Canna Lily Canna is a bold plant, with large sword-shaped leaves and big, bright flowers.

The leaves can be green, reddish, bronze, or variegated. The flowers come in shades of red, orange, white and yellow, and bloom from midsummer until frost.

Canna prefers a hot, humid environment. Group plants of a single color for the most impact.

Notable Varieties
Dozens of cultivars are available. Here is a sample:
'Australis' is 5 feet tall and has dark purple leaves and red flowers.

'Pink Sunburst' is 3 feet tall, with yellow and green striped leaves and salmon flowers.'Red King Humbert' is 7 feet tall, with reddish bronze leaves and orange-scarlet flowers.

Care
In Zones 7 and colder, dig up rhizomes in fall and store in peat above 40 degrees F.

Planting
In Zone 7 and warmer, plant outdoors in spring. In Zones 6 and colder, start in pots indoors a month before nights stay about 50 degrees F., then plant outside. Plant in holes 2 to 4 inches deep and spaced 1 to 2 feet apart. Cannas prefer moist, well-drained soil high in organic matter, but tolerate other types.

Pests and Diseases
Snails, slugs, and other leaf-feeding insects, and bud rot.