Cannas in the pond

[Mmathis]

A couple years ago a sales person threw in a freebie canna when I bought a water lily from their store. I stuck it in the rocks as a marginal, never knowing if it would survive more than one season. Well, last year the "parent" plant sent runners out all over the pond, producing many, many baby canna plants. None of those were rooted -- they were just suspended wherever the runners decided to produce a plant. The "parent" plant thrived, but never got all nice and full, though it did make a couple of flowers [I don't remember what color, though]. All of those plantlets survived so this past w/end I snipped them all and planted them around the pond. So, a couple of questions.....

• Are there aquatic versions of canna?
• If I snip the runners, will that let the plants focus more on individual growth? I would like a few nice, full plants with flowers rather than a gazillion baby plants with a network of runners.

 

[sissy]

I have 6 kinds of cannas and like my banana plants and my elephant ears if you are not careful they will take over an area.My banana plants are now again sending up lots of babies even though I dug up lots of roots and most of the cannas have spread to 8 foot around masses .The elephant ears do the same .I refer to them all as disguised bamboo

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Years ago a true aquatic Canna was developed by Longwood Gardens. These are still offers by aquatic plant nurseries and dealers. All cannas are moisture lovers but usually perform better when the crown is kept dry.

 

[sissy]

Mine are in dry areas of my lawn and they are still huge clumps that I have to thin out ,they are worse than an iris

 

[Jimmy Gibson]

I have 6 kinds of cannas and like my banana plants and my elephant ears if you are not careful they will take over an area.My banana plants are now again sending up lots of babies even though I dug up lots of roots and most of the cannas have spread to 8 foot around masses .The elephant ears do the same .I refer to them all as disguised bamboo

My Bananas and elephant ears almost took over my back yard last summer I had a massive thinning this spring

 

[Meyer Jordan]

My Bananas and elephant ears almost took over my back yard last summer I had a massive thinning this spring

If you have the 'running' variety of Elephant Ear you are facing a never-ending battle. Do not let them get close to your pond.

 

[sissy]

mine got way over 8 feet tall last year and spread like crazy and the ones I planted by my back decks have come up this year in big mounds .One plant turned into 26 plants .I did not fertilize them either but they still grew lots of babies .I had a massive thinning last fall and again the other day .I have given lots of them away to people if they will pick them up.Mine were all supposed to be clumping kind

 

[Faebinder]

My cannas in my bog didn't come back this year but I dug up the roots and they seem alive so I am not sure.

 

[sissy]

oh they are alive

 

[Mmathis]

CANNAS --- THEY AREN'T CANNAS AT ALL! I don't know WHY I said that! They are an elephant ear-type plant.

 

[Mmathis]

If you have the 'running' variety of Elephant Ear you are facing a never-ending battle. Do not let them get close to your pond.

Oh my! I've created a monster!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Oh my! I've created a monster!

I sincerely hope not.

 

[tbendl]

Does anyone know how long the canna will bloom during the summer if planted in the bog. @Lisak1 maybe?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

A lot depends on the variety, some will bloom most of the Summer if allowed to spread.

 

[tbendl]

I guess I am wanting some color and more variety in my waterfall. My iris only seem to bloom maybe 1x a year and so I want color but am kind of limited on space.
Canna Indica and Canna sp is what's for sale locally at Lowes