Tropical™ Rose (Canna)

DWARF CANNA

Perennial tuber (30 in/75 cm) Approx. 1,500 scarcified seeds per lb/454 g; 95 seeds per oz/28 g

CULTURE: Plants should bloom 100-130 days from seeding. Sow indoors in the greenhouse Jan. 15th - Feb. 15, 0.25 in/6 mm deep, cover seed lightly with soil and firm. Use 1 in/2.5 cm trays on regular seed flats. Germinate at 70-75°F/21-24°C for 10-15 days. Can be directly sown into final containers (3-4 in/7-10 cm pot) with 1 in/2 cm of soil covering the seed. Seed should sprout easily but germination will rarely exceed 60-65%. Grow seedlings cooler at 65°F/15°C until plants have at least 2 leaves. Transplant into 4 in/10 cm pots at this stage. When these plants have 5 or 6 true leaves, transplant again into gallon containers or 10 in/25 cm pots. Plants can be sold 90 days from seeding. Plants should flower in about 100 days from seed (depending on day length) at about 1.5 ft/45 cm in height. Transplant outdoors in mid June, when nights are warm. Plants will stay quite dwarf but flower continually during July and early August. By mid August plants will increase in height to 30 in/75 cm and additional flower stems will appear from the base of the plant to provide 3 blooms per plant, a mass of color from late August till frost. Cannas are not hardy, but they produce tubers, like dahlias and tuberous begonias. Dig up rooted tuber just before frost and trim excess foliage from root. Store in a bushel of sand in a cool, dark area (frost free) until April. Re-pot tubers in gallon containers for July blooms. Plants flower at 30 in/75 cm the second year.