CANNA 2019

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by JWK, Jan 3, 2019.

  1. Freddy

    Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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    Semi-tender perennials. As John said, treat them like Dahlias, and you won’t go far wrong :thumbsup:
     
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    • Verdun

      Verdun Passionate gardener

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      Cleopatra was on my wish list a couple of years ago but it was disappointing in a friend's garden and it seems to be highly susceptible to virus. The plants I have seen look awful :noidea:
      Scrungee, I would "tuck them in somewhere frost free...." Still a lot of winter to come yet ...the real cold hasnt arrived.
      Cannas are mostly perennial FC......however they are a must in the garden I think :)
      Yes, as Freddie said tender perennials
       
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      • JWK

        JWK Gardener Staff Member

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        Hi @Freddy you can dot them about as they make good individual specimens, however I like to clump them together for more impact so I have 3 in a 45L pot and cram several pots together. This is the same as if they were in the ground around 12" apart. I only grow one variety now i.e Cleo but if you had three different varieties I'd give them a bit more space, maybe 2 foot apart.
         
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        • Freddy

          Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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          I was thinking maybe 2ft too. Cheers John:thumbsup:
           
        • Verdun

          Verdun Passionate gardener

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          Have to say though that here cannas make large "rootballs" even from first year planting. I give them a metre spacing usually but, as said earlier, some cannas occupy several square metres.
          For me they are individual specimen plants and those that occupied say a square metre last year will require double that this year. I regularly divide mine
          I suggest they are grown in containers to give an idea of their size and then planted into the garden in mid summer.
          My plants are of the tall to medium tall sort.....I have no experience thus far about the dwarf varieties.:)
           
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          • HarryS

            HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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            I plant mine in a group of 3 about 2 feet apart . These are the ones I grew from seed about 6 years ago , Canna Tropicana red. I think this is a generic name for non specific Cannas . Thye grow 6 feet to the flower tip . It cost me £0.99 for the seeds on Ebay , £0.15 a year :blue thumb:
            From Harts I bought Canna Bengal Tiger rhizomes ( it has a few other names ), these are still going strong .

            DSCN1712.JPG
             
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            • Fat Controller

              Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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              Oooh, I like them @HarryS - are these the sort of thing my local garden centre would be getting into stock in the spring as plants, or is it a grow from seed job like dahlias?
               
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              • Freddy

                Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                Hiya Harry :blue thumb:
                I did try growing from seed last year. I did all the right things, I think, and not one germinated :scratch: I’ll buy plants this time.
                Throwing this open, can anyone recommend a large flowered yellow Canna, growing to around 4ft?
                 
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                • Verdun

                  Verdun Passionate gardener

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                  FC.....garden centres will supply cannas but, as said earlier, they are plants heavily affected by virus, worldwide. It is essential to buy virus free stocks.
                  A local nursery had to destroy their entire stock because of virus.
                  It is important not to import any virus affected canna into your garden...the virus will spread to the others therein.
                  Seed sown should be safe, I assume.
                  Freddie, consult the Harts canna website. I think this is the only grower of virus free stock
                   
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                  • Fat Controller

                    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                    OK, seeds it is - do they flower in the first year?
                     
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                    • Verdun

                      Verdun Passionate gardener

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                      Treat yourself FC.....buy a rhizome. If started early (in the greenhouse) it should flower in its first year. Mine always have done :)
                       
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                      • Freddy

                        Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                        Pretty sure they will, if sown early enough. Just don’t expect them to reach their full potential though. Also, they’re not the easiest to get going. Good seed is important. The ones I got last year were off the bay, duff seed...probably.
                         
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                        • Freddy

                          Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                          @Fat Controller , just for your info, I bought these several years back...
                          CANNA BRASILIENSIS SEEDS - Plant World Seeds

                          They germinated well, and flowered in their first year. They were though disappointingly small, the flowers measuring about an inch across. If you do decide to grow from seed, I’m pretty sure the time is fast approaching, just saying :thumbsup:
                           
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                          • Fat Controller

                            Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                            Thanks Freddy - I have had a good few beers this evening, and it is never a good thing for me to use credit cards after alcohol :biggrin:, so I will have a look tomorrow :)
                             
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                            • Freddy

                              Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                              Got a nice glass of Chardonnay going myself :) In my roundabout way, I think I was saying choose wisely, if growing from seed. That said, Harry (and no doubt others) seems to have done rather well :)
                               
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