Cannas are quick growing, vigorous ornamental plants with heavy foliage and large flowers.
Flower colors range from dark red to light green. Leaf colors can be reddish-purple, bronze or green. They are used most effectively for bedding plants in public parks and larger home grounds where they can be planted in front of taller shrubbery and viewed from a distance. Their vigor and size make them less desirable for planting in restricted areas

Janssen, Donald E.

Steinegger, Don

English

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Historical Materials from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension 
1974 
G74-186 Cannas 
Donald E. Janssen 
University of Nebraska - Lincoln, djanssen2@unl.edu 
Don Steinegger 
University of Nebraska--Lincoln, dsteinegger1@unl.edu 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist 
 Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Curriculum and Instruction Commons 
Janssen, Donald E. and Steinegger, Don, "G74-186 Cannas" (1974). Historical Materials from University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 973. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/973 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - 
Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an 
authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
G74-186-A 
(Revised May 1978) 
 
Cannas 
Cannas are quick growing, vigorous ornamental plants with heavy foliage and large flowers. 
Donald E. Janssen, Extension Horticulture Ass't. 
Donald H. Steinegger, Extension Horticulturist  
 
Cannas are quick growing, vigorous ornamental plants with heavy foliage and large flowers. Flower 
colors range from dark red to light green. Leaf colors can be reddish-purple, bronze or green. They are 
used most effectively for bedding plants in public parks and larger home grounds where they can be 
planted in front of taller shrubbery and viewed from a distance. Their vigor and size make them less 
desirable for planting in restricted areas.  
Cannas require a warm, sunny location and under such conditions are capable of giving a subtropical 
effect if used in quantity with ricinus or castor bean, caladium or elephant's ear, or other appropriate 
plants. They thrive best under conditions suitable for corn, that is, a warm, well drained soil, well 
enriched with decayed manure.  
The tubers should be planted after all danger of frost is past. A portion of an old tuber containing several 
strong buds is best. The old tubers may be divided to single eyes, but the weak eyes are likely to make 
weak plants. If very strong clumps are wanted, a whole tuber may be used. When separated to single 
eyes they are best started in 4-inch pots covered with glass. The tubers should be planted 5 inches deep. 
Cannas should be planted 12-18 inches apart depending on the size of the varieties used and the effect 
desired. In dry weather a thorough soaking of the plants once a week will insure a stronger growth.  
The blooms should be picked as soon as withered. After the tops have been killed by frost they should 
dry a few days, then be cut off. The tubers need to be dug and dried in the sun a few hours and stored in 
a cool (40-50° F) moderately dry (30% humidity) cellar or storage area. The tubers can be stored in dry 
sphagnum moss, vermiculite, or sand. They may also be placed on wire racks so air can circulate freely. 
No frost must reach the tubers and they must not be too warm or dry. A cellar suitable for Irish potatoes 
is about right for cannas.  
Protect the tubers in storage by dusting them with a fungicide-insecticide mixture. Use one part diazinon 
or sevin to one part of a fungicide dust such as captan, maneb, or zineb. This will control insects and 
protect small cuts from rot.  
Canna tubers can be purchased from merchants selling plants and seeds. They can be bought under 
variety names so that one can choose kinds of variety sizes, and flower colors. Cannas can be purchased 
in the spring either as dormant tubers or as growing plants in 2 or 4 inch pots.  
File G186 under: HORTICULTURE 
A-10, Ornamentals 
Revised May 1978; 5,000 printed. 
 
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation 
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Elbert C. Dickey, Director of Cooperative Extension, 
University of Nebraska, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. 
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension educational programs abide with the non-discrimination 
policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.  
Variety Height Flower color Remarks
Dwarfs    
Doc 18" Deep red  
Happy 18" Primrose yellow  
Grumpy 18" Red  
Pfitzers Dwarfs    
Stadt Fellbach 36" Peach; orange Vigorous grower
Chinese coral 30" Pink  
Primrose yellow 30" Yellow Plants are bushy
Confetti 30" Yellow w/red dots  
Scarlet Beauty 32" Scarlet Starts blooming early
Grand Opera    
La Traviata 36" Rose  
La Boheme 36" Peach  
Rigoletta 36" Yellow  
Giant    
Miss Oklahoma 36" Pink  
City of Portland 42" Rosy pink Compact
Red King Humbert 54" Orange-red Bronze-red foliage
Richard Wallace 48" Yellow Vigorous grower
Rosamond Cole 36" Scarlet w/sharp narrow yellow edge Yellow buds
The President 36" Scarlet  


G74-186 Cannas

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension 1974 G74-186 Cannas Donald E. Janssen University of Nebraska - Lincoln, djanssen2@unl.edu Don Steinegger University of Nebraska--Lincoln, dsteinegger1@unl.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist  Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Janssen, Donald E. and Steinegger, Don, "G74-186 Cannas" (1974). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 973. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/973 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. G74-186-A (Revised May 1978)  Cannas Cannas are quick growing, vigorous ornamental plants with heavy foliage and large flowers. Donald E. Janssen, Extension Horticulture Ass't. Donald H. Steinegger, Extension Horticulturist   Cannas are quick growing, vigorous ornamental plants with heavy foliage and large flowers. Flower colors range from dark red to light green. Leaf colors can be reddish-purple, bronze or green. They are used most effectively for bedding plants in public parks and larger home grounds where they can be planted in front of taller shrubbery and viewed from a distance. Their vigor and size make them less desirable for planting in restricted areas.  Cannas require a warm, sunny location and under such conditions are capable of giving a subtropical effect if used in quantity with ricinus or castor bean, caladium or elephant's ear, or other appropriate plants. They thrive best under conditions suitable for corn, that is, a warm, well drained soil, well enriched with decayed manure.  The tubers should be planted after all danger of frost is past. A portion of an old tuber containing several strong buds is best. The old tubers may be divided to single eyes, but the weak eyes are likely to make weak plants. If very strong clumps are wanted, a whole tuber may be used. When separated to single eyes they are best started in 4-inch pots covered with glass. The tubers should be planted 5 inches deep. Cannas should be planted 12-18 inches apart depending on the size of the varieties used and the effect desired. In dry weather a thorough soaking of the plants once a week will insure a stronger growth.  The blooms should be picked as soon as withered. After the tops have been killed by frost they should dry a few days, then be cut off. The tubers need to be dug and dried in the sun a few hours and stored in a cool (40-50° F) moderately dry (30% humidity) cellar or storage area. The tubers can be stored in dry sphagnum moss, vermiculite, or sand. They may also be placed on wire racks so air can circulate freely. No frost must reach the tubers and they must not be too warm or dry. A cellar suitable for Irish potatoes is about right for cannas.  Protect the tubers in storage by dusting them with a fungicide-insecticide mixture. Use one part diazinon or sevin to one part of a fungicide dust such as captan, maneb, or zineb. This will control insects and protect small cuts from rot.  Canna tubers can be purchased from merchants selling plants and seeds. They can be bought under variety names so that one can choose kinds of variety sizes, and flower colors. Cannas can be purchased in the spring either as dormant tubers or as growing plants in 2 or 4 inch pots.  File G186 under: HORTICULTURE A-10, Ornamentals Revised May 1978; 5,000 printed.  Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Elbert C. Dickey, Director of Cooperative Extension, University of Nebraska, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension educational programs abide with the non-discrimination policies of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.  Variety Height Flower color RemarksDwarfs    Doc 18" Deep red  Happy 18" Primrose yellow  Grumpy 18" Red  Pfitzers Dwarfs    Stadt Fellbach 36" Peach; orange Vigorous growerChinese coral 30" Pink  Primrose yellow 30" Yellow Plants are bushyConfetti 30" Yellow w/red dots  Scarlet Beauty 32" Scarlet Starts blooming earlyGrand Opera    La Traviata 36" Rose  La Boheme 36" Peach  Rigoletta 36" Yellow  Giant    Miss Oklahoma 36" Pink  City of Portland 42" Rosy pink CompactRed King Humbert 54" Orange-red Bronze-red foliageRichard Wallace 48" Yellow Vigorous growerRosamond Cole 36" Scarlet w/sharp narrow yellow edge Yellow budsThe President 36" Scarlet  

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G74-186 Cannas

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