Cannas (Canna x generalis) are summer bulbs, as any gardener in the north is aware. The canna is a plant designed to impress with its green, purple, or variegated leaves that resemble those of a banana plant and its blooms, which are primarily brilliant colors like red, orange, yellow, pink, or white, as well as bicolors. In the spring you plant them, and in the summer they sprout, grow, and blossom. In the fall you dig up their thick rhizomes, and in the winter you keep them dry in a frost-free area. But how many gardeners are aware that you can grow cannas inside and enjoy year-round blooming on your windowsill?
In a cold or even moderate region, you must undoubtedly bring cannas indoors for the winter because they are not frost hardy. However, you are not required to put them into dormancy. It is very possible to bring a canna in leaf or bloom indoors and keep it growing all winter long, just as you would with any houseplant that you had left outside for the summer. And if the appropriate circumstances are there, it will bloom repeatedly all winter long!
This is made possible by the fact that cannas’ dormancy is not required, a point that is rarely covered in instructions on how to grow them. Cannas are primarily found growing in swamps, ponds, and other poorly drained areas in their native South and Central America. However, these wetlands are occasionally entirely dried out by recurrent droughts. In some cases, this happens every year, while in other others, the marsh may not experience a drought for a number of years.
Because of this, cannas only go dormant when their soil becomes completely dry, spending their time underground in their substantial rhizomes as they wait for the rain to come back. Otherwise, the plant will continue to grow and bloom all year long as long as the soil is kept moist. Cannas don’t require a latent phase in order to grow and bloom, unlike hardy bulbs like tulips and narcissus, where dormancy is required (they will fall dormant in the summer regardless of the conditions you supply them). And no, continuing to bloom without a break does not “wear them out.” Your cannas will keep blooming all winter long if you continue to water them and keep them out of the frost.
A canna can be grown and bloomed indoors on a windowsill with relative ease.
Bring in a plant that is in full development first thing in the fall, before the nights get too chilly. Provide as much sunlight as you can indoors, such as a place next to a sizable south-facing window. The bloom improves with additional sunlight! The space should be suitably heated, ideally at 60F (15C) or more. That temperature range is widely accessible in most dwellings. Any chilly environment will lessen or possibly stop flowering.
All that is required of you is routine watering of the plant, just like you would with any indoor plant. Since cannas are swamp dwellers, you can even leave the saucer full of water this time. But if you ever do let your canna dry out too much, it will become dormant.
Only two or three bloom clusters are produced per stalk. Cut a stem off at the base when it stops blooming. Yes, the entire stem, including the leaves. The normal sprouts that form at the base of the plant will have more room to flower when their time comes as a result.
You will need to fertilize your canna year-round because it is now growing and blooming throughout the year. Use an all-purpose fertilizer at one-half the recommended rate in the spring and summer and one-quarter the recommended rate in the fall and winter.
If you want, you can keep your canna plant growing indoors throughout the year for years or even decades, or you can move it outside for the summer, which usually prompts an even greater bloom because the sunlight is stronger outside and isn’t filtered by passing through glass as it would be on a window sill.
Canna lilies can be grown indoors, right?
For many years, Canadian gardens have been ornamented with these well-liked plants. One of the delights of summer gardens and containers is their prolific blooms and lush, tropical foliage. They originate from tropical Asia where they thrive during the hot, humid growing season, and some species can grow to heights of seven feet (2 m). The shorter days and milder temperatures in Canada, where winters are rarely hot and tropical, indicate that it is time to bring them inside. Bring them indoors when nocturnal lows of the single digits are reached since they detest the cold.
Canna virusa bad news, good news story
The bad news is that almost all of the large cannabis plants grown in France, Israel, the Netherlands, Australia, and the United States, which account for the majority of the cannabis sold in Canada, are sadly infected with a deadly virus. Although the disease has been known for years, not much has been done to stop its spread. Only a few number of the large nurseries throughout the world are still providing stock free of viruses and in good health.
