Scientific Name:
Canna
x
generalis
Pronunciation:
KAN-uh ex jen-er-RAY-liss
Common Name:
canna, garden cannas
Family Name:
Cannaceae
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Thick fleshy rhizomes, some cultivars up to 2m tall, eaves alternate, elliptic, 25-40(-90)cm long x 15-25(-40)cm wide, sheathing base, acute apex, undulating margins, pinnate venation, green with reddish tints to dark red (veins may have a contrasting colour in some cultivars); flowers in racemes, red, pink, orange, yellow; Jul-Sep.
Habit:
Pendulous, Upright
Form:
Oval - vertical
Texture:
Very coarse
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
1.0 - 1.5m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Central America, Garden origin, Mexico, South America, South Asia / India (C. indica x C. glauca or C. iridiflora)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 8a: (-12 to -9.5 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Humus rich, Well-drained
Water Use:
Moderate
Landscape Uses:
Accent plant, Bedding plant, Container planting, Cut flower or foliage, Group or mass planting, Perennial border, Specimen plant, Waterside planting
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Leathery, Pinnate venation
Surfaces:
Lustrous
Compound Leaf:
Digitate (palmate)
Colour in Summer:
Green, Red
Colour in Fall:
Green, Red
Shapes:
Elliptic
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Sheathing
Margins:
Sinuate, Undulate (wavy)
Inflorescence Type:
Raceme
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Salverform
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Showy, Orange, Yellow, Pink, Red, Dark-red
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Jul, Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
Florets bilaterally symmetrical; some of the 5 "tepals" are actually modified stamens
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Red, Dark-red, Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Fruit insignificant
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green, Red
Organ Modifications:
Rhizomes, Edible
Propagation:
Seed, Division - below ground parts
Maintenance:
Medium
Other:
Rhizomes may require protective mulching or other winter protection
Pest Susceptibility:
Beetles or weevils, Fungal leaf spot, Mites, Rust, Slugs or snails, Virus
Specific Pests:
