resistant
Resilience
Clay Soil Tolerant
Heat-Tolerant
Plant Type
Flowers
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Looking to add bold, tropical flair to your garden? Canna lilies are your go-to showstoppers! With their vibrant blooms and towering leaves, these heat-loving beauties are surprisingly easy to grow, even if your garden isn’t in the tropics. 

Whether you’re planting in borders, containers, or around water features, cannas deliver drama all summer long. Learn how to plant and grow cannas—plus, get instructions for deadheading, cutting back, and overwintering.

Also known as Indian shot, canna is a sun-loving tropical or subtropical herbaceous perennial hardy in Zones 7-10. They’ll grow up to 8 feet tall in one season. 

Cannas can be both focal points and stylish accents. Use them to bring structure as a tall border or to add depth to narrow spaces. They add a colorful splash to garden orders and poolside plantings, bring a tropical touch to water features, and thrive in boggy areas (NOT salt water). Mix cannas with grasses, lantana, zinnias, snapdragons, elephant ears, salvia, periwinkles, and more. 

Note: Canna plants can be left outside in the ground all winter in Zones 7 to 10. They will also grow equally well in large containers dragged inside during the dormant period. In colder climates, cannas are easy to lift and store during cooler months. (Learn more below.)

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.
Canna rhizomes with roots, closeup
Photo: izzzy71

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.

Canna 'Tropicanna' by Anthony Tesselaar Plants
Canna ‘Tropicanna’® ‘Autumn Joy’ makes for a stunning display in late summer.
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.

Harvesting

To create an indoor arrangement with a tropical feel, cut the canna flower stems. Although the flowers themselves only last a day or two, their foliage makes for a stunning backdrop in many bouquets.

Pests and Problems

Canna Lily Problems

Canna lilies are generally easy to grow and are rarely affected by serious issues. However, growing conditions can still impact plant health and performance.

If cannas are kept too wet or planted too closely together, they may develop weak growth and reduced flowering. Overcrowding can also limit airflow, which increases the risk of disease.

Poor drainage is another common issue. Cannas prefer consistently moist soil but will struggle if roots sit in standing water for long periods.

Canna Lily Pests

Cannas are not heavily attacked by insects, but a few pests may occasionally cause damage.

Slugs and snails can chew holes in leaves, especially in damp conditions.

Spider mites may appear during hot, dry weather, causing speckled or faded foliage.

Caterpillars can feed on leaves and create noticeable holes, though damage is usually limited unless populations are high.

Canna Lily Diseases

Canna lilies are relatively disease-resistant, but problems can occur in overly wet or crowded conditions.

Rust is a common fungal disease that creates orange or brown spots on leaves.

Fungal leaf spot may cause dark lesions that spread across foliage. Botrytis blight can develop in cool, wet environments and causes gray mold on leaves or flowers. Bacterial bud rot may occur when moisture collects in tightly packed buds, leading to decay before flowers open.

Most diseases can be prevented by ensuring good spacing, proper drainage, and avoiding overhead watering.

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.
Canna Tropicanna
 Canna Tropicanna® 
  • 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.
pink cannas
Photo Credit: Mick49/Shutterstock

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.

Wit and Wisdom

  • Cannas (Canna indica) are unrelated to true lilies, even though they’re commonly called canna lilies. This flowering perennial plant is related to bananas and ginger! This may not be surprising when you consider their huge paddle-shaped leaves in those gorgeous red, orange, and bronze colors. 
  • Cannas’ bright flowers may attract hummingbirds.
  • The name canna comes from the Greek word kanna, meaning reed or reed-like plant.
  • During the Victorian era, gardeners so loved cannas that they grew them from seed, but this isn’t easy. The germination rate is low, and the seeds need to be filed or given an acid bath to break down their hard coat.
  • Canna seeds, being perfectly round and hard like BB pellets, have been used in jewelry, prayer beads, and baby rattles.
  • Canna has been cultivated as a food crop in Central and South America for thousands of years. The rhizomes are edible; the foliage is used as animal fodder when feed is scarce.

