Indian shot plant

Origin: South and Central America

Flower color: white, orange, yellow, pink, red, bicolor.

Flowering period: July-October

Average plant height: 32 – 80 inches

Planting depth to base of bulbs: just deep enough to cover with soil

Spacing between bulbs: 12 inches

Type of bulb: rhizome

Light requirements: sun is essential (full morning sun)

Landscape uses: containers and borders

Canna lilies are tender subtropical rhizomatous plants. Most often used in pots and containers, they are enjoying a resurgence in popularity as an important summer garden plant. Here, they are divided into three groups: tall, bronze-leaved varieties; tall, green-leaved varieties, and dwarf varieties. Their inflorescences are up to 5 inches across and their leaves are very decorative. Canna lilies will bloom longer when faded flowers are removed.

In warm climatic zones, canna lilies are perennials. In other areas, the rhizomes should be lifted and stored in sand or peat.

Principal varieties

Green-leaved varieties

• ‘City of Portland’ – pink 
• ‘Richard Wallace’ – yellow 
• ‘Rosemond Coles’ – red, yellow-edged 
• ‘President’ – bright red

Dwarf (20-32 inches) green-leaved varieties

• ‘Orchid’ – pink 
• ‘Lucifer’ – red 
• ‘Primrose Yellow’ – yellow

Bronze-leaved varieties

• ‘Roi Humbert’ – orange/red 
• ‘Wyoming’ – orange 
• ‘Black Knight’ – red