Cadence,

"Assuming" you are indeed in a zone 8, your canna will survive the winter if placed directly into the ground. I would remove it from any container if that is a consideration.

Kent

I'm definitely in zone 8. I just removed it from the pond and and pot it was in; and I planted it directly into my garden which gets morning shade and afternoon sun. I had to take it from the pond because the raccoons discovered it along with all my other pond plants. Darn them. lol.

Should I be cutting it back or removing leaves or anything? If I do cut it back, how far down do I cut? or should I just leave it the way it is with leaves and all?

Thanks Kent, for your helpful reply.

I am guessing that you still have at least a couple months of decent growing conditions; therefore, remove all the old mature stalks but leave all the developing new growth. Cut the mature stalks roughly two to four inches above the ground. I would be sure to keep the transplanted canna well watered and apply a small dose of fertilizer if not already present in the new location. The new location would preferably be well drained. Cannas do not often "store" well in wet (boggy) winter soils.
I am not sure if or when you might have frost or freezing weather. At some point the canna foliage can be removed and possibly a thin mulch applied over the top. All plant foliage can be cut to near ground level if you are leaving the plant in the ground.
Depending on the size of your canna, you may need to consider dividing it early next spring.

Kent

Thank you for the advice Kent. I will print and follow these instructions. I really appreciate all your help. It sure was beautiful in the pond and kept blooming all summer long.

I'm thrilled because I see my Canna lily (African Sunset) sprouting through the soil. Should I dig it up and divide it? Okay, this is going to be a little 'freaky' for me because I don't have a clue how to divide a plant. Can anyone help?
Thank you. When you divide a plant, does that mean you now have 2 new plants? I know this is a dumb question but I thought I better ask anyway in case I mess up with my Canna. I'm really excited because it didn't die over the winter. Yippee! Can I put it into a container and place it near my pond? What size container if I do this? Sorry for all the questions. Just gots to know.

You may end up with 2 or 3 (or more) divisions. You want to divide into sections with at least 3 growth points, look for natural breaks in the rhizomes. You can grow cannas in containers, but it may not work as well as you want. It may need more moisture than the pot can provide, even in a moist northwestern climate. Also, I wouldn't put it into a pot that you're very attached to, because the rhizome can fill the pot to the point of needing to break the pot to get it out.

Congrats on your plant making it over the winter!