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emphatically not the wallflower type , the canna lily plant grows large and bluff . Brightly colored leafage often accompany its brilliantly hued peak , and a unmarried canna flower typically can grow 4 to 8 column inch long .
luckily , canna lily care is n’t hard . When raised in northerly zones , however , these plants typically do n’t flower until mid - to - late summer when uprise outside . In warmer climates where they can be leave in the ground over winter , cannas get an former start and may bloom all summer and into autumn .
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Growing Canna Lilies at a Glance
Common Name : Canna lilyScientific Name : Canna x generalisHardiness Zone : 7 to 11Soil : Fertile , well - draining , pH 6.5Light : Full sunWater : PlentifulFood : Balanced fertilizerPropagation : segmentation or seedSafety : Nontoxic
Canna Lily Characteristics
Canna lily crossbreed ( Canna x generalis ) vary in height from 2 feet for some dwarf cultivar to 14 fundament for the mammoth ‘ Musifolia ’ . canna definitely make a statement with their boat paddle - comparable leave that maturate up to 1 foot across and 2 infantry recollective . They also resemble plants like orchidaceous plant and gladioli . Only marginally hardy in Zone 7 , they should be heavily mulched over winter there .
Since they are related to bananas and gingers , most types of canna are native to tropic surgical incision of the Americas . Although somewhatdrought - tolerantonce they become give , canna generally need stack of water to maintain their size . Some can even grow at the edges of garden pools . However , others may rot under those conditions , so it ’s best to choose water canna ( Canna glauca ) cultivars for piss garden or soil that retain water .
Recommended Canna Lily Varieties
The common garden canna ( Cannaxgeneralis ) most likely came about as a cross between wild and piddle cannas . Some popular canna varieties include :
Planting Canna Lilies
sentiment vary on the proper depth for planting canna bulbs ( which are actually rhizome ) , due to the fact that the diameter of those rhizomes vary . To stray on the side of caution , place them deeply enough that you could cover them with 3 to 6 inches of filth .
When is the best time to plant canna lilies?
fix out canna rhizomes in springafter the last frost and when the land temperature has warm to at least 60 level Fahrenheit . or else , initiate them indoors by pot them in dampish soil 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost and localize the pot on a sunny windowsill .
Where can canna lilies grow?
pick out a location in full sun but protected from idle words , with fat , well - draining soil that has a slightly acid pH of about or just under 6.5 . Although native cannas often grow in shade , they have smaller blooms than innovative hybrids do , and ginormous hybrids need as much igniter as they can get .
How do you plant canna lilies?
Break up prominent chunk of rootstock into sections , each of which has at least three to five eyes ( red buds ) .
Can you grow canna lilies in containers?
When growing canna lily in pots , take dwarf varieties , which can blossom within 2 months after plant and are n’t likely to outgrow their container . ( Larger cannas often require 3 month from planting to bloom of youth . ) Place the nanus rhizomes in 5 - gallon pots ( 12 inch in diameter ) that are replete with standard potting mix .
Watering Canna Lilies
As was previously advert , canna need quite a bite of body of water once they have begun to grow . About 1 to 2 inches of rainwater per week provide either by Mother Nature or irrigation is advocate . You may also want to mulch them after the soil has heated up to aid it retain its moisture . Cannas parent in container may need to bewatered twice a day during the acme of summerto provide them with adequate moisture .
Fertilizing Canna Lilies
One of the most important parts of canna plant care is feeding . Just before setting out your rootstalk , dig abalanced constituent fertilizersuch as 10 - 10 - 10 into the soil , adding about ¾ cup for every 10 square foot of ground at planting time . In mid - summer , feed the canna again with ½ cup for every 10 straightforward foundation .
To have container cannas , flux ¼ loving cup of the plant food with the potting ground for every 5 - gallon bay window before you plant the rhizomes . In midsummer , tally an extra 2 tablespoon of plant food to the surface of the dirt in each pot and scratch it in .
Pruning Canna Lilies
Cannas do n’t expect much pruning except deadheading . Once the flowers on a stalk have bloomed and faded , cut the stalk back all the way of life to the base of the industrial plant to encourage a new stalking to sprout . After frost kills the leafage in fall , prune all of the stalks back to 4 to 6 inches above the terra firma before you either mulch the rootstalk or dig them up to move them indoors for the winter .
Propagating Canna Lilies
Most canna propagation is by division , a process key out under “ How do you imbed canna lily ? ” above . If you want to grow canna from seed instead , keep in mind that hybrids wo n’t come true that agency .
Drop all of the seeds into a cup and pour water which has been heated to almost boiling over them . Then soak the seeds for 24 hours before you sow them in a damp and infertile seeded player come out mix . just cover them with the mix and keep them in a 70 - degree Fahrenheit localization until they sprout in 1 to 2 weeks .
Safety Considerations
The canna plant is not toxic to either people or animals . In fact , accord toNorth Carolina State Extension , theC. edulisorC. indicaspecies also is know as achira . Its comestible tuber , which develop a amylum know as achira , are sometimes grown as a food for thought crop .
However , contact lens with canna lily foliage reportedly can have rashes or hives in some people , though the ground for that is indecipherable . Therefore , it ’s probably a adept musical theme for gardener with sensible pelt or other plant life allergic reaction towear gloveswhile wield the plant .
Potential Pests and Diseases
Canna lily caution includes watching for likely pests and pathogen . In the South , cannas suffer from leafroller caterpillars . view for net that seems to be preventing leave-taking from unfurling . If you see it , take away any caterpillars inside by hand , or snip off the upper part of the folio and spray a caterpillar ascendence such asthis highly fink organicBacillus thuringiensis(Bt ) uncommitted at Amazoninto what remains .
Canna lily also oftentimes carry virus , which can cause foliage bar or mottling , stunted growth , deform flower , and other symptoms . Those symptoms can be hard to notice on works that have of course striped foliage and asymmetrical blooms , unfortunately . Since there is no cure , you should all and properly dispose of any affected plants .
Preparing Canna Lilies for Winter
Canna lily winter care differs depending on your hardiness zona . If you endure in zona 7 through 11 , you could allow cannas in the ground over wintertime , after mulching them with 8 to 12 inch of autumn leaves after pruning the plants .
Gardenersnorth of Zone 7should dig up canna lily rhizomes after cut them back , dry out them , and store them over winter in a box of slightly dampish peat moss or vermiculite . Keep the loge in a chilly location where temperature typically stay between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit but do n’t drop below freezing , such as in an unheated service department .
calculate for more large - bloom plant life ? Check out our usher on growingdahlia , hibiscus , andzinnia .
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Photo: istockphoto.com
Photo: istockphoto.com
Photo: istockphoto.com
