How to Propagate Canna Lily by Division? A Full Breakdown of the Key Methods

Livestock Farming Jan 1, 1970 0 views

The canna lily (red canna) originated in India and is now cultivated throughout both northern and southern parts of our country. Its flower language is a solid future; it is now often used as illustration material, and it looks very beautiful planted in courtyards, by windows, or beside ponds

Red Canna

Artificial propagation of red canna is mainly done by division. May to August is the suitable period, which is the peak growing season; you can dig up well-grown young plants from beside a robust mother plant and plant them. When potting, choose a spot sheltered from the wind, water thoroughly after planting, but do not let water accumulate. In summer, keep the soil moist and frequently spray water on the leaves to appropriately raise air humidity. Generally, after about 20 days of care, the divided plantlets will grow new leaves.

How to Grow Canna generalis 'Striatus' (Golden-Veined Canna)

Basic Information on Canna generalis 'Striatus'

Scientific name: Canna generalis cv. Striatus. Aliases: golden-leaf green-veined canna, variegated canna, golden-veined large-flowered canna, golden-leaf green-veined Yanhua.

Family and genus: Cannaceae, Canna. It is a cultivar of Canna generalis (large-flowered canna).

Perennial bulbous flower, plant height 70-100 cm. Rhizome horizontal and thick. Stems and leaves covered with white powder; stem fleshy, unbranched. Leaves alternate, long elliptic-lanceolate, leaf surface pale yellow, veins green. If the climate is mild, it can bloom year-round; generally blooms from June to October. Raceme terminal, petals straight, with 4 petaloid stamens, orange-red.

Canna generalis 'Striatus' has bright, lovely leaf color, large and vividly colored flowers, a long flowering period, and a rugged nature; it is easy to plant by walls, and it blooms when hot weather leaves few other flowers. It can be grown in pots to decorate courtyards, windowsills, balconies, and other sunny spots.

[Original Species of Canna generalis 'Striatus' and Related Flowers]

(1) Canna generalis: also called Tanhua, red canna, or Zhuangyuan red; it is a garden hybrid of multiple origins. Leaves broad, long elliptic-lanceolate, 20-30 cm long and 10-13 cm wide, entire. Blooms from May to November, raceme terminal, with 2-3 branches; calyx and corolla inconspicuous, with 5 degenerated stamens, of which 3-4 enlarge into petal-like forms, in colors such as milky white, orange-yellow, pale yellow, pink, orange-red, bright red, red-purple, etc., or with various spots or gold-sprinkled patterns, sometimes two colors alternating.

(2) Canna Warscewiezii: pseudostem purplish red, stout. Leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, 20-50 cm long and 15-20 cm wide, dark green, tinged with purple or bronze. Blooms from May to November; raceme about 15 cm long, terminal, with 2-3 branches; bracts purple, covered with sky-blue bloom; sepals lanceolate, purple; corolla lobes lanceolate, deep red or orange-yellow, outer part slightly tinged with blue.

(3) Canna indica: also called small canna, red canna, or small banana; it is one of the original species of modern cannas. Leaves broad, ovate-lanceolate, resembling banana leaves. Flowers terminal, raceme; stamens degenerated into petals, red or yellow.

[Propagation of Canna generalis 'Striatus'] Division, sowing. Division is the main method.

(1) Division: carried out in early spring before sprouting. Dig out fresh, thick rhizomes or tip them out of the pot, cut into small sections with 2-3 buds, and then plant them separately. You can also cut off rooted young plants from clustered plants during the growing season and plant them separately.

(2) Sowing: can be sown immediately after the seeds mature, or stored dry or in sand until April to May of the following year. Because the seeds are hard, before sowing you need to scrape the seed coat with a file or sharp blade, or soak the seeds in 30°C warm water for 24 hours, or soak them in dilute sulfuric acid for 30-40 seconds, then remove, wash, and sow. After sowing, cover with plastic film to keep warm; at a temperature of about 25°C, they can germinate after 20-30 days. Seedlings can bloom in the same year, but the offspring will revert and lose the beautiful markings on the leaves.