Flowers

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening, so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Anonymous</span> Mon, 10/22/2012 - 09:50
Hi - I planted 8 cannas over the summer because the tag said they were perennials. I am not sure how to get them ready for the winter, and I was hoping to keep them in the ground. How many inches should I leave on the plant for the winter, or do I absolutely have to dig them all up and store them? Thank you!!
<span>Anonymous</span> Tue, 12/04/2012 - 18:51
Living outside of KC, zone 5b, where the woman across the street planted maybe a dozen bulbs in the spring and then dug them up each fall. She moved 5 years ago, leaving the bulbs behind and in the ground. They were not removed from the ground for 5 winters now and they have multiplied and continued to spread out across the south facing brick wall against which they were originally planted. The new tenant did not want them and offered the bulbs to me. I now have 3 grocery sacks of bulbs to store this winter. But, given what I observed, I plan to treat them as a perennial and leave them in the ground. Perhaps thinning them periodically in the fall.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 10/23/2012 - 16:33
After the first frosts which kill the foliage, carefully cut off the tops and dig up the roots with a spade or fork. Brush off the soil. Let them dry in a warm place for 7 to 14 days--about 45 to 50 degrees F. Make sure it's not too cold! The corner of a basement is often good. Then, store in an open container or cardboard box amidst shredded newspaper. Or, hang in a mesh bag. The key is to allow circulating air; do not put in a closed container. You can replant each clump in the spring.
<span>Anonymous</span> Sat, 10/06/2012 - 18:07
How far down do I trim my cannas ( or do I ?) in the fall? He are in a hot part of SOuthern California
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 10/08/2012 - 17:07
Lucky you in a frost-free zone! You can prune the old or spent foliage from your cannas any time. That allows new growth to come in. Some advise cutting the old growth (flowering stalks) when the new ones come in. While you do not have to "lift" and overwinter your bulbs, you should be prepared to lift and then them once a year or every two to three years; it depends on their vigor and the degree to which they are crowded. (You would thin them to eliminate the crowding.) Even if you thin them occasionally, you cannot hurt them. We hope this helps!
<span>Anonymous</span> Wed, 10/03/2012 - 12:41
The seeds that come on these plants can u plant them and start new plants since there origanlly started from a bulb?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Thu, 10/04/2012 - 16:32
You can plant the seeds. Save the seeds and plant them indoors 10-12 weeks before your last frost in the spring. The seeds have a hard covering that you need break before planting. Use sandpaper to sand one end of the seed until you see the white inside. Soak the seeds overnight and plant in flats or small pots. Keep in a warm spot. Transplant the seedlings to bigger pots before planting them outside when the weather has warmed up. Cannas do not come true from seed. You will have flowers but they will not look like the ones on the parent plant.
<span>Anonymous</span> Sat, 09/29/2012 - 02:48
I have a lot of tall, thriving cannas that I dug up and wintered last year and am about to do so for this winter as well. However, next fall, I won't be home for the entire season. Will the cannas last without being planted for two summer seasons? Would it be better to plant them and then not dig them up in the fall and have them take their chances in the hard ground for most of the winter while I'm gone? I live in the Czech Republic, so cold winters.
<span>Anonymous</span> Mon, 10/01/2012 - 15:25
There is no easy answer to this. You risk losing these bulbs with either one. All of our sources suggest, strongly, that cannas will not survive a harsh winter in the ground. It seems like you know that. Our advice is not to leave them in the ground for the period you describe. If the cold doesn't get them, the wet (melt and potential refreeze of a normal winter, and rain) might. However, if you try this, mulch heavily. Will they survive two summers, effectively in storage (not in the ground)? That is a question that is seldom asked, so our best response is "not likely." The bulbs store the food for the next season. If the bulbs sit on a shelf or in peat or whatever, they will dry out, and the food would be used up, or wasted, over the course of time that you describe. Do you have a friend who could store them, plant them (and enjoy them), and then store them (and plant, if nec.) again?? We hope this helps.
<span>Anonymous</span> Sun, 09/23/2012 - 11:09
I received a canna plant from my daughter in early September. I live in NE Wisconsin and not sure if I can plant in a pot and keep in house over the winter or if I should put in my basement and keep watered so it can "sleep". When I plant next year should I dig up in the fall and bring indoors?