Canna

Heat- and sun-loving plants, Canna’s brightly colored spikes of flowers and bold banana-like leaves create a dramatic, tropical effect. Varieties range from very dwarf (18-20 in.) to tall (more than 48 in.) plants, with red, yellow, orange, apricot, salmon, white, bicolor, spotted and streaked flowers.

In Zones 7-10, cannas can be left in the ground over the winter, but in the rest of the country they must be dug up in the fall. They do best in moist soil enriched with compost or well-rotted cow manure, full sun and hot weather. In Zones 7-10 plant the rhizomes in the garden in spring; elsewhere, you can start the rhizomes in peat pots indoors about a month before night temperatures stay above 50° to 60°. Space the rhizomes 15 to 18 inches apart and cover them with 1 to 2 inches of soil. Feed every two to four weeks with a dusting of 5-10-5 fertilizer during the growing season. From Zone 6 north, cut the stalks to the ground after they are blackened by frost. Dig the roots and let them dry a few days before storing them, upside down, in dry peat moss, perlite or vermiculite. In Zones 7-10, dig and reset every third year.