Cannas seem to be a dime a dozen. The list of cultivated varieties is long. They mainly differ in size, the color of their flowers, their flowering time and the color of their foliage.
Which Canna varieties are there?
Canna varieties can be divided into dwarf and giant varieties, with the former being ideal for container cultivation. Single-colored dwarf varieties like 'Alberich', bicolored dwarf varieties like 'Cleopatra' and giant cannas like 'Black Knight' are some of the many well-known species.
The dwarves among the Cannas
In Germany, most garden centers sell the dwarf varieties of Cannas. Due to their average height of 60 cm, these are ideal for pot cultivation. They can be planted on balconies and terraces, for example. But these dwarf varieties can also find a place in beds, in winter gardens or even in bright living rooms.
Known monochromatic dwarf varieties
The following specimens are among the most common, well-known and monochrome flowering dwarf varieties:
- ‘Alberich’: salmon red
- ‘Perkeo’: bright red
- ‘Cherry Red’: cherry red
- ‘Puck’: lemon yellow
- ‘Ibis’: flame red, dark leafy
- ‘Orchid’: dark pink, blue-green leaves
- ‘Evening Star’: rose red
Known bicolor dwarf varieties
There are plenty of two-color canna varieties. They usually have a strong contrast and are ideal as a solitaire. They include, among others:
- ‘Cleopatra’: red-yellow
- ‘Lucifer’: red with yellow border
- ‘En Avant’: yellow, red speckled
- ‘Orange Perfection’: orange yellow
- ‘Delibab’: orange, shimmering reddish
- 'Queen Charlotte': canary yellow with red central stripe
The giants among the cannas
In addition to the dwarf varieties, the large-growing varieties of the flower cane are impressive. They can reach heights of up to 3 m. For this reason they are less suitable for containers. They do best outdoors, such as on an open lawn or in a large garden bed.
These well-known varieties include:
- 'Black Knight': dark red, burgundy to brown-red leaves
- ‘Miss Oklahoma’: large-flowered, pink
- ‘President’: red
- ‘Marabout’: huge, red
- ‘Richard Wallace’: yellow
- ‘Tropicana’: orange, striped leaves
- ‘Wyoming’: orange, reddish leaves
Tips & Tricks
If you want to plant both dwarf and giant cannas in one bed, you should move the small specimens to the foreground and give the giants a place in the background. This way, all varieties come into their own.
