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Canna indica
Species
At‑a‑glance
- Group/Class: Species
- Height × spread: 3 to 6 ft (0.9 to 1.8 m) × 1.5 to 3 ft (0.5 to 0.9 m)
- Bloom window: summer to frost (varies by climate)
- Color & flower form: red to yellow-orange; narrow, open flowers on spikes
- Fragrance: 0 none
- USDA hardiness: zones 8 to 11; grown as annual in colder regions
- Breeder / Year / Origin: unknown
- Pet safety: safe
How it differs
- Simpler, narrower flowers compared with many garden hybrids.
- Foliage is usually green rather than variegated.
- Produces very hard black seeds in warty capsules.
Strengths
- Handles heat and sun.
- Long bloom with regular deadheading.
- Attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Care in one minute
Site: full sun; light shade tolerated.
Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained; pH slightly acid to neutral.
Water: keep evenly moist in heat; avoid waterlogging.
Feed: balanced fertilizer in late spring and mid-summer if soils are lean.
Overwinter: in zones 7 or colder, lift rhizomes after frost and store at 40 to 50°F in a dry medium.
Watch‑outs
- Leafrollers can shred foliage; monitor and manage.
- Viruses occur in some stock; buy clean rhizomes.
- Rhizomes rot in poorly drained soil.
Best uses (tags)
Provenance note
Native to tropical and subtropical America; widely naturalized and cultivated.
References
- NC State Extension: Canna indica
- Kew POWO: Canna indica
- USDA PLANTS: Canna indica
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Canna (group)
- ASPCA: Canna Lily
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