Yellow Canna Lily

A pure yellow is a welcome exception among the many red canna lilies. The flowers of this selection glow bright and fresh above the large green foliage. New flower spikes appear for weeks, so the plant adorns the garden throughout late summer.

At 110–130 cm tall, the yellow canna lily suits the middle of the border or large pots beside the seating area. It harmonises with blue partners such as sage or agapanthus, but also with red canna lilies or orange crocosmia in a hot colour scheme. The yellow glows especially brightly in front of dark hedges.

The flower stems are well suited to the vase and bring colour to large bouquets. If you regularly remove spent flowers, you can enjoy new ones into October. The plant grows strongly and forms a dense clump over the summer. Starting it off in March gains you a few weeks of flowers. Especially in combination with other canna lily colours, the bright yellow shows how much light a single colour can bring to a border. It also looks good on its own in a container.

From March you can start the rhizomes off in pots of loose compost in a light, warm place indoors. Only move them outdoors after the Ice Saints (mid-May). Lay the rhizomes 5–8 cm deep with the shoot tips facing up, spacing them 40–60 cm apart. A warm, sheltered spot in full sun with fertile soil is ideal.

Water generously in summer and feed every two weeks, as canna lilies are hungry plants. Cut off faded flower spikes so new ones follow. The plant is not hardy: after the first light frost, cut the foliage back to about 15 cm, lift the rhizomes and overwinter them dry and frost-free at 5–10 °C.