Canna Lily Plant Care

Canna Lily (Canna hybrida) belongs to the Cannaceae family within the Canna genus. Canna Lily is native to Tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America and India. Canna Lily is also known as Indian Shot.

Canna Lily displays an upright, clumping growth habit, reaching up to 4 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Canna Lily produces showy, vibrant blooms in various colors.

Leaf size: approximately 8 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Canna Lily every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Canna Lily thrives in full sun.

Canna hybrida tolerates temperatures of 60–80°F. Canna Lily prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining soil mix. Good drainage is essential for Canna Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Canna Lily every month during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining soil mix. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Canna Lily is suited to USDA Zone 7a – 13b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Canna Lily can spread to about 1 ft (0.3 m) and reach about 4 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 1 ft (0.3 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Canna Lily while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Canna Lily is hardy down to USDA zone 7a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Canna Lily can be propagated through divide rhizomes or plant seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to water canna plant care, which shares the same genus.

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Canna Lily is susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Canna Lily grows outdoors in USDA Zone 7a – 13b. It survives winters down to planting zone 7a. Canna Lily is native to Tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America and India.