Canna Lily Growing Methods and Photo Appreciation
The canna lilyis a tropical broadleaf plant. Its flower colors are mainly two types: yellow canna lily and red canna lily. In addition, improved varieties also display purple, pink, and multicolored speckles. Because the canna lily blooms in the scorching heat of midsummer, it brings passersby a cool beauty, and its brave spirit of fearing not the fierce sun at all is praised by people. Its flower meaning is "a beautiful future."
Canna Lily: A Tenacious Fighter Blooming in the Heat of Summer
[Plant Profile]
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Chinese name:Canna generalis
Scientific name:Canna generalis
Aliases:Canna lily, red canna
Family:Cannaceae
Genus:Canna
Origin:Native to India and South America, growing in areas at an altitude of 800 m; it has now been introduced and cultivated artificially.
Morphological characteristics:A perennial herb, with a plant height reaching 100 cm to 150 cm. The rhizome is plump and has a tuberous underground stem; the leaves are large, arranged spirally, with obvious midribs and pinnate parallel veins. The petiole is sheath-shaped and clasps the stem, with no ligule, and the petiole is round, green or purplish red; the stems and leaves have a white powdery coating, and the leaf blades are broadly elliptical. The flowers are relatively large, reaching up to 20 cm in size, with petals extending straight and 4 petal-like stamens. Flower colors include creamy white, yellow, orange-red, pink, bright red to purplish red.
1 Growth Habits of the Canna Lily
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The canna lily likes warmth, sunlight, and moisture, and is not cold-tolerant. It requires deep, fertile, well-drained soil. The suitable growing temperature for the canna lily is 22-25°C. When grown in the north, insulation measures must be taken in winter, otherwise it is prone to frost damage, causing leaves and flowers to wither. In warm regions, the canna lily can grow all year without resting.
Sketch of a canna lily
Wild growing state of the canna lily
2 Growing Methods for the Canna Lily
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We will use potted canna lily as an example to introduce its growing methods.
First, seed selection: For potted canna lily, it is suitable to choose dwarf varieties, which are relatively small in size and suitable for indoor cultivation. For potting soil, use a mixture of leaf mold, garden soil, peat soil, mountain soil, and other organic-rich soils, mix and stir them evenly, and apply organic fertilizers such as bean cake and bone meal as base fertilizer.
Second, division and planting: Choose healthy rhizomes and divide and plant them in March-April. Cut them into several pieces according to the size of the rhizome, with smooth cuts, and smear plant ash on the cuts. When dividing and planting, bury root tubers with 2 or 3 stem buds into the potting soil, leaving the bud tips outside.
Finally, care: Carry out proper care according to the season and the growth habits of the canna lily. After division and planting, the first watering should be thorough, and afterward keep the potting soil moist. When 5 leaves have grown, apply liquid fertilizer once every 10-15 days (decomposed dilute bean cake water with an appropriate amount of ferrous sulfate added, or a compound chemical fertilizer solution, with a concentration of about 0.3% as suitable). Stop fertilizing when flowering. During the flowering period, moving the canna lily to a shaded and cool place can extend the flowering period. After the flowering period, cutting off the flower stems can promote it to bloom again. In hot summer, water that is too cold and temperatures above 40°C can cause the leaf edges of the canna lily to scorch and turn yellow.
Potted canna lily
Yellow canna lily
3 Pest and Disease Control for the Canna Lily
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The main diseases the canna lily is prone to are mosaic disease and bud rot. See the table below for symptoms and control methods.
In terms of insect pests, the canna lily has relatively few, and it is mainly necessary to pay attention to leaf-rolling pests from May to August. The insect control method is to spray with 50% dichlorvos 800-fold solution or 50% fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate 1000-fold solution.
Overview Table of Canna Lily Diseases
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| On the leaves of infected plants, mosaic patterns or yellow-green mottling appear, petals become smaller and form variegated colors. When the plant is more severely affected, the leaves become deformed and curl inward, and the spots necrose. | The canna lily is propagated by root division, and virus-free mother plants should be selected as propagation material. Once diseased plants are found, they should be immediately pulled out and destroyed to reduce sources of infection. | Spray with 40% omethoate 2000-fold solution, or 50% malathion, 20% diazinon, and 70% pirimicarb each at 1000-fold solution. |
| Before the canna lily unfolds its leaves and blooms, bud rot bacteria invade through the stomata of young leaves and flower buds and cause damage. When leaves unfold, many small spot lesions appear on the leaves and connect with each other along the leaf veins to form large spots. Infected flower buds turn black and die before blooming. | Select healthy rhizomes as propagation material. For rhizomes suspected of carrying bacteria, soak them in a 500-1000-fold streptomycin solution for 30 minutes before planting. | In the early stage of plant disease, spray Bordeaux mixture (1:1:200) or 77% copper hydroxide wettable powder 500-fold solution, 14% copper ammonia complex aqueous solution 400-fold solution, etc. |
Canna lily flower stamens
Canna lily buds ready to bloom
" Conclusion:The canna lily is a tropical plant. The key points of care lie in ensuring the moisture level of the potting soil and maintaining the temperature in winter. The broad leaves of the canna lily can absorb harmful substances such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, and carbon dioxide, purifying indoor air. Moreover, the leaves of the canna lily are sensitive to air quality, and people call it a monitor plant for harmful gases. Not to mention its beautiful flowers!
Canna Lily Growing Methods, Canna Lily Photo Appreciation
The canna lilyis a tropical broadleaf plant. Its flower colors are mainly two types: yellow canna lily and red canna lily. In addition, improved varieties also display purple, pink, and multicolored speckles. Because the canna lily blooms in the scorching heat of midsummer, it brings passersby a cool beauty, and its brave spirit of fearing not the fierce sun at all is praised by people. Its flower meaning is "a beautiful future."
Canna Lily: A Tenacious Fighter Blooming in the Heat of Summer
[Plant Profile]
——————————————————————————————————————————————
Chinese name:Canna generalis
Scientific name:Canna generalis
Aliases:Canna lily, red canna
Family:Cannaceae
Genus:Canna
Origin:Native to India and South America, growing in areas at an altitude of 800 m; it has now been introduced and cultivated artificially.
Morphological characteristics:A perennial herb, with a plant height reaching 100 cm to 150 cm. The rhizome is plump and has a tuberous underground stem; the leaves are large, arranged spirally, with obvious midribs and pinnate parallel veins. The petiole is sheath-shaped and clasps the stem, with no ligule, and the petiole is round, green or purplish red; the stems and leaves have a white powdery coating, and the leaf blades are broadly elliptical. The flowers are relatively large, reaching up to 20 cm in size, with petals extending straight and 4 petal-like stamens. Flower colors include creamy white, yellow, orange-red, pink, bright red to purplish red.
1 Growth Habits of the Canna Lily
——————————————————————————————————————————————
The canna lily likes warmth, sunlight, and moisture, and is not cold-tolerant. It requires deep, fertile, well-drained soil. The suitable growing temperature for the canna lily is 22-25°C. When grown in the north, insulation measures must be taken in winter, otherwise it is prone to frost damage, causing leaves and flowers to wither. In warm regions, the canna lily can grow all year without resting.
Sketch of a canna lily
Wild growing state of the canna lily
2 Growing Methods for the Canna Lily
——————————————————————————————————————————————
We will use potted canna lily as an example to introduce its growing methods.
First, seed selection: For potted canna lily, it is suitable to choose dwarf varieties, which are relatively small in size and suitable for indoor cultivation. For potting soil, use a mixture of leaf mold, garden soil, peat soil, mountain soil, and other organic-rich soils, mix and stir them evenly, and apply organic fertilizers such as bean cake and bone meal as base fertilizer.
Second, division and planting: Choose healthy rhizomes and divide and plant them in March-April. Cut them into several pieces according to the size of the rhizome, with smooth cuts, and smear plant ash on the cuts. When dividing and planting, bury root tubers with 2 or 3 stem buds into the potting soil, leaving the bud tips outside.
Finally, care: Carry out proper care according to the season and the growth habits of the canna lily. After division and planting, the first watering should be thorough, and afterward keep the potting soil moist. When 5 leaves have grown, apply liquid fertilizer once every 10-15 days (decomposed dilute bean cake water with an appropriate amount of ferrous sulfate added, or a compound chemical fertilizer solution, with a concentration of about 0.3% as suitable). Stop fertilizing when flowering. During the flowering period, moving the canna lily to a shaded and cool place can extend the flowering period. After the flowering period, cutting off the flower stems can promote it to bloom again. In hot summer, water that is too cold and temperatures above 40°C can cause the leaf edges of the canna lily to scorch and turn yellow.
