"Bob Hobden" wrote

"elfa45" wrote ...

David E. Ross says...

elfa45 wrote:
http://postimg.org/gallery/ozu41uk8/d73e8198/

I saw this on my walk today and love the color of the flower. Included
is a pic
of what look like seeds.

Can anyone ID this flower? Are the seed-like marble sized 'things'
seeds? Can
I plant them?

I'd Google Image search it but I have no idea of what to call it. Bulb?
What?

Any help appreciated

thanks

Canna, a perennial.

I don't know about propagating them from seed. They might not bloom the
same color. Flowers come in white, yellow, gold, orange, red, and
combinations of those. Leaves might be green or variegated with red or
yellow.

I would strongly recommend buying plants from a nursery, but only when
they are in bloom. Otherwise, you will not really know what flower
color they will have.

Cannas do okay in temperate climates where the soil does not freeze.
They do best in climates with hot summers and mild winters. They
require full sun, regular irrigation, and rich loose soil.

Actually, I am not fond of cannas because I don't think they are
attractive when not in bloom.


Thanks for the quick reply, David. I live in Marin County CA...just north
of
San Francisco. Until recently, we were in the 90s...only recently
dropping down
into the 70s like today.

Did a Google Image search for them and the pics refer to them as Canna
Lilies.

For years my main garden flower was the rose but this last year it's been
bearded & dutch iris. Getting ready to plant more/different bulbs for
Spring
and I thought I could just stick these in the ground for more color.


Then the problem for you will be keeping them damp enough. When in full
growth they like lots of water indeed the best I've ever seen them grown is
as bog plants despite them often being sold as coping with drought. I
remember in Malasia seeing them where they had taken over a very shallow
lake completely, stunning sight.

Lots of varieties around...
http://www.hartcanna.co.uk/catalogue.html

Our problem in the UK is that to get them to flower most years we have to
start them in a greenhouse and then plant them out otherwise they get
killed by frost before flowering. Also in a hard winter they may not
survive in the ground.


Fool that I am a UK based canna nursery is no good to you, try this one....

http://www.plantdelights.com/Article/Canna-Lily


--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK