Canna

Coarse perennials that grow from a very large, thick, edible, underground rootstock.
The flowers on some varieties attract hummingbirds.
They prefer full sun on a fertile well drained soil. Heavily fertilization and a weekly heavy watering ( more often if extremely hot ) will definately encourage a lush plant. Removing spent blooms will encourage better foliage production and more bloom.
Hardy zones 7 to 11 unless otherwise noted. Cannas require well drained soil in winter ( even if wet in summer ) or the rootstock will rot if permanently wet while dormant. In zone 7 it should be mulched with pine branches.
In cold climates ( zone 6 and north ) remove rootstocks from the garden after the first autumn frost. Allow the roots to dry out in a warm place for a few days then store in slightly moist peat moss at temperatures above 40 F
The rhizomes transplant and divide easily in late autumn or early spring as long as dormant. They will also spread on their own by branching with a single plant eventually becoming a cluster of many plants.
Plant existing plants at the same depth and plant new tubers 3 to 5 inches deep and around 2 feet or more apart. Plants in patio planters and pots can be brought in and kept in the garage over winter then brought back outside in spring after the threat of frost has passed. Seeds should be soaked in water overnight before sowing.

* photos of unknown internet source



* photo taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore, PA

* photos taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

* photos taken on Oct 21 2014 @ Smithsonian Inst., Wash., DC

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photos taken on Oct 21 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Amazing Grace'
Deep green foliage and intense rose-red flowers.

'Angel Pink'
Fast growing, reaching up to 3 x 2 feet with lush green foliage and translucent apricot and pink flowers from mid summer to mid autumn.

* photo taken on August 4 2010 in Stratford, Ontario


* photos taken on Sep 2 2010 in Columbia, MD


* photo taken on Aug 15 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photos taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'Australia'
Deep burgundy black satin sheened foliage reaching up to 6 x 3 feet that doesn't fade in the heat of summer. The foliage is even deeper colored than 'Tropicanna Black'
Intense scarlet red flowers. In mild climates it may bloom nearly all year.

* photos taken on Aug 3 2011 in Columbia, MD




* photos taken on Aug 18 2011 in Columbia, MD


* photo taken on Aug 15 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 28 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 7 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 15 2014 @ Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD

* photos taken on Oct 21 2014 in Washington, DC

'Bengal Tiger'
Fast growing, reaching up to 6 feet with green leaves heavily striped yellow. Flowers are orange.

* photo taken on July 13 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore, PA

* photo taken on Oct 24 2014 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 17 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 13 2021 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

'Biarritz'
A spectacular Canna reaching up to 12 feet with bronze-purple foliage and intense peach orange flowers over a season lasting as long as 6 months.

'Black Knight'
Fast growing to 8 feet with huge burgundy leaves up to 2 feet long and scarlet red flowers.

'Durban'
Reaches up to 4 feet in height. The foliage is purple with yellow stripes. The flowers are bright red.

'Blueberry Sparkler'
Reaches up to 6 feet, with bluish-purple foliage and pink flowers.

* photos taken on Aug 1 2023 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'Burning Ember'
Dwarf in habit, reaching only 2 feet, with deep bronze foliage and deep orange flowers.

'Cannova Bronze Orange'
Reaches up to 5 x 4 feet with bronze-purple foliage and bright orange flowers.

* photos taken on June 17 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 5 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 24 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 11 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 26 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 14 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Sep 5 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 16 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 2 2023 in Columbia, MD

'Cannova Bronze Peach'
Reaches up to 5 x 4 feet with bronze-purple foliage and peachy-pink flowers.

* photos taken on Aug 20 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 13 2022 in Columbia, MD

'Cannova Bronze Scarlet'
Reaches up to 5 x 4 feet with bronze-purple foliage and bright red flowers.

* photos taken on July 5 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 25 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 2 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 4 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 25 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 9 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 5 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 29 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 2 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 14 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 24 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 14 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 15 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 27 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 11 2023 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 12 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Cannova Orange'
Reaches up to 4 x 2 feet healthy mid-green foliage and intense deep orange flowers.

* photo taken on Aug 21 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 26 2021 in Columbia, MD

'Cannova Red'
Reaches up to 4 x 2 feet healthy mid-green foliage and bright red flowers.

* photos taken on Aug 9 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 1 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 13 2021 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

* photo taken on Aug 26 2021 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 20 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 15 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 9 2022 in Bayfield, ON

* photo taken on July 23 2024 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Nov 12 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Cannova Red Flame'
Reaches up to 4 x 2 feet healthy mid-green foliage and bright red ( edged yellow ) flowers.

* photos taken on July 25 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 21 2018 in Columbia, MD

'Cannova Rose'
Reaches up to 4 x 2 feet healthy mid-green foliage and intense rose-red flowers.

