Arrowroot
Canna (KAN-nah)
Canna is a group of erect perennial bulbs in the Cannaceae (canna) family, native to tropical East and West Africa and Central and South America. They can grow up to 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. The genus name comes from the Latin word for reed. Canna can be challenging to grow. They grow in a variety of soil textures but prefer organically-rich, well-drained soil and a site that receives full sun to partial shade. Good drainage is essential to prevent rhizomes from rotting, however the plant will tolerate moist, occasionally wet soil. These plants will sustain injury if left in the ground at temperatures below 25 degrees F. Gardeners in hardiness zones 6a and 6b should cut the plants to the ground immediately after the first frost and lift the rhizome clumps for winter storage in a dry medium such as peat or vermiculite. Store the rhizomes in a cool dry location that does not fall below 40 degrees F. In the spring, after the last frost, return the rhizomes to the ground placing them 4 to 6 inches deep and spaced 12 inches to 3 feet apart. Propagation is by division. Showy flowers bloom from July to October above leaves that are large and broad and may be green to reddish purple. Some leaves can be 2 feet long. Arrowroot is a wildlife food source as well as a larval host for the Lesser canna leafroller ( Geshna cannalis ) moth. Cultivars with red blooms attract hummingbirds. Plant canna in drought tolerant, rain, and water gardens. Place them near pools, walkways, containers, and ponds. They make great mass plantings to grow as hedges, backgrounds, or borders. Quick ID Hints : Tall erect herb with giant, sheathing leaves Terminal racemes with large carotenoid flowers Fruits a prickly 3-valved capsule. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : Japanese beetles, slugs, and snails; aster yellows disease, bud rot, rust, and mosaic virus. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 64 attributes.