Canna indica
There are few plants that can boast more of a tropical appearance than very fashionable Canna (or Canna Lily as it is often called). This tropical American half-hardy herbaceous Perennial plant is a distant relative to the banana and strelitzia and this relationship manifests in the large and amasing paddle shaped leaves.
I love the canna’s leaves, but they pale into insignificance beneath the flower. Similiar in appearance to a gladioli or day lily, they unfurls, a few at a time from a clustered spike, carried above the plants on a long, sturdy stem.
Cannas are easy to grow and ideal for border or large pots. Prefers a well drained soil. They will flower from June onward and provide an excellent addition to any tropical themed garden.
Are Cannas Frost Hardy?
Not even in the slightest. At the mere mention of frost, cut back to ground level and uproot your cannas and place in a frost free environment. Pot them up in the early March.
Canna Deseases
Canna Yellow Mottle & Bean Yellow Mosaic are becoming increasingly more common, causing yellow spots to appear on leaves. Weaker plants with these conditions should be discarded, but stronger plants may recover in time. To minimise the risk of disease, it’s a good idea to grow canna’s in small clumps or as single plants in mixed displays.
You can buy Canna Seeds from Thompson and Morgan and will usually flower in the first year of sowing!
