Canna Lily
Canna × generalis
Family Cannaceae
Instant tropics for gas-station money: canna lilies throw up banana-scale leaves and three-to-eight-foot stalks in a single hot summer, with flower spikes hummingbirds patrol daily. On the striped-leaf types the foliage alone — green, burgundy, sunset-orange — outperforms most plants' flowers.
It's one of the few glamour plants that loves wet feet — pond edges, rain-soaked corners, even pots standing in water saucers — and it's safe around pets. Rhizomes triple over a summer, so one plant becomes a hedge of them. Sink one where the tropics are needed.
Full Sun
High water
Very Fast in heat growth
Attracts hummingbirds
From the print shop
Growing canna lily? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries canna lily — Canna generalis, print Nº 90, “Canna Lily.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what canna lily actually needs.
Life cyclePerennial zones 7–10, annual elsewhereCanna Lily · Common problems
Common canna lily problems
Pests
3 problems on file
- Canna Leaf Roller (South)
- Japanese Beetles
- Slugs
Diseases
2 problems on file
- Canna Rust
- Virus (buy clean stock — mottled streaked leaves are viral, destroy)
Canna Lily · Growing & propagation
Growing canna lily
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- High
It's a marsh plant; pots can sit IN water saucers
Soil- Rich, moist · pH 6.0 - 6.5
Fertilizer- Monthly heavy feed
Pruning- Frost → cut, lift rhizomes, store barely-damp at 45-55°F (multiplies 3-4x yearly)
Deadhead spent spikes to the next side bud; remove ratty leaves.
Spacing- 18-24 in
How to plant & propagate canna lily
- Propagate
- Offsets, division, or bulbils
Canna Lily · Seasonal care & spray guidance
The canna lily growing playbook
When to spray canna lily
Growing season. Pick rolled leaves open and squish the roller; rust in humidity means thin the clump.
Canna Lily · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Canna Lily · Yearly calendar
The canna lily year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomJuly
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Canna Lily · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Canna × generalis
Canna Lily in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer bulb
Attracts- Hummingbirds
Habitat- Wetland
Moisture- Wetland / wet-tolerant
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What canna lily is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Use- Tropical borders
- Use
- Pond edges
- Use
- Big pots
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Canna Lily · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a canna lily variety
'Tropicanna' (striped circus leaves); 'Australia' (black-red); 'King Humbert'; 'Pretoria'
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Canna Lily
Canna × generalis
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Canna × generalis
- Plant family
- Cannaceae
- Growth habit
- Bulb · Tender Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- CAGE3
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Canna Lily
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Canna Lily questions, answered straight.
Is canna lily safe for kids and pets?
Canna Lily is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate canna lily?
Offsets, division, or bulbils.
Elsewhere
Where canna lily sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily