I have a purple leaf canna lilly?

my plant is 4ft.tall in bud in a plant pot. i need some advice on caring for it, ie: is it hardy,will it survive in a large container, it is in bud at the moment, how do i feed it, i have never owned one before and need all the help i can get. thanks

I have a purple leaf canna lilly?
I have several plants,they are outside and doing well and multiplying.The blooms are red on mine and they love water and sunshine.Mine are about 4-5ft high so keep this in mind.
Reply:If you live in the UK it will need some winter protection.


It will survive OK in the container. When the first frosts strike cut off everything and put it in a greenhouse or frost free shed. Don't let it dry out completely but be really careful you don't want it to rot off either. Better too dry than too wet.


In early spring repot it into fresh compost and start watering and feeding.





I left one in the ground last year by mistake and it has come up again this season but it is in very free draining soil and last winter was not particularly harsh.
Reply:Do you want to leave it in the pot or plant in outside? I have mine in a big pot outside to keep it contained...it dies back in the winter (tho I keep it out of the frost). I cut off the brown leaves/stems, and it comes back. I keep it watered, but have neglected it on many occasions, but it still keeps coming back. =)


If you plant it in the ground, it will multiply...so take heed in where you would want many of them to grow.


I add some Miracle Grow potting soil to the old soil (maybe once a year). It seems to be enough to keep it happy.
Reply:We leave ours outside against a south facing wall in the summer. It is flowering now, even with all this wet weather. It will die back in the winter so we just put the pot in an unheated greenhouse and leave it to dry out until the first signs of life in the spring. Then back outside mid May.


A little general plant food in the growing season helps.