cannas from seed?

How long does it take the tall cannas to bloom if grown from seed? I was given some seeds for a tall peach canna last fall - when should I start them?

woodspirit I grew species canna from seed, I sowed them sometime in spring but not sure exactly when, possibly April. I put them in the greenhouse and I got 2 out of 8 germinate in August so they can take a long time, I think it was a cooler spell when they germinated. I kept them inside the next winter, they had grown to about 10" tall and went semi-dormant, starting to grow again early the following year. I kept them only just moist while dormant.

They grew very quickly the next year, flowering in summer, so you can say they really only took a year from germination but longer from sowing.

Place the seed in one of those pairs of heavy pliers that have a groove recessed in them, the size of the seed. Use one of those tools (help me guys), that you use to file and smooth metal. Sort of a heavy duty finger nail file. File the coating off until you see white. Then soak the seeds for a few days until you see a root coming out where the white is. They will germinate within weeks if you do this.

If that is confusing, send me a d-mail and I'll look up those old pics where I tried this and it works beautifully.

They will germinate quickly and bloom the first year if you do this. Otherwise, it may take years to get them to germinate.

Oh, Gee!

This goes back to 2002 in my video camera days (before I got a digital camera).

Here is a pic...

That is a recommended method for a lot of hard seeds, but I also think it depends on the seeds. The other 6 of mine rotted, as hard as they had started out.

Seeds generally have a place where the root will emerge and it isn't always at the end, many palm seeds you see a small circular soft spot on the side. Water will be taken in with time and temperature changes break down resistance. I grew strelitzia seeds with varying results, but always got some even if it took a year. I bought some of the Strelitzia reginae Mandela's Gold so decided to file the sides and soak, they all rotted in a very short time. Luck of the draw of seeds sometimes.

I don't grow cannas for