Potted canna lily
Yellow canna lily
3 Pest and Disease Control for the Canna Lily
——————————————————————————————————————————————
The main diseases the canna lily is prone to are mosaic disease and bud rot. See the table below for symptoms and control methods.
In terms of insect pests, the canna lily has relatively few, and it is mainly necessary to pay attention to leaf-rolling pests from May to August. The insect control method is to spray with 50% dichlorvos 800-fold solution or 50% fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate 1000-fold solution.
Overview Table of Canna Lily Diseases
|
|
| |
| On the leaves of infected plants, mosaic patterns or yellow-green mottling appear, petals become smaller and form variegated colors. When the plant is more severely affected, the leaves become deformed and curl inward, and the spots necrose. | The canna lily is propagated by root division, and virus-free mother plants should be selected as propagation material. Once diseased plants are found, they should be immediately pulled out and destroyed to reduce sources of infection. | Spray with 40% omethoate 2000-fold solution, or 50% malathion, 20% diazinon, and 70% pirimicarb each at 1000-fold solution. |
| Before the canna lily unfolds its leaves and blooms, bud rot bacteria invade through the stomata of young leaves and flower buds and cause damage. When leaves unfold, many small spot lesions appear on the leaves and connect with each other along the leaf veins to form large spots. Infected flower buds turn black and die before blooming. | Select healthy rhizomes as propagation material. For rhizomes suspected of carrying bacteria, soak them in a 500-1000-fold streptomycin solution for 30 minutes before planting. | In the early stage of plant disease, spray Bordeaux mixture (1:1:200) or 77% copper hydroxide wettable powder 500-fold solution, 14% copper ammonia complex aqueous solution 400-fold solution, etc. |
Canna lily flower stamens
Canna lily buds ready to bloom
" Conclusion:The canna lily is a tropical plant. The key points of care lie in ensuring the moisture level of the potting soil and maintaining the temperature in winter. The broad leaves of the canna lily can absorb harmful substances such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, and carbon dioxide, purifying indoor air. Moreover, the leaves of the canna lily are sensitive to air quality, and people call it a monitor plant for harmful gases. Not to mention its beautiful flowers!
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Potted Canna Lily Growing Methods, Canna Lily Photo Appreciation
The canna lily is a commonly used flowering ornamental plant in subtropical and tropical regions. It likes warmth and sufficient sunlight, and is not cold-tolerant. Its leaves resemble those of the banana plant, and its flower colors are gorgeous. With a delicate and charming appearance, it stands proudly above other flowers and is known as the queen of flower beds. It can be planted not only in the ground but also in pots. Below, the editor will introduce the growing methods for potted canna lilies!
Growing Conditions for Potted Canna Lilies
1. Light: Full sun. During the growing period, it requires sufficient light and must receive at least 5 hours of direct sunlight every day. If the environment is too shady and the light is insufficient, the flowering period will be delayed. If it is placed in a cool place when flowering, the flowering period can be extended.
2. Temperature: The suitable growing temperature is 15-30°C. When flowering, to extend the flowering period, it can be placed in a low-temperature place without sunlight exposure, and the ambient temperature should not be lower than 10°C. When the temperature is above 40°C, the canna lily can be moved to a ventilated and cool place. Around Frost's Descent, potted canna lilies can be moved to a place at 5-10°C to overwinter safely.
3. Humidity: During the growing period, water should be sprayed on the leaf surface 1-2 times a day to maintain humidity. Since the canna lily greatly likes fertilizer and tolerates moisture, the pot should be watered thoroughly.
4. Fertilization: In addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer before planting, topdressing should be applied 3-4 times a month during the peak growing season. If flower buds have not yet emerged 20-30 days before the scheduled flowering period, 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate water solution can be sprayed on the leaves to promote flowering. Potted canna lilies sometimes develop symptoms of scorched leaf edges and yellowing, mainly caused by applying too much ferrous sulfate or by drought and exposure to blazing sun. In hot summer, if the water used for watering is too cold, it can also cause scorched leaf edges. If fertilizer is applied too concentratedly during the height of summer, it can even burn the rhizome and "burn it to death."
5. Soil: It has no strict requirements for soil and grows best in loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam, and it also adapts to growth in fertile clay soil. The potting soil should be mixed with leaf mold, garden soil, peat soil, mountain soil, and other organic-rich soils. For potted canna lilies, dwarf varieties should be chosen. Generally, leaf mold, vegetable garden soil, and rice husk ash are used as the three raw materials in a ratio of 1:1.5:0.5, and a small amount of bean cake, bone meal, and other fertilizers are added and mixed well. In spring, March-April, take out the tubers, remove the rotten parts, select stem tubers with 2-3 robust buds, and bury them in the potting soil; it is best to leave the bud tips exposed above the potting soil. Since the canna lily greatly likes fertilizer and tolerates moisture, the pot should be watered thoroughly. When it grows to the 5th leaf, apply decomposed topdressing once every 7-10 days, and water after fertilizing. Generally, apply 1% ferrous sulfate fertilizer water once a month, or add a small amount of plant ash to promote straight and robust stems, lush green and thick leaves, and bright flower colors. Stop fertilizing at the flowering stage. During overwintering, stop fertilizing.
6. Pruning: After the flowers at the end of the stem fade, the stem branches should be cut off from the base at any time so as to sprout new buds and grow flowering branches that bloom successively.
Growing Methods for Potted Canna Lilies
1. Use a deep, large pot and loose soil: The canna lily is a tuberous-rooted plant, so the pot used should be deeper and larger; a clay pot with a diameter of 30-40 cm can be used. It has strong adaptability and is not particular about soil. It grows best when planted in fertile, loose, well-drained sandy loam. Leaf mold and vegetable garden soil can be mixed in equal amounts and then mixed with a small amount of sand as potting soil. When planting, deep planting is suitable, covering with 6-8 cm of soil. Place a layer of broken hard plastic foam blocks at the bottom of the pot to facilitate air permeability, drainage, and removal from the pot. Replace the pot and soil once every spring.
2. Moderate watering and frequent fertilization: During the growing period of the canna lily, the potting soil should be watered by the principle of seeing dry and seeing wet, and during the rainy season, accumulated water should be drained at any time to prevent waterlogging. During the dormant period, the potting soil should be on the drier side. It likes fertilizer. In addition to adding some bone meal and nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer to the potting soil when potting, apply nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer once about every half month during the growing period. Do not apply it when flowering, and continue applying it after the flowers fade. Avoid applying nitrogen fertilizer alone, otherwise there will be many leaves and few flowers. Do not fertilize during the dormant period.
3. Likes light and warmth, fears cold: The canna lily is a shade-loving flower native to the tropics. It should be placed in a sunny courtyard, roof garden, or west-facing balcony with good ventilation and sufficient sunlight. In this way, not only will the tubers be large and the tillers numerous, but the flowers will also be numerous and gorgeous. If placed in a shady place, the plant will be tall, with few flowers and pale colors, or even no flowers. It fears frost, snow, and freezing. After Frost's Descent, cut off all the scorched yellow leaves, turn an empty flower pot upside down over the pot, and it can overwinter safely outdoors south of the Yangtze River; north of the Yangtze River, it needs to be moved indoors to overwinter. Prune flower stems in time. For potted canna lilies, after the flowers fade, cut off the flower stems in time from the lower part of the stem level with the soil surface, and fertilize to promote new stems to tiller from the base of the stem. After 1.5 to 2 months, it can bloom again. In this way, from late May to October, it can bloom 3-4 times, always maintaining beautiful flowers and leaves.
4. Division propagation is easy to survive: In spring, together with changing the pot and soil, pour out the tubers, cut them into several pieces with a sharp knife, each piece must have at least 2-3 buds, smear the cuts with sulfur powder or plant ash, and plant them separately in pots. They can also be bred after flowering and propagated by sowing in the following spring.
Pest and Disease Control for Potted Canna Lilies
From May to August every year, pay attention to leaf-rolling pests so as not to damage their young leaves and inflorescences. Spray with 50% dichlorvos 800-fold solution or 50% fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate 1000-fold solution for control. Ground-planted canna lilies occasionally have cutworm infestations, which can be caught manually, or controlled by pouring 600-800-fold trichlorfon solution into the soil around the roots.
That wraps up our guide to growing Canna lilies (Canna spp.) in pots. Canna lilies are not only highly ornamental, but their roots and flowers can also be used medicinally: the tuberous roots can treat acute infectious hepatitis of the jaundice type, high blood pressure, metrorrhagia, and similar conditions, while the flowers can treat hemoptysis. They are a medicinal and ornamental flower well worth growing.