Canna Lily

Canna generalis Bailey

Canna Lilies have large, colorful flowers that look like they are waving hello! They are perfect for brightening up gardens during the summer.

Habitat: Gardens and marshy areas

Appearance

The Canna Lily has large, paddle-shaped leaves that can be bright green, bronze, or striped, making it stand out in any garden. Its vibrant flowers, often red, orange, yellow, or pink, emerge on tall stalks, displaying an exotic and tropical flair.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderZingiberalesFamilyCannaceaeGenusCanna

Canna Lily

Interesting facts

Canna Lilies can help clean water, soaking up pollutants from wetland areas.

Canna Lily seeds are so hard, they've been used as beads and even shotgun pellets!

Their rhizomes are edible, tasting a bit like sweet potatoes when cooked!

These plants are related to bananas and ginger, sharing a tropical family tree.

Special abilities

Canna Lily has thick, starchy rhizomes underground that store food, helping it survive cold winters or dry spells.

Canna Lily can produce bright, trumpet-shaped flowers that are perfectly shaped to attract hummingbirds for pollination.

Canna Lily has very large leaves that efficiently capture sunlight, helping it make lots of energy through photosynthesis.

Measurements & details

Height: 100-300 cm
Spread: 30-100 cm
Flower Size: 5-10 cm
Bloom Season: Summer-fall
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Bird

Ecological connections

pollinates

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Feeds on nectar, aiding reproduction.

pollinates

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio glaucus

Adult butterflies drink nectar.

eats

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

May dig up and consume rhizomes.

Traits

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Broadleaf Tree

Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.

Evergreen

Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.