Kanna is a perennial plant that was first introduced to Europeans in the 16th century. The first specimens of cannes came from South America to Europe thanks to the Portuguese, from which it was concluded that the plant is present only in the New World. The plant has exceptional decorative properties, representing a tall bush with bright and large flowers and magnificent leaves. For more than three hundred years, beautiful cannes have been decorating the gardens and greenhouses of many flower growers. Planting and caring for cannas in temperate climates is currently not a major problem and can be done at a low cost because the plant is relatively picky. The only problem that the florist will face is the thermophilicity of the plant, however, it is easily solved by wintering the rhizomes of the plant in more gentle conditions.
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Botanical description
Despite the monotypic nature of the family (represented by only one genus) and a small number of species, the eland perfectly interbreeds within the genus. This allows you to get a fairly large number of its varieties and hybrids that have a variety of external data: from height to shade and shape of flowers.
The origin of the European name for eland is very mysterious. The word "canna" in ancient Greek means "reed". Perhaps it was obtained due to the slight external similarity of the tall stems of the plant with the stems of sugar cane. However, the similarity of these two completely different species (even belonging to different orders) ends on the stem.
canna leaves
To a much greater extent, the plant is externally similar to gladiolus (according to the structure of the stem and leaves) or an orchid (according to the shape of a flower). At the same time, cannes are completely odorless. One of the main advantages of the plant is its almost complete immunity to disease.
All plants of the genus Kanna are herbaceous perennials with an extensive root system. One of the important components of this system are large branched rhizomes containing a supply of nutrients necessary for the growth and development of the plant at the beginning of the next season. Rhizomes branch out in breadth in the topsoil, rarely penetrating to a depth of more than 20 cm.
Australian canna with purple leaves
The stems of various types of canna have a wide variety of lengths. Depending on the type and variety of the plant, they can reach from 60 cm to 3 m.
The leaves of the plant are powerful, large and fleshy. Their size can reach up to 80 cm in length and 30 in width.
The plant is characterized by a two-row arrangement of leaves on the stems. The color and shape of the leaves themselves make the plant decorative even without flowers. The leaves of some types of cannes are not green, but more exotic in color, such as burgundy or purple.
Canna flowers are not symmetrical: not only do they have different petal lengths, but their arrangement is rather non-standard. The size of the flowers can be very large - from 4 to 10 cm in diameter. They are collected in paniculate or racemose inflorescences. Usually, the flowers have a very bright color. Red, yellow and orange tones predominate. White petals are very rare. The plant is dioecious, that is, the flowers are capable of self-pollination.The bract of cannes flowers is quite large and has an oval shape.
Indian canna flower
Flowering, depending on the species or variety, occurs from mid-June to mid-June. July. There are also species that can tie inflorescences from mid-summer to late autumn.
Canna fruits ripen towards the end of summer in cylindrical boxes.. Seeds are quite large, ranging in size from 5 to 10 mm, in boxes they are arranged in two rows. As the fruit dries, the capsules crack and the seeds scatter over a short distance.
canna seeds
There are 12 types of cannes in total. It is believed that their homeland is Central America. Currently, the plant is distributed in tropical and equatorial climates in India, Australia, China and Indonesia.
In addition to aesthetic properties, canna also has economic significance.: rhizomes containing a large amount of starch (about a third of the mass) are eaten, and the stems and leaves are fed to livestock.
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The easiest way to plant a canna is with divided rhizomes. Seed cultivation is also practiced, but it is associated with a number of difficulties. This is primarily due to the fact that most plant varieties do not transmit their varietal characteristics to offspring. Some varieties do not set seeds at all, propagating exclusively by vegetative means.
Seed propagation is a great way to get new plant varieties.
However, the selection of cannes is relatively simple, and its results can be seen in a fairly short time. So, if the grower wants to participate in the selection process to repeat existing varieties or breed new ones, seed propagation will be the main way to plant a plant.
General issues
Ideally, the plant prefers rich soils located in sunny areas, protected from cold winds.. However, it is permissible to grow a plant in partial shade and on any soil, since the necessary organic fertilizers are applied under each plant when planting.
Planting canna seeds in a temperate climate in open ground is not carried out. The plant simply does not have enough time to form stems and leaves. Landing in open ground should be made in the second half of May. It can be both tubers and young seedlings obtained from seeds in advance.
Canna in the flowerbed
Under each plant, a planting hole should be allocated with a depth of about 50 cm and a diameter of 50-60 cm. At the bottom of the pit, a drainage of large rubble or broken bricks about 5 cm thick should be laid. A layer of fresh manure 20 cm high is laid on top of the drainage.
The soil for the plant repeats the soil of most crops, such as cucumbers. The recommended soil composition for cannes is as follows: a mixture of leafy soil, sand and peat in equal proportions.
Planting hole with drainage manure it is filled to the top with soil, a small depression is made in it, into which a rhizome is placed or a young plant is established.
The depth of the hole is no more than 10 cm. After that, the hole is covered with soil and watered.
Planting rhizomes
Preliminary preparation of rhizomes for planting is quite simple. It should begin in March with the division of the overwintered or acquired large rhizome.
The division should be done in such a way that each rhizome obtained has either one large stem bud or 2-3 small ones. Separation points and any sanitary cuts on the rhizomes should be treated with crushed charcoal and dried a little.
canna tubers
There are two ways to proceed: rhizomes can be stored at a temperature of + 10-12 ° C, or the procedure for their germination can be started.The latter is more preferable, especially for cold climates, as it will help speed up canna flowering by 1-2 months.
When germinating, the rhizomes are placed in ordinary sand, which is covered up to the level of the kidneys. It is desirable to arrange all the rhizomes tightly to each other. In the process of germination, you should constantly moisten the sand with a spray gun and maintain the temperature of the box with rhizomes in the region of + 20-24 ° C. Sometimes it is recommended to heat the container from below. To speed up the process, it is recommended to cover the box with a plastic film, which should be removed 1-2 times a day for half an hour to ensure the ventilation of the rhizomes and their watering.
After the first green shoots appear from the buds, it is necessary to remove the film and plant each plant in an individual container. As such, pots or any containers with a volume of at least 1 liter can act. Ordinary sand continues to be used as a soil, which, when transplanted, is recommended to be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate in water (2 g per 10 l of water).
Germination in individual containers occurs at a temperature not exceeding +16°С. This will allow the plants to get stronger before planting in open ground. Watering at this stage should be done once every 10 days. At the same time, water for irrigation should contain potassium permanganate in the previously indicated concentration.
When the frost period is guaranteed to end, the germinated tubers are taken out of their containers and planted in open ground.
Planting seeds
In order for the canna to bloom at the appointed time (end of June), sowing seeds for seedlings must begin as early as February. In this case, the seeds should be slightly "accelerated" in the process of germination. They have a fairly hard shell and can germinate for several months without outside help.
germinated canna seeds
The shell should be softened before sowing.. To do this, the seeds are placed for several hours in a thermos with warm water (temperature about 40-45 ° C) or doused with boiling water. Sometimes a different technique is used: the seeds are first placed in a freezer for 1-2 hours, and then placed in a warm place, for example, on a battery, for 12 hours. The seed coat after such treatments will become bumpy and softer to the touch.
The soil for seeds should be light and consist of sand and peat, mixed in equal proportions. It is also desirable to disinfect it with a solution of potassium permanganate in water at a concentration of 0.2%.
sprouted seedlings
Seeds are planted in a seedling box in several rows. The distance between seeds and between rows should be 6-8 cm. The depth of planting seeds is 2-3 cm. After watering, the box with seeds is covered with a plastic film and placed in partial shade with an air temperature of + 23-25 ° C. Like any other seedling, a box with cannes must be regularly ventilated and watered with warm water.
Shoots appear in about a month. Until the first 3 leaves appear on young plants, the film is not removed, and watering and airing continue with the same frequency and intensity as before.
As soon as the plants have a sufficient number of leaves, they are transplanted into individual containers and taken out to a sunny area with a temperature not higher than +16°C. In May, young plants are planted in open ground.
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plant care
Faded inflorescences and flowers must be removed
Canna care in the garden is very simple and consists of regular watering and a few top dressings.. Moreover, the latter is not even mandatory, since the amount of organic fertilizers applied to the soil during planting will be enough for the plant for the entire season.
However, during the growing season, cannes need to be fed two or three times with mineral fertilizers. This can be either some kind of complex fertilizer, or a mixture consisting of 10 g of potash, 12 g of nitrogenous and 25 g of phosphorus fertilizers applied per 1 sq. m of plot area.
Watering before flowers appear should be moderate and carried out once a week. From the beginning of flowering and until the seeds ripen, it is advisable to slightly increase the watering rate, leaving the same frequency. After each watering, the soil should be loosened to a depth of 2-3 cm.
Before the height of the plant reaches 30-40 cm, weeds must be carefully removed from the site.
The probability of plant damage by insects is very small, but if this happens, you can use any insecticide.
If there is a desire to prolong flowering and the goal is not to get seeds, it is necessary to regularly cut off faded flowers and inflorescences.
After the end of flowering and before the onset of cold weather, plants should be highly piled up so that frosts do not damage the rhizomes.
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Excavated rhizomes before storage
After the end of flowering, the intensity of watering the plant should be reduced until it completely stops by mid-September.. At the end of September, you should dig up the rhizomes along with a clod of earth and move them to a place for winter storage.
It should be a room with low humidity and low light. About a week after digging, the rhizomes are cleaned of soil and placed in special containers, where they are covered with peat, sand or needles. The substrate with which the rhizomes are covered must have a humidity of 50% and be in a room with a temperature of + 6-8 ° C.
Rhizomes processed for refrigerated storage
When storing rhizomes, you should regularly inspect and cut off areas affected by rot or other diseases, treating the sections with ordinary pharmacy iodine.
If there is no suitable room, you can store the rhizomes in the refrigerator.. There is no need for a substrate. Rhizomes are dug out of the soil, washed in warm water and kept for a day in a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate. After that, they are dried, wrapped in paper and placed in a container for vegetables at the bottom of the refrigerator.
Container with rhizomes covered with substrate
With this storage of rhizomes, it is also necessary to regularly inspect and remove damaged or rotten areas.
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Growing canna indoors
In addition to garden cultivation, cannes are often practiced at home. Depending on the time of year, cannes in pots can be placed in different parts of the apartment, house or garden. In summer, they can be moved outdoors, transferred to balconies or loggias, installed on terraces. Thanks to their bright appearance, cannes in a house or apartment can become the center of any composition, occupy their niche in almost any interior.
Cannes growing in a pot
Almost all tropical plants need a dormant period, when their decorative properties can deteriorate significantly. Kanna is one of the few pleasant exceptions. Firstly, its dormant period lasts only 1.5-2 months, and secondly, with a small rhizome, canna practically does not lose its decorative properties.
Choice of soil and containers
The size of the pot in which the canna will be grown in the apartment is limited only by the number of rhizomes growing in it. With the growth of the root system, you should not choose a larger pot - the rhizomes must be planted, since excessive thickening is detrimental to the plant.
Cannes are too tight. Root separation required
In addition, there is no need for very deep pots, since the root system of cannes is located 10-15 cm from the soil surface. It is believed that for 3-4 rhizomes a pot with a diameter of 20 cm and a depth of not more than 15 cm is sufficient.
The pot can be made from any material. A drainage layer of expanded clay or fine gravel 2-3 cm thick is placed on its bottom.
The composition of the soil is similar to the previously considered soil for gardening cannas (earth, peat and sand in equal proportions).
Care
Watering the plant should be carried out with settled water with a temperature of 2-3 ° C above room temperature. It should be done as soon as a crust appears on the top layer of soil. More frequent watering is not necessary. Half an hour after the end of watering, it is required to remove all water from the pan.
Once every two weeks, it is recommended to wipe the leaves of the plant with a damp sponge.
Rhizome of a house canna before division
If there is a need to prolong flowering, faded inflorescences should be removed. However, with home cultivation, such a procedure will require top dressing. As such, some fertilizer for indoor flowers can act. It is best not to apply fertilizer granules to the soil, but to dilute it in the required concentration in water and irrigate with this water. Foliar top dressing for canna is not recommended.
As the plant develops new rhizomes, it should be planted. This procedure should be carried out immediately after the end of the dormant period of the plant. In Cannes, it begins at the end of November and lasts about 2 months.
The plant that is planned to be planted should be prepared in advance for this procedure. Already in early October, it is necessary to begin to reduce its watering in order to completely stop it by the end of the month. After that, in early November, all shoots are cut off from the plant, leaving only the stems at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground level. For a month, the plant in this state is at room temperature, and then placed in a dry and cool room with a temperature of + 8-10 ° C.
There it is stored until the end of January. After that, the rhizome is dug up and divided, and its parts are seated in their pots. In this case, the soil of the mother plant cannot be used, it is necessary to make a new soil mixture.
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Canna - flower bed decoration
Canna is one of the most interesting ornamental plants. Beautiful leaves and flowers, combined with the high growth of the plant, can give any site an original look. Plants can be used in landscape design in a wide variety of roles, from single plantings to the center plant on flowerbeds or as hedges. Caring for cannes is simple and quite within the power of even a novice grower.
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