After living in Florida for a few years, I planted some Canna Lilies in my yard. I had always loved them, with their tall upright stems, big green, bronze and multi-colored leaves and colorful flowers in reds, yellows and oranges. But soon, after they had grown a few feet tall, I noticed that something was eating my leaves. I asked my good friend JoAnn what I should do and she gave me the greatest answer I’ve ever heard, "She told me to do nothing." She knew that I loved butterfly gardening, but she also knew that I did not know that the caterpillar eating all my Canna Lilies was the larvae of the "Skipper Butterfly." It’s an adorable little guy (1 — ½ inches long) that looks more like an iridescent moth, than a butterfly. Additionally, she told me to, "Plant more Canna Lilies so there would be plenty for larval food for the Skippers and plenty to grow and bloom for me." Wasn’t that just the greatest answer in the world.
Since then I have just fallen in love with the Canna Lily and have several varieties growing in my yard.
Canna Lilies look a lot like bananas and ginger, and the reason is because they are in fact kin to those plants. Most of the literature that I have read says they like moist, enriched soil with organic matter. But by now you know I do not irrigate and I would never call sand — enriched soil — and I never amend my soil. And they grow just fine for me. They like full sun, but will take partial shade. I grow mine in full sun and let Mother Nature take care of their watering.
In the Spring I cut mine back to the ground. They grow by rhizome, and if I want to propagate them by division of the rhizome I do it at this time. The rhizomes need to be planted 2 inches deep and about a foot apart. I fertilize 3 times a year, but some publications say you can even fertilize them more (I never do).
Most cultivars love water, or a bog condition. So if you have a low, wet area, this is a perfect plant for you. They also grow great in a pond.
They come in dwarf cultivars to plants which grow to over 8 feet tall. They are best planted in large, mass plantings. The Canna flaccida is a native yellow canna found in Florida wetland.
Canna Lilies have two problems, the leaf roller caterpillars (which we have talked about earlier) and rust. Since I consider mine to be a Butterfly Plant I use no chemicals on them. If you are not growing them for larval food, you can use some copper fungicide (as directed on label) on them. It seems like to much work and I would not bother. Just cut off the affected leaves.
They can be bought in all Big Box Stores, local nurseries, Pond Stores and on-line and are not expensive.
For further information go to:
http://www.floridata.com/ref/C/cann_fla.cfm
http://www.floridata.com/ref/C/cann_xge.cfm
(Photo: Canna Lilies by Pond)
(Photo: Canna Lily Flower)
(Photo: Canna Lilies in Pond)
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