why don't they bloom?

20 years ago

I have to admit, I'm not even a huge canna lover. But I want the ones I have to bloom! My sister dug some from her backyard for me a couple of years ago. For what it's worth, she is zone 9a, and I am zone 9b/10a (not too much different, except that she gets routine freezes in the winter and gets much hotter in the summer, and my climate is pretty much between 50 and 75 yearround). She doesn't know what variety they are specifically; they were there already when she bought the house. They are quite tall (like 6 feet or more) and have red blooms. Anyway, I planted them in a wine barrel about 2 years ago, and while I get foliage about a foot tall, I get no blooms. They eventually get chewed by some insect critter and look crappy, so I hack them down, and then in the spring they start growing again. They're currently about a foot tall again, and looking quite healthy (no holes or discoloring) but we're heading into fall now...

I have other things in the barrel which are growing and blooming quite well. Any suggestions?

Amanda 'romando'

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Comments (4)

jenny_in_se_pa
20 years ago
How deep did you plant them? Cannas seem to be one that prefers it on the shallower side (no more than a couple inches) or at least at the same level as they were in the ground when they were dug up (it's easier to see where if they had some foliage on them).
romando
Original Author
20 years ago
I agree; I have them planted the same way I do my irises: just on the surface-- even sorta on top in some spots. Maybe they're not getting enough sun? It's a jungle out there. I am almost embarrassed to show any photos of my patio...there's so many plants on it that I have actually been asked before if all of it is "part of my religion or something"....

Well, it is, sorta, isn't it? LOL

Amanda 'romando'
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jenny_in_se_pa
20 years ago
I know about the too many pots problem! LOL

Usually people will indicate they need full sun to bloom but I have seen them bloom just fine in part sun under a high shade canopy and mine bloomed last year in a part sun (~5 hours) position, although they did so later than full sun ones. I'm still waiting for mine right now, although I know due to the pot problem (LOL) I have them sortof behind and inbetween some taller plants.

Another possibility is that you grabbed a bunch of babies that need to get bigger before blooming and the ones that were chewed and then cut back could have bloomed - albeit a bit later than usual the first year due to them getting a new root system going, so they had to start over. It can be frustrating when the bugs make a luncheonette out of your plants. :-\
liriope_bill
20 years ago
Hi Amanda, I have iris and cannas. Cannas need to be a couple inches in the ground. I dug up about 35 last year, stored them in a garbage can in newspaper and sawdust over the winter and planted this past spring. The sunniest spot got NO, NADA, ZERO cannas but others are blooming like crazy. What is in the barrel? Just yard dirt or potting soil? Maybe it needs to be a more neutral PH or more fertilizer.