You must not be giving enough away. I cannot leave mine in the ground year round but in my climate when I have an aggressive plant I dig all up and only leave one plant.

What I would do is dig them all up except one in the middle and start collecting other Cannas and plant them in your canna bed.

I don't really consider cannas aggressive. I think of them more as prolific growers and I don't dig them unless I have homes for them...or another spot in my yard. There must be a way to thin without digging them all up?? Surely other canna gardeners eventually have to thin out their plants?

Each rhizome makes 20 new eyes a year- more or less. This is why your Cannas seem to be "aggressive". They aren't, it's their nature...
For future plantings, you may plant it in a big pot, which makes a border for the rhizomes, and put the whole pot in the ground.

I never thought about each rhizome making that many cannas. I guess that explains why I never seem to give away enough plants! You offer a great suggestion for controlling the plants and I may try that. I love my cannas but I can't control the leaf rollers when they are this crowded. Looks like I'll be doing a lot of digging before next spring!

Good luck! :-)

I don't like the way that canna in the pot looks! I JUST read about yellow mottle virus and wonder if that has it? As I said, I am new to this, but it sure looks bad to me. I would move it away till you are sure.

Okay... now that I scared you, I was thinking of the virus that is attacking the Dahlia's. Looks just like what happens to them.

Any idea why the leaves have those yellow lines in that Canna? Is it normal for some of them to have leaves like that?

Sorry for the confusion. :c(

I see it affects canna's too. :c( Better look into it to be safe! It spreads by insects and by using an infected tool on a healthy plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link

Canna Pretoria is green and yellow striped like that.

Here is a link that might be useful: Canna Pretoria

This has nothing to do with your question...but, I love your garden....it's so full. You picked some great companion plants as well...good job! :O)

I used to reduce every two years. I would just keep 1/3 of my yeild and hand out the rest...

Beside that, it looks beautiful.

Yes, I agree with the others--your canna garden is beautiful!

I also agree. you have a beautiful clump of cannas! Very tall and full and I think they look great. Eventually you can move some offsets and start them somewhere else in your yard but I dont think they look crowded at all now.

All of my cannas were hand me downs, and are in enclosed beds or pots. I dig out half each year, and either give them away to anyone who will take them :) or donate to the local garden club for their annual sale.

I'd take donations from anyone who needs to thin!!!!!