Variegated Canna Lily Plant

Description

Variegated Canna Lily Plant

Canna or canna lily is the only genus of flowering plants in the family Cannaceae, consisting of 10 species.Cannas are not true lilies, but have been assigned by the APG II system of 2003 to the order Zingiberales in the monocot clade Commelinids, together with their closest relatives, the gingers, spiral gingers, bananas, arrowroots, heliconias, and birds of paradise.

The gorgeous canna boasts immense, often-veined, paddle-shaped leaves and sheathing leafstalks in shades of green or bronze—and flashy blooms that stand tall on their stems. With their great reedy canes and palmy foliage, cannas would be magnificent even if they never bloomed.

HOW TO CARE FOR CANNA LILY –

• Full foliage color develops when days are warmer (59ºF or more).
• With masses of broad fleshy leaves, cannas do best with a good supply of water, so water the plants during the summer if the rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. Water freely in a dry spell.
• Cannas are not picky when it comes to fertilizer. Cannas easily bloom all summer without much effort. But for those of you who want to give your plants an extra boost, apply a 5-10-5 or 10-10-10 in the spring and, if you wish, two more times during the growing season. Fish emulsion fertilizer is a little higher in nitrogen, but is a fantastic organic alternative for feeding your cannas. Higher nitrogen fertilizers tend to increase the average height of cannas.  If you have rose food or tomato food on hand, both are great options for cannas, too.
• Keep a thin layer of mulch around cannas to help retain moisture as well.
• Stake tall varieties if needed.
• As flowers fade, deadhead to promote continued flowering.
• After the flower stem has been deadheaded several times and is no longer producing flowers, cut the flower stem and any attached foliage to the ground, as this can help nearby cannas get more light and flower themselves. (If you prefer, just cut the stem back to the foliage, which will last until the first frost.)