I know its early but in Zone 6a it's time to plan the deck containers.
I am wanting some fancy leaf cannas but would like some recommendations as to vendors.
If you have a good source please let me know.
If you have a favorite leaf color or character do the same.

For fabulous leaf color you just can't beat this one. It has sort of garish blazing orange flowers, but I just remove them and enjoy the leaves.

It was originally sold as 'Durban' but now is known as 'Tropicanna'. I got them at Lowe's both last year and this.


I've seen pictures of gorgeous green/white variegated foliage on 'Stuttgart' but I have bought tubers twice, from two different vendors online. Both times they have grown plain green foliage with delicate apricot flowers. I wrote back to both vendors and got the same answer - the variegation is what they call a 'chimera' and it disappears randomly. They also can't stand the direct sun here if the foliage does come up variegated. The white areas burn.

Elaine:
Thats great news about the pale green variegated.I wont chance those.
I live where there is real winter and long months of freezing so the season is short compared to warmer zones.
I love tropical s in my deck planters because of the drama so I buy plants.In past years I have grown alocasias but last summer there were too many failures to grow into anything really great.
I need to buy plants as that gives me 2 months head start compared to planting tubers and waiting until August to see anything.Weather turns cool in September and downright cold the end of Sep.

I had done some scouting and see Joy Creek has canna plants.Expensive but it might be worth it just for 2 or 3.

Cannas are a great option for the tropical foliage look, Jo Ann. Plus they're so easy, as long as you keep up the water and fert they will keep putting up leaves until it's cold.

My daughter in Utah has a huge planter that she puts Cannas in each spring, and they are gorgeous. She starts her tubers from the year before in smaller pots in the sunny windows of her kitchen, so they are well started by the time the weather's warm enough outside.

If you feel like browsing, here's a link to Florida Hill Nursery's Canna selection. Most are sold out at the moment but they'll have the full selection in the spring. 'Pretoria' 'Blueberry Sparkler' 'Australia' and 'Intrigue' all have interesting colored foliage, and some have gorgeous flowers. This nursery is one of only a few I've ordered from that don't rip you off on the shipping, too.

http://www.floridahillnursery....

Thanks Elaine.I might try the pre start option as I looked at Joy Creek. Their plants are $15.00 each.
You have been very helpful.Does your daughter winter the cannas over as bulbs? Like caladiums?

I won't even grow em now!

Everything in my area is flat eat up with canna virus!

Oh yea...those same tropicannas were at my lowes, three kinds, black, white and regular.

ALL OF THEM CAME WITH CANNA VIRUS!

I'm done with cannas for a few years atleast!

If you do use them in containers, don't go too small. 10 gallon minimum if you want nice big plants, they will live in smaller, but you will have to water so much that you just might let em die on purpose!

O M G Midnight G, we had the same problem with coneflower virus ( Asters Yellows ) I lost many of the new intros.
Thats a great tip about planter size. Most of mine are at least 18" in dia.I was planning on cannas in a 10 inch but now will change my mind.
Would you recomens tubers started inside in March for Z6a? or buy plants in Late May?
Here is my deck. DD and SIL and I sold our houses and bought this big place together.That meant double kitchen stuff and garden stuff when we moved in. I have 30 planters.
I am also obcessed with buying more and have to contain myself when out at nurseries.

Nobody else here would know anything about obsessive plant buying

Haaaaaaaa!!!!! Betty ,What was I thinking?

Absolutely, you're in good company of plant addicts here, Jo Ann. I am with you on the beautiful big containers, too. Your deck is gorgeous!

Cannas absolutely need the biggest container you have, as Sway says. Some of them get very tall - over 6ft. - so you might want to consider that when you are buying. A big pot won't blow over as easily. They will fill it up by the end of the summer. Hmm, I didn't have any problems with the Canna virus, at least not yet!

