CannaTropicana.com

New Canna Introductions: Tropicanna® ‘Black’ & ‘Gold’

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:35:57 +0000

Tropicanna® 'Black' and 'Gold'

These new exotic cannas display new and totally unique color combinations. Tropicanna® ‘Black’ features magnificent shades of purple blended with black. Tropicanna® ‘Gold’ features a bold striping of green and gold throughout each leaf.

Their spikes will produce flowers of the richest scarlet/orange color, which will continue to appear from spring to autumn.

Planted out side-by-side with the original Tropicanna®, Tropicanna® Black and Tropicanna® Gold cannas will make an outstanding display in the garden. Striking in color and form, this trio is guaranteed to create a dramatic tropical impact.

Canna ‘Tropicana’ or ‘Tropicanna®’?

admin — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:28:46 +0000

You may be wondering – what is the proper spelling of this canna? The plant has come to be referred to more frequently as ‘Tropicana’, with one ‘n’, although the original, and technically correct spelling, is ‘Tropicanna®’. In fact, the name ‘Tropicanna®’ is a registered trademark of Anthony Tesselaar International, where this canna variety was originally patented.

How to Grow Tropicana Cannas

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:34:34 +0000

The needs of the Canna ‘Tropicana’ are really not much different from those of other cannas. Here are some important tips to consider.

Spacing
The cannas should be planted about 18 inches apart in garden beds. If growing in containers, they can be planted closer together, as they will provide more of an architectural “cluster”. Ideally, the container size should be at least 15″ in diameter to allow the plants to reach their full size potential by the end of the growing season.

Sun
Canna ‘Tropicana’ performs best in full sun – at least 6 hours a day, but can also be grown in light sun or partial shade. If growing indoors, the canna needs about 4 hours of sun per day minimum, and grows best if taken outside during the summer, where it can get more direct sunlight and heat.

Soil and Watering
Canna ‘Tropicana’ can grow in a wide range of soils, but does best in fertile soil. It is more tolerant than most plants to poorly-draining soils. To look its best, the Tropicana canna needs frequent watering during its active growing season.

Fertilizers
In spring, give the canna a time release flowering plant fertilizer with a high potassium value to encourage flower production. Avoid a fertilizer too high in nitrogen – it can produce a canna that is excessively tall and elongated.

Winter Care
Canna ‘Tropicana’ can be stored indoors in Zone 6 or colder climates, and left in the ground in Zone 7 or warmer climates. Click here for more overwintering information.

Winter Protection for Canna ‘Tropicana’

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:31:37 +0000

Protecting Canna ‘Tropicana’ for the winter is fairly simple. If you live in Zone 6 or a colder climate, you will need to dig your canna ‘Tropicana’ bulbs out of the ground each fall and store them for the winter. Most people do this shortly after the first hard frost, when the foliage dies back, but before the ground freezes solid.

To store the bulbs, carefully dig them out of the ground and cut back the dead tops. Clean off the extra soil and allow the bulbs to dry thoroughly. A common storage technique is to wrap the rhizomes in newspaper, then in paper bags, and to place them in a cool location, ideally around 50° F, but not in a location that experiences freezing temperatures. Canna ‘Tropicana’ bulbs can be divided and replanted in pots the following spring to give them a head start before planting them back in the garden.

If you reside in climate Zone 7, with an average low temperature of 0° F, your canna bulbs can be left in the ground during the winter. As an extra precaution, it is recommended that you cover them with a thick layer of mulch.

If you live in an even warmer climate where the risk of frost is light, you should prepare for the possibility of strong winds shredding, breaking, or even uprooting your canna plants. Some type of windbreak or other shelter may be necessary.

About Cannas

admin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:00:33 +0000

Canna (a.k.a. Canna lily, although not a true lily) is a genus of approximately twenty species of flowering plants.The closest living relations to cannas are the other plant families of the order Zingiberales, including gingers, bananas, heliconias, marantas, and strelitzias.The name Canna originates from the Celtic word for a cane or reed.

Canna is the only genus in the family Cannaceae. Such a family has almost universally been recognized by taxonomists. The APG II system of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, 1998) also recognizes the family, and assigns it to the order Zingiberales in the clade commelinids, in the monocots.

Cannas are tropical plants, however, most cultivars have been developed in temperate climates and are easy to grow in most areas of the world. Their basic requirement is an average of about six hours of sunlight in the summer. The species has large, attractive foliage and horticulturists have turned it into a large-flowered, bright, and brash garden plant. In some parts of the world, it is an agricultural plant, being one of the world’s richest starch sources.