I went looking for some answers and found this - from Garden Web, no less. Apparently, you can get more flowers if you do cut the stalk off after the flower is gone.
http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/l...
I clicked on the link below the message and there is a LOT of info there about cannas. This fall, I must remember to dig these plants up and divide them. I bought some rhizomes from Walmart that were supposed to be a 'variety' but they're pretty much all the same. And there's not a single red one in the bunch.