Yes, my daughter waits until the tops of the cannas die back in the fall then rousts them out, cuts off the dead foliage and stores them in sterile potting mix in her basement over the winter. Exactly like Caladiums. They need to stay cool but not freeze. It's very dry in Utah in winter, so I do remind her to dampen them a little bit, once in a while so they don't dessicate entirely. Then I also remind her to haul them out in March, put them in a sunny window and get them started.

They truly grow so fast once the weather is warm and sunny that she is at least equal, if not ahead on starting hers this way versus buying plants. Plus she saved the money, using last years' tubers.

Elaine

Do we have the canna virus here? I wanted to get some different kinds but if we are dealing with viruses then I'll reconsider.

Ge1836 Great picture of your deck, just beautiful.

Thanks everyone.
I tried tropicals the past 3 seasons but bought really small alocasias ,plugs realy and potted them in 4 inch pots and kept them in the house from March until the end of May first week of June when the nights are in the 60's
They never reached mature height but I expect if Cannas go to 4 feet I will be thrilled.

I am lucky to be in a situation where I dont shop at BigBox stores. I have not had as mant hits as misses and viruses seem to be in the stock bought in the garden centers.I did get a Veronica that did well.

I will probably buy canna plants. I am chomping at the bit to see the 2014 catalogs.

Jan, I haven't had any problems with the canna virus here, at least not yet. I do buy from Lowe's quite often, too.

The virus could be in one batch of plants and not another. There's never any guarantee, really. Here in FL we have every plant disease, no matter what you do. Just deal with it as best you can and move forward.

If you worry about this or that disease here, you'd never buy a single plant, and never grow anything outside either.

Elaine ,I understand. Maybe the constant mild and warm temps bring problems.Here at least the winter freezes take care of a lot of problems except mildew on Phlox.I dont mind the look of it in late summer.
Its great that your Lowes plants do well. We have so many garden stores in this area ,I just make other choices.

Hi Jo Ann, I too love your deck!
This past year I received a new Canna…C. indica 'Sunset'









I love the red/maroon in the leaves, the very clearly red blooms, and the wonderful maroon seedpods.
I received this from Ken Ramsey…aka… drdawg, both here and on DG. His site is… http://www.tropicalplantsandmo...
He'll be the first to tell you that is passion is Orchids, but he does also carry Canna, Plumeria, Hedychium, and more.

I also have the Tropicanna, and do love it.

Canna virus is everywhere!
Industry is struggling to find virus free stock.

I can't deal with ugly plants, even if it doesn't kill them!

No treatment, no cure, easily spread...bad news!

Check any canna you buy VERY closely, especially tropicanna! They are super seseptable and the striped leaves hide it very well.

I must admit the coolest looking canna leave I had this year came from a virused tropicanna, so it's w/e, just be aware, one bad apple WILL spoil the bunch!

If you want live plants, I'd recommend briansbotanicals.net, they will be small starter plants but his hybrids are just great, they really move fast too!

My tropical garden will be without many next year, but I'll have more than enough EE and banana trees to make up for it!

Tara. I don't think I have any virus-infected plants, though I do have a cold. Does that count?

I only grow the single variety of canna and it is hardy and I too like the dainty, fire-engine red flowers and the large seed pods that start out bright lime-green, then bright red, and finally pitch black. The seed pods themselves make a great and long, long lasting accent in flower arrangements. The 'Sunset' has always been hardy for me, dying back in the fall and returning in the spring, with more plants than before. I do mulch mine some with oak leaves, perhaps 4-6", but I don't know that this is necessary. Perhaps with our super-cold (for us) weather already upon us, the mulching might have been a good thing to do this year.

Hm, maybe I'd better have another look at my cannas. Sway, do you have a picture of what they look like when they are infected?

Tara, those 'Sunset' are really lovely. They sure look healthy, too.

Thanks for all the tips and info. I am willing to risk it .Sway: I dont like ugly either.

Sway, it would be great if you actually have close pictures of what a virus-infected canna looks like. We would all gain from those pictures.