Canna not flowering - advice?

[Dollythehun]

If you can find an index of canas, listing them according to characteristics, then you could see the bloom times of each. Like daffodils, are they extremely early, mid-season, late season or extremely late.

As an experienced gardener with many years under her belt, more than you've probably been alive, I can tell you, you cannot grow everything. There are some things you're just not successful with. This is not a personal problem it's the way the world works. And you have to accept that. So do your best research, give your best care and if it doesn't flower enjoy it for the foliage. I think you see a thread of the same advice running through all of these replies.

[DirtyCoconuts]

if it is at all helpful, i am always happy to send cuttings/ bulbs to OB family.

I have yellow, red, orange, coral and pink cannas and i always thought they were all the same. as the leaves are pretty much the same.

I will put up pics, if there is anyway to ID them and any are "early" i would be happy to send you some bulbs next spring.

then you can have the lovely leaves and hopefully some blooms too!

[estación seca]

I would try upping the water. I'm surprised it is that small. They're bog plants that grow standing in water.

Strelitzia really needs hot weather to grow and flower. In a cooler climate I could envision it taking more than 10 years from seed.

[Pippa]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Wyoming is a late summer bloomer. My best guess is not a long enough growing season. That's pretty small heightwise for a Wyoming to be blooming. Can you get it started earlier in the spring?

Second guess... a clinker, as Carol says.

If you want to grow a really cool canna for the leaves, look into Phasion. It's my favorite, and the sun shining through the leaves is magical.

---------- Post added at 11:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:02 AM ----------

PS if the canna your neighbor is growing (burgundy leaves) has red flowers... it's an earlier and very prolific bloomer. Don't expect the same from Wyoming.

I can't start it earlier as I don't have any heated glass and it's too big to bring indoors (we have a tiny house and my husband already thinks I have too many houseplants!). The pot just goes into our shed when the frosts start and comes out when they get mild - I put fleece over it if we have a late frost.

I'll try putting it into a larger pot next year to see if that helps it get taller.

---------- Post added at 07:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:08 PM ----------

We usually have loads of rain, so losing plants to too much water is usually more of a problem, but this has been an exceptionally dry season, so maybe water shortage is the problem. I'll keep a closer eye on the watering next year.

---------- Post added at 07:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:13 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

If you can find an index of canas, listing them according to characteristics, then you could see the bloom times of each. Like daffodils, are they extremely early, mid-season, late season or extremely late.

As an experienced gardener with many years under her belt, more than you've probably been alive, I can tell you, you cannot grow everything. There are some things you're just not successful with. This is not a personal problem it's the way the world works. And you have to accept that. So do your best research, give your best care and if it doesn't flower enjoy it for the foliage. I think you see a thread of the same advice running through all of these replies.

Flowering advice for the UK is June to September, so I guess it should be able to flower here - we're not the warmest part, but not the coldest either. But if it doesn't, I love the foliage anyway. I learned the hard way some years ago that I can't grow everything, but I do like to give it my best shot when I get a free plant to try!

---------- Post added at 07:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:17 PM ----------

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

if it is at all helpful, i am always happy to send cuttings/ bulbs to OB family.

I have yellow, red, orange, coral and pink cannas and i always thought they were all the same. as the leaves are pretty much the same.

I will put up pics, if there is anyway to ID them and any are "early" i would be happy to send you some bulbs next spring.

then you can have the lovely leaves and hopefully some blooms too!

Thank you, that is so kind, but I think importing into the UK might be an issue. I'll keep an eye open for some more bargain cannas in my local plant nursery and maybe try a different variety next year.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Darn. I missed the location. Sorry. Offer is still valid but you have to set up the shipping lol

[kvet]

My parents, who live a few minutes from me here in coastal southern california, have an abundance of canna that grow and flower well. Most are under a canopy of palm trees, effectively full shade, in clay soil. However, I noticed the other weekend they are in areas that get more water. Perhaps the advise on upping the water would be helpful?

[Pippa]

Thanks, it does seem like upping the water is the way to go. We usually have a problem with too much water in Wales, but it has been quite a dry year!

I've just been given an offshoot of my neighbour's canna (the one that grows and flowers like crazy!) so it will be interesting to see how that does next year.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Good luck!

[estación seca]

Canna is a food plant.
Eat The Weeds and other things, too: Canna

[kvet]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Canna is a food plant.
Eat The Weeds and other things, too: Canna

That's awesome I just pulled a bunch from the parental units' yard to try in mine, and they looked like ginger, was planning to research this. Thank you!