* photo taken on July 17 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 17 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 5 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 15 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Cannova Yellow'
Reaches up to 4 feet, with healthy mid-green foliage and abundant, bright yellow flowers.

* photos taken on Aug 27 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 6 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 3 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on July 18 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 15 2022 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 1 2023 in Clarksville, MD

* photo taken on July 9 2022 in Bayfield, ON

* photos taken on Sep 25 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Erebus'
Reaches up to 6 feet in height, with silvery-blue foliage and mid-pink flowers.

'Ermine White'
Fast growing to 5 x 5 feet with medium green foliage and very large pure white flowers.

* photos taken on Sep 4 2011 in Harford Co, MD









'Eureka'
Fast growing to 5 x 3 feet with bold green foliage and pale yellow flowers.

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photo taken on Oct 7 2023 in Columbia, MD

'Fay's Orchid'
Reaches up to 4 feet with lush blue-green foliage and intense light pink flowers with yellow cream edge variegation.

'Firebird'
Reahces up to 4 feet with bold green foliage and scarlet-red flowers.

* photos taken on Oct 15 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 20 2022 in Ellicott City, MD

'Hello Yellow'
Reaches up to 5 ( rarely over 4 ) feet, with bright green foliage and abundant, bright yellow ( with some red spotting ) flowers.

* photo taken on Sep 6 2012 in Baltimore Co., MD

* photo taken on Aug 25 2013 @ University of Maryland, College Park

* photo taken on Oct 11 2013 in Clarksville, MD

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

'Intrigue'
Reaches up to 7 feet, with orange-red flowers topping pointed, narrow, purplish-gray foliage.

'Liberty Rose'
Blackish-bronze foliage contrasts nicely with intense rose-pink flowers.

'Lucifer'
Reaches up to 2.5 feet in height, with deep green foliage and flowers that are yellow with a red edge.

'Minerva'
Reaches up to 5 feet in height, with foliage that is green with white striping. The flowers are red in bud, opening to yellow, borne over a long season.

'Maudie Malcolm'
Rapidly multiplying and reaching up to 4 feet with blue-green foliage and very prolific long-lasting, rich pink blooms from late spring til autumn.

* photos taken on Oct 28 2021 in Columbia, MD

'Omega'
Reaches up to 16 feet! with huge 4 foot long banana-like green leaves.

'Orange Punch'
A fast clumping Canna, reaching up to 4 feet, with intense orange ( with yellow throat ) flowers from late spring until autumn frost.

* photo taken on Aug 1 2022 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'Pacific Beauty'
A spectacular Canna, reaching up to 6.5 feet, bearing intense bright orange flowers over purplish-gray foliage.

'Pananche'
A spectacular Canna, reaching up to 6 feet, with multi-color mid-pink and creamy-white flowers borne over pointed, narrow gray-green foliage.

'Phasion'
Reaches up to 7 feet with purple foliage that is dramatically and heavily striped with both yellow and red.
The flowers are intense orange.

* photo of unknown internet source

* photo taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore, PA

* photos taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photos taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on July 5 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Aug 11 2018 in Columbia, MD

'Pink Sunburst'
Very fast growing reaching up to 52 ( usually under 40 ) inches and multiplies rapidly.
The leaves are green striped yellow with a red-pink cast.
Flowers are salmon-pink.

* photos taken on Sep 6 2012 in Baltimore Co., MD

* photo taken on Aug 1 2022 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'President'
Fast growing to 6 feet with lush blue-green foliage and huge fiery scarlet-red flowers up to 8 inches across that lasts until first fall frost.

* photo taken on Sep 8 2012 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Sep 16 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 10 2020 in Columbia, MD

'Pretoria'
Reaches up to 8 x 4 feet with lush green leaves that are heavily striped with yellow.
The flowers are orangish-pink.
Hardy zones 7 to 10, known to survive 5 years unprotected in Louisville, KY

* photos taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.







* photo taken on Sep 6 2012 in Baltimore Co., MD

* photo taken on Aug 4 2012 in Goderich, Ontario

* photos taken on July 25 2015 @ Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

* photos taken on Sep 10 2023 @ Smithsonian Institute, Wash., DC

'Red Futurity'
Reaches up to 4.5 feet with luxuriant deep blackish-purple leaves, up to 18" long, contrasting with intense scarlet-red flowers.

* photo taken on Aug 1 2022 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'Red King Humbert'
Fast growing, reaching up to 8 x 4 feet with bronze and green foliage and intense deep red flowers from August to September.

'Red Velvet'
Reaches up to 7 feet in height, with deep reddish-purple foliage and scarlet-red flowers that persist until autumn frost.

* photos taken on June 1 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on June 25 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on July 7 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 21 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 5 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 16 2022 in Ellicott City, MD

'Richard Wallace'
Very fast growing, reaching up to 6 feet with lush green foliage and showy yellow flowers. Fast spreading and easy to grow.

'Roi Humbert'
Reaches up to 8 feet in height, with deep bronze-purple foliage and orangish-red flowers.

* photos taken on June 26 2018 in Columbia, MD

'Rosemond Cole'
Very fast growing, reaching up to 5 x 3 feet with bright green leaves and flowers that are scarlet variegated with yellow all summer long.

'Salmon Bride'
Reaches up to 5 feet with blue-green foliage and salmon color flowers from May until autumn frost. Extremely vigorous flowering in about 2 weeks after emerging in spring. It thrives even in shade though still prefers abundant sun.

'Scarlet Rib'
Reaches up to 6 feet with lime green leaves with red stripes and edges.
The flowers are small and orange.

'Stadt Fellbach'
Very fast growing to 5 feet with blue-green foliage and bright orange flowers.
It is both pollution and salt water tolerant.

* photos taken on October 24 2010 in Washington, D.C.


* photos taken on July 21 2012 in Baltimore, MD

'South Pacific Ivory'
Reaches up to 4.2 feet. As a perennial, it can have up to 7 stems.
The foliage is deep green.
The flowers are ivory-white.

* photo taken on June 24 2022 in Columbia, MD

'South Pacific Scarlet'
Reaches up to 4.2 feet. As a perennial, it can have up to 7 stems.
The foliage is deep green.
The flowers are scarlet-red.

* photo taken on Sep 12 2023 in Elkridge, MD

* photo taken on Sep 2 2021 in Columbia, MD

'Stuttgart'
Reaches up to 5 feet, with mid-green foliage that is boldly stripes and blotched gray-green and creamy-white.
The mid-orange flowers appear during summer.
It prefers light shade as full sun can scorch the foliage.

* photos taken on Sep 10 2023 @ Smithsonian Institute, Wash., DC

'Thai Rainbow'
Reaches up to 6 feet and multiplying rapidly. The foliage is green banded with cream. The flowers are small but intense orange-red.

* photos taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.



'Tropicana'
Very fast growing to 6 x 4 feet. Similar to 'Bengal Tiger' but with even more color in the yellow & green striped variegated foliage. The orange flowers are borne summer til autumn frost. Known to survive as low as -6 F under snow cover.

* photos taken on October 17 2010 @ U.S. National Arboretum, D.C.



'Tropicanna Black'
Moderate growing up to 6 feet with dramatic, large black-purple foliage up to 6 feet in height.
The flowers are intense fiery scarlet red up to 7 feet in height during summer. In mild climates it may bloom nearly all year.

* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.



* photo taken on Aug 15 2013 in Ellicott City, MD

* photo taken on Oct 16 2013 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on July 13 2021 @ Hershey Gardens, Hershey, PA

'Walden Pond'
Green foliage and very large intense pink flowers lasting from late spring until first autumn frost.

'White Queen'
Luxuriant green foliage and pure white flowers over a long season from late spring until autumn frost. Shade tolerant.

'Wyoming'
Fast growing, reaching up to 7 feet with bronze to burgundy foliage and fiery orange flowers.

* photos of unknown internet source

'Yellow King Humbert'
Very fast multiplying, reaching up to 8 x 3 feet with lush green foliage and yellow flowers heavily spotted and blotched scarlet.
Hardy zones 7 to 11

* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.


* photos taken on July 11 2014 in Washington, DC

Canna flaccida ( Southern Marsh Canna )
A rhizomatous perennial, reaching up to 6 x 4 feet, that is native to marshland in the southeastern U.S. ( from eastern Texas to central South Carolina; south to southern Florida ).
The leaves, up to 24 x 5 inches, are blue-green.
The flowers, up to 6 inches in length, are pure yellow.
Hardy zones 7 to 10 in full sun on permanently wet soil.

* photo taken on Aug 5 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Canna glauca
A perennial, reaching up to 8 feet, that is native to tropical rainforests of central and South America.
The narrow foliage is blue-green.
The pale yellow flowers are borne during late summer.
Hardy zones 9 to 12 in full sun on consistently moist to wet soil.

Canna indica

* photo taken on Nov 6 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 16 2020 in Ellicott City, MD

* photos taken on Sep 12 2020 in Columbia, MD

Canna musifolia ( Banana Canna )
A vigorous, very dramatic huge clumping Canna reaching up to 12 + x 6 feet with large Banana-like foliage which can come in red form or green form ( usually with a reddish midrib at least ). The leaves are up to 3 feet in length.
The flowers are orange but it often doesn't bloom at all.
Hardy north to zone 8.

* photo taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore, PA