image by Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Shirl
Most of the cannas available today are hybrids created for their foliage, cold tolerance and flower color. Botanists estimate there are about 10 different species, but some suggest the number is higher.
image by Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of tanakawho
In the garden, canna lilies like well-draining soil, full sun and lots of water. Some cannas can be planted in a pond with the leaves above the waterline. Most are hardy to Zone 8.
Flower colors are red, orange and yellow or a combination of those colors. The flower petals are not true petals but modified stamens and pistils, the reproductive organs.
The rhizomes of Canna indica are edible and are the source of arrowroot. Some African tribes use canna seeds to make musical instruments out of hollow gourds. In 17th-century Spain, the seeds were used to make rosaries.
About this Author
Brian Albert has been in the publishing industry since 1999. He is an expert in horticulture, with a focus on aquatics and tropical plants like orchids. He has successfully run an aquatic plant business for over five years. Albert's writing experience includes the Greater Portland Aquarium Society newsletter and politics coverage for a variety of online journals.