The name of the virus, yellow streak virus, says it all. It first manifests as hazy yellow streaks in the foliage, then spreads more widely until the foliage becomes deformed and dies. It is propagated by sucking insects like aphids, like many plant viruses. No treatment exists. Plants that are diseased and the surrounding soil should be thrown out, not composted. Tragically, neither early-season foliage nor the root exhibit any signs. But if the plant is sick, the mature leaf will become visible in the fall, which prompts me to…
The good news is that most of the cannas we cultivate aren’t purchased. They are shared with family, neighbors, traded, passed on, or shared at horticultural organizations. These probably existed before the virus even existed. They should be alright if they’re healthy. In fact, by obtaining healthy rhizomes from isolated virus-free gardens, several canna nurseries and collections were preserved. So carefully examine the canna foliage. If in doubt, discard them.
Overwintering
Remove the foliage by pruning it a few inches above the earth. You can bring cannas indoors in containers. You should lift them like you would those growing in the garden if they are in large pots. A healthy canna rhizome (root) will have gotten somewhat bigger throughout the summer, so this calls for some attention.
Before storing, let their hefty, water-filled roots ripen a little. When the fruit is ready, you may wash off any soil and put it in clear plastic bags with peat moss that has been very lightly moistened (but not saturated), sealing the bags and keeping them in a cold, dark spot. Regularly check them to make sure they haven’t deteriorated (a mushy region will indicate this). Simply cut this off, allow the root to dry, and then re-store in peat moss.
Canna lilies grow in pots?
The ideal way to pot a canna lily is in a large container because the plant requires room to spread its roots. More bulbs can be planted in a larger pot, which will increase the number of flowers produced by canna plants grown in pots.
Canna lily plant containers can be made of ceramic or clay, either glazed or unglazed. They could be made of tough, long-lasting plastic or even just half a barrel of wood. Canna plants grown in pots can reach heights of up to 5 feet (1.5 m.). They have huge leaves, so pick a pot that will hold the plant’s lofty height and its big roots.
Create a beautiful mixed pot with complementary blooms from other bulbs and flower seeds that will bloom throughout the year. When learning how to plant cannas in a container, experiment and have fun.
Canna lilies can be overwintered inside.
The following are some common queries regarding canna lily overwintering. Ask your question in the comments section below if you can’t find it here.
Can canna lilies grow indoors over winter?
Canna lilies may thrive indoors over the winter, but it’s quite challenging to keep them alive. They are quite vulnerable to problems and require a lot of light. It can be quite difficult to maintain the ideal level of water, moisture, and sunlight inside the home.
Do you have to dig up canna bulbs in the fall?
If you live in a cold climate where the ground freezes, you have to dig up canna bulbs in the fall. If not, you can leave them in the garden over the winter without having to lift them.
Can you overwinter cannas in pots?
Cannas can be overwintered in pots, yes. Before bringing them indoors, remove the foliage to the level of the soil. Stop watering them and keep them somewhere cool and dry where the temperature won’t drop below 40F.
Can you leave canna lilies in the ground over winter?
If the earth where you live doesn’t freeze over during the winter, you can leave canna lilies in the ground. It is too chilly for them to survive outside if you live in zone 7 or lower.
How long can you store canna bulbs?
Canna bulbs can be kept in storage over several months without any problems. Even if you don’t get around to it until later in the summer, you should plant them every year for the best benefits. They will eventually dry out and perish if you try to store them for a very long time.
How can you tell if canna bulbs are dead?
If canna bulbs are entirely dried out or have rotted through, they are dead. You might try planting them if you’re unsure. After around two months, if they haven’t begun to grow, they are dead.
You don’t need to live in a tropical area to enjoy canna lilies year after year because they are so simple to overwinter. Simply adhere to these straightforward suggestions to prolong their life and beauty.
My Winter Houseplant Care eBook is just what you need if you’re sick of seeing your plants suffer and perish during the coldest, driest months of the year. It will demonstrate how to maintain healthy indoor plants all year long. Get your copy right away.
How are calla lilies kept alive inside?
If you recently received a calla lily in a pot as a present, they make lovely houseplants.
Here are some pointers for maintaining callas indoors:
- Keep the ground wet but not drenched.
- Luminous, indirect lighting
- while in flower, monthly liquid fertilizer application
- Avoid the vents for the air conditioning and heating.
- When the plant goes dormant, water less (November)
- Once the leaves have died, trim them off at the soil line.
- During dormancy, let callas rest in a cool, dark location.
- annual repotting before the growing season