[Key Points for Planting and Growing Canna generalis 'Striatus']

(1) Temperature: likes warmth; the most suitable growing temperature is 18-30°C. Not cold-tolerant; when the temperature is below 16°C the plant grows slowly, and when the temperature drops below 7°C it will wither upon frost. If a temperature above 16°C can be maintained in winter, it can grow and bloom year-round. The overwintering temperature for rhizomes should not be lower than 5°C; below 0°C the underground stems will freeze. In the Yangtze River basin region, rhizomes can overwinter safely in the soil, but some dwarf varieties and potted varieties are prone to frost damage, so measures should be taken to keep them warm and prevent freezing. Potted plants can have their stems and leaves cut off before winter and then be placed indoors above 5°C to overwinter. When the summer temperature reaches above 32°C, it is necessary to strengthen ventilation, provide appropriate shading, and spray the surroundings to lower the temperature.

(2) Light: likes sufficient sunlight and can tolerate partial shade. Potted plants need appropriate shading during high summer temperatures; overly intense sunlight will make the leaves turn yellow and develop scorched tips and edges. Also avoid overly shady conditions, otherwise the branches and leaves will grow leggy and weak, flowering will decrease or even stop, and the beautiful markings on the leaves will fade, reducing ornamental value. When blooming, place the potted plant in a cool place to prolong the flowering time.

(3) Water: likes a moist soil environment; during the growing period, water should be supplied fully to keep the potting soil moist. When the potting soil is too dry, the leaves curl, turn yellow, and develop scorched edges, and tillering is affected and the flowering period is shortened. Also avoid waterlogged potting soil; overly wet soil easily causes root rot.

(4) Environmental humidity: likes a humid environment. According to measurements, when relative air humidity is above 98%, each flower can last 2 days; when below 70%, the flower's life is only half a day. During the growing period, especially during flowering, frequently spray water on the branches, leaves, and surroundings to increase relative air humidity. Overly dry air can also cause leaves to curl and develop scorched edges.

(5) Fertilization: likes fertilizer. In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer when potting, during the growing and flowering period apply a topdressing once a month of combined nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, mainly phosphorus and potassium, to promote upright, robust stems and leaves, vigorous tillering, lush green and thick leaves, and vivid flower color. Avoid applying nitrogen fertilizer alone, otherwise there will be many leaves and few flowers, and the beautiful markings on the leaves will fade and turn green. When fertilizer is insufficient, the plant's growth weakens, leaf color becomes dull, and it cannot bloom or blooms sparsely. Stop fertilizing during the flowering period, and only after the flowers fade should fertilizer be promptly supplied along with pruning.

(6) Pruning: each inflorescence of canna blooms for 10-15 days; after the flowers fade, promptly cut off the spent flowers to reduce nutrient consumption. At ordinary times, cut off yellow leaves as they appear to promote tillering and continuous blooming. If you need to control plant height, after sprouting you can water with a 15% paclobutrazol 1,000-1,500 times solution, once every 20-30 days, for a total of 3-4 times.

(7) Potting and repotting: potting is best done in early March. For potted plants, choose dwarf varieties. For planting, use a large pot with a diameter of 30-40 cm; at home you can use a medium pot with a diameter of 20 cm, planting 2-3 strong buds per pot, with a soil cover depth of 5 cm. It likes loose, fertile, and well-drained soil; the growing medium can be prepared from materials such as leaf mold, garden soil, and rice husk ash, mixed with a small amount of cake fertilizer or bone meal as base fertilizer. Repot once every spring; when repotting, replace the soil, cut off old stems, divide new stems, and replant. Generally one pot of plants can be divided into 3 pots.

(8) Pest and disease control: there are pests and diseases such as viral disease, anthracnose, rust, fusarium wilt, aphids, and banana leaf-roller.

[Common Problems in Growing Canna generalis 'Striatus']

Common Problem    Cause
Leaves curling, turning yellow, and developing scorched edges    ① Too intense light; ② Potting soil too dry; ③ Air too dry; ④ Damage from viral disease
Growth vigor declining, leaf color dull, unable to bloom or blooming sparsely    Usually caused by lack of fertilizer
Potted plants growing too tall    ① Not choosing a dwarf variety; ② Insufficient light; ③ Applying too much nitrogen fertilizer; ④ Not watering with dwarfing hormone