Red Flowering Canna Lily Bulbs

Canna Lilies

• Canna lilies are tropical plants and thrive in warm, humid areas. They are hardy to only U.S. Department of Agriculture Zone 8. The plants bear large, dark, banana-shaped leaves on long stems and can grow to 8 feet in height, depending on the cultivar. The flowers are frilled and decorative, featuring shades of red, yellow, orange or pink.

Season

• Canna lilies bloom in mid-summer and early fall, and fade at first frost. These sensitive bulbs don't need winter rooting periods and so do best when planted in mid-spring. Put the bulbs in the outdoor garden when soil temperatures rise to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Site

• Canna lilies prefer sites with full sunshine, quick drainage and room for air circulation. According to the University of Minnesota Extension Service, the bulbs also thrive in warm, protected sites with partial or filtered sunlight. The bulbs will rot in standing water.

Soil and Nutrition

• Give canna lilies rich, crumbly soil at planting for best root expansion and growth. The University of Minnesota Extension Service notes that cannas thrive in soil with high organic content for nutrition, drainage and soil consistency. Dig 5 to 6 inches of organic compost into the top 10 inches of soil in the canna planting bed and add bone meal, 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 fertilizer for root growth.