You will quickly find joy in these uncomplicated tropical plants. Whether the leaves, which can be green, dark red or blue-green, or the colorful flowers - the flower tube is visually appealing. Therefore, it is worth propagating it with your own hands.
How to propagate canna plants?
Canna plants can be propagated by seed propagation or rhizome division. When propagating seeds: Grind seeds, soak for 48 hours, plant in potting soil and plant out after the last frost. When dividing the rhizome: divide the rhizome in spring and plant the previously driven sections.
Growing canna from seeds
If you don't want to buy the seeds, you can take them from the plant's three-fold capsules in late autumn. They are small, dark brown to black in color, hard-shelled and vaguely reminiscent of pearls. They can be sown immediately after they have matured. They should be ready to germinate by mid-February at the latest.
Before sowing
Take the seeds and clamp them firmly between your fingers, in a vice (€33.00 on Amazon) or between needle-nose pliers. Now sand the seeds with sandpaper. Alternatively, you can use a nail file to gently file away the hard shell. Once you see the white inside, stop. It is important not to damage the ovules.
After sanding or filing, the seeds are allowed to swell in water. A bowl of warm water does the trick. The seeds are soaked in it for 48 hours. Then the beginnings of the seedlings are usually visible.
Putting seedlings in the ground
This is how we proceed:
- choose small cultivation pots (8 to 10 cm)
- Fill pots with nutrient-poor, light soil
- Insert seedlings
- Pour the soil and keep it moist afterwards
- place on a windowsill above a heater (as an example location)
- after 6 to 14 days the first cotyledons appear
- Planting out young plants after the last frost
Share Canna
The rhizomes of the flower tube can be divided in the spring before planting. Dividing Canna is considered the most common and least complicated method for propagation.
Divide the rhizome so that there are one to three eyes per section. For example, a spade or a sharp knife can be used. After dividing, the rhizomes can be pushed at home before planting.
Tips & Tricks
Get the young plants used to the sun slowly, otherwise they will get sunburned.
