Canna

Canna indica hybrid

Location: WAIMEA VALLEY Audubon center(Oaf Iland)
Location: WAIMEA VALLEY Audubon center(Oaf Iland)
Location: Enchanting Floral Gardens(Maui Iland)
Location: Kiyosumi Shirakawa
Location: Kiyosumi Shirakawa
Location: Enchanting Floral Gardens(Maui Iland)
Location: Enchanting Floral Gardens(Maui Iland)
Location: Enchanting Floral Gardens(Maui Iland)
Location: Koto-ku(Tokyo)
Location: Koto-ku(Tokyo)
Location: Kiba Park
Location: Kiba Park
Location: Kiyosumi Shirakawa
Location: Kiba Park
Location: Kiba Park
Location: Kiyosumi Shirakawa

Flower name
Canna
Scientific name
Canna indica hybrid
Aliasハナカンナ, Canna, 花カンナ, Canna lily
Place of originTropical and subtropical America
Place of floweringGarden, Park, Streets, Planting
Flowering seasonJuly, August, September, October

What is Canna

Birth flowers for Sep 21

Birthday flowers for September 21 are Canna (scientific name: Canna indica hybrid) and Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale).

Canna (Canna indica hybrid) is an interspecific horticultural hybrid derived from Canna indica (commonly known as Edible Canna or Achira), a semi-hardy perennial bulbous plant in the family Cannaceae, native to tropical and subtropical America.

It is also called “Hana Canna” in Japanese, and in English “Canna lily.” Its parent species, Canna indica, was introduced to Japan in the early Edo period and became widespread across the country. Modern horticultural varieties of canna have been bred mainly in the United States and Europe.

From its thick rhizomes arise flowering stems. Plant height ranges from about 50 cm (dwarf forms), ~100 cm (medium forms), up to ~250 cm (tall forms). The leaves are pointed, glossy, oblong-elliptic, 40–60 cm long, and broad. While green is the basic leaf color, numerous cultivars have been bred with striped yellow and green leaves, or with white-veined leaves.

From July to October, racemes appear at the tip of the flowering stem, producing unique flowers in red, yellow, orange, pink, white, or bicolored forms. What look like petals are actually five of the six stamens that have become petaloid, with the remaining one functioning as the true stamen. The actual petals are small and inconspicuous. After flowering, capsule fruits develop, maturing from green → red → dark brown.

Paintings of Canna

(Paint similar to the central part of the red-and-yellow canna shown at the top of this page)

Title: Red Canna
Artist: Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986), American painter
Year: 1924

Flower Language

“Passion”

Gladiolus and Canna

The flowers resemble those of gladiolus (Gladiolus, family Iridaceae). Below are distinguishing features between canna and gladiolus.

Differences between Gladiolus and Canna

● Leaf width
Gladiolus has narrow leaves, while canna has broad leaves.

● Flower arrangement
Gladiolus flowers are arranged in a single row along the spike, whereas canna flowers cluster together.

● Flower color
Gladiolus displays almost every color except black, while canna flowers are mostly in warm colors.

● Leaf color/patterns
Gladiolus leaves are uniformly green, whereas many canna cultivars have patterned or variegated leaves, valued for ornamental use.

Plants with similar leaves

Another plant with similar leaves is “Water canna” (Thalia dealbata), in the family Marantaceae. Despite the name, it only resembles canna in its foliage.

General information
Common name: Canna
Scientific names: Canna indica hybrid, Canna indica var. orientalis
Other names: Hana canna (Japanese), Canna lily (English)
Classification: Plantae – Angiosperms – Monocots – Order Zingiberales – Family Cannaceae – Genus Canna
Origin: Hybrid cultivars derived from Canna indica, native to tropical and subtropical America
Height: 50 cm (dwarf) – 100 cm (medium) – 250 cm (tall)
Leaf: Oblong-elliptic; green, bronze, or variegated; alternate arrangement
Flowering: July to early October; racemes; flower diameter 5–20 cm; colors include red, white, pink, yellow, pale yellow, orange, yellow-red variegated, bicolors
Seed color: Black