Canna Lily
Canna
Also called indian shot and wild canna lily
Canna Lily blooms from July through September.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Canna Lily
Plant it in full sun. It prefers high water. It is hardy in USDA zones 7–10. Expect it to reach about 4.9 ft tall and 2 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year.
When to plant Canna Lily
Canna Lily is tender: plant it out after the last frost, once the soil has warmed. In the middle of its hardy zones 7 to 10 range that means March or April; where spring comes later, it goes out later. Expect flowers from July to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 8 in March.
Comes in 11 varieties across 4 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Canna Lily
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
It loves wet soil, even pond margins, in summer, yet that same wet ground turns lethal to the dormant rhizome in cold, poorly drained winter soil. per NC State
How cold-hardy it is
Sources split on cold-hardiness: one lists zones 6 to 10, another 8 to 11, and cold states lift it entirely. The safe in-ground limit sits near zone 7 to 8. per NC State and Wisconsin
Signature pest: leafrollers
Two leaf-rolling caterpillars, the larger and lesser canna leafrollers, roll and skeletonize the leaves. Cut back and destroy dead foliage after frost to kill the ones overwintering inside. per NC State and UGA
Thrives at the water's edge
It tolerates wet ground and shallow standing water, so it doubles as a bog or pond-margin plant, as long as the crown is not deeply submerged. per NC State and Clemson
Draws hummingbirds and bees
Red and orange flowers attract hummingbirds and the blooms draw bees, though many showy modern hybrids offer far less nectar than the wild species. per NC State
Viruses ride in rhizomes
Cannas catch several viruses, notably canna yellow mottle virus, that cause yellow mottling and streaking. They spread through infected rhizomes and cannot be cured, so start from clean stock. per NC State and 3 Biotech
What pairs well with Canna Lily
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Pansy
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate to high water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Tulip Tree
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months.
Chives
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 12 in, for the front of the border.
English Daisy
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; they only overlap in zones 7 to 8.
Sweet Alyssum
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; low at 5 in, to carpet the ground beneath; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; both offer pollinator forage.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath.
Gardenia
Takes full sun to part sun and high water; opens in late spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; a soft color beside the red.
Aster
Shares full sun and moderate to high water; overlaps, then carries the display into mid fall; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; both offer pollinator forage; they only overlap in zones 7 to 8.
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