Canna Bronze Scarlet adds dramatic flair to any garden with its vibrant colors and tropical presence. Its rich foliage and vivid blooms make it a favored choice for an exotic touch, creating a focal point.
Distinctive Features of Canna Bronze Scarlet
Canna Bronze Scarlet distinguishes itself with large, paddle-shaped leaves with a deep bronze to coppery-burgundy hue. These glossy leaves provide a rich backdrop for its flowers, catching sunlight. Complementing the foliage are the flamboyant, scarlet-red flowers, which bloom in bold spikes atop sturdy stems. These vibrant blooms feature narrow, flag-like petals.
It typically reaches 30 to 48 inches tall with a spread of 14 to 30 inches, contributing to a full, lush appearance. It blooms from late spring or early summer until the first frost. While perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 7-11, it’s often grown as a heat-tolerant annual in cooler regions.
Cultivating and Caring for Canna Bronze Scarlet
Site Selection and Soil Preparation
Canna Bronze Scarlet flourishes in locations receiving full sun, ideally at least six hours of direct sunlight daily for vigorous growth and abundant flowering. It performs best in organically rich, moist, and well-draining soil. Avoid standing water, which can lead to rhizome rot.
Enrich the soil with compost or other organic matter. For containers, use a mix of equal parts garden soil, compost, and sand or perlite for drainage and moisture retention.
Planting Guidelines
Plant Canna Bronze Scarlet rhizomes after the last spring frost, when the soil temperature consistently reaches 60°F (16°C) or higher. Dig a 4 to 6-inch deep hole, place a single rhizome bud-eye up, cover with compost and soil, then gently compact.
Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart for mature spread and air circulation. In regions with shorter growing seasons, start rhizomes indoors several weeks before the last frost for a head start.
Ongoing Care
Maintain consistent moisture, especially during hot, dry periods. Water deeply once a week if rainfall is less than 1 inch. Keep soil moist as young plants grow and bloom.
Fertilize monthly with a balanced fertilizer (e.g., 10-10-10). Alternatively, use a slow-release granular fertilizer at planting and supplement with liquid feed every two weeks. Remove spent blooms just below the last flower to promote continuous flowering. Regularly remove yellowing lower leaves to maintain air movement.
Managing Pests and Diseases
Canna Bronze Scarlet is generally pest-resistant, but monitor for slugs, snails, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and canna leaf rollers.
To prevent fungal diseases like rust, avoid overhead watering, as wet foliage encourages their development. Canna Yellow Mottle Virus is less common; remove affected plants to prevent spread. Prompt identification and good plant hygiene, including air circulation, are effective preventative measures.
Winterizing Canna Bronze Scarlet
Preparing for Dormancy
In regions where Canna Bronze Scarlet is not reliably perennial (USDA Zones 7 and below), prepare plants for dormancy. As autumn temperatures drop, foliage will yellow and die back. After the first light frost kills top growth, cut back stems.
Trim remaining foliage to 2 to 4 inches from the ground. This signals dormancy, simplifies rhizome lifting, and prevents disease overwintering.
Storing Rhizomes
After cutting foliage, carefully dig up rhizome clumps, avoiding damage. Gently remove excess dirt; do not wash thoroughly. Air-dry rhizomes for several days in a warm, dry location to cure them.
Store cured rhizomes in a cool, dark, dry environment (40-60°F / 7-16°C). Pack them in breathable material like peat moss, perlite, or dry sand, ensuring they don’t touch to prevent rot. Periodically check them for decay or dryness.
Replanting in Spring
In spring, after the last frost and when soil temperatures reach at least 60°F (16°C), prepare stored rhizomes for replanting. Before replanting, inspect rhizomes for rot or damage and discard unhealthy ones.
Healthy rhizomes can be divided into sections, each with at least one “eye” or growth bud. Plant these divisions directly into prepared beds or containers, following initial planting guidelines. This rejuvenates plants for another season of vibrant growth.