Canna lily – a touch of an exoticism and glamour

Beautiful and literally indestructible canny lilies can bring a touch of glamour to your garden. You can create the atmosphere of a tropical paradise even where it may be almost impossible. Do not you believe us? Well, let us convince you! We shall also focus on canna growing rules

More than 50 botanical species

Canna is essentially a tuberous plant that has its origins in the warm regions of Central and South America. It has been domesticated and you can now see it in Central European gardens and parks. Domesticated or not, it still hates freezing weather. In the early 15th century, when canna was brought to Europe, no one expected the plant to grow and flower during winter. Very popular are hybrids Canna indica, C. coccinea, C. flaccida and also C. glauca. . Canna blooms from May to October and after flowering you should collect black seeds.

Photo: Pixabay

How to grow canna lilies?

Canna needs a sunny location. It will do ok in a slight shade but sunny spot is better. If it is mostly in the shade, its leaves will begin to fade. Soil in your flower patch must be rich in nutrients. Use fertilizers designed for flowering plants. If you choose nitrogen fertilizers canna will not flower well.

Growing cycle

As mentioned earlier, cannas are easily harmed by frost. Therefore, take the plant out of the ground before the first autumn frosts hit. Simply cut the stems and then remove rhizomes. Make sure you do not damage them. If you do, let the wound dry out completely. Wintering temperature should range from 5 and 15 degrees Celsius. Any plants infested by mildew or fungus must be thrown out. Rhizomes start dividing around the beginning of March. Make sure to let the separation wounds dry out and then plant rhizomes in pots. If you plant rhizomes directly in your flower patch around May, you do not need to bother with pre-growing. You can separate rhizomes right before planting.

Photo: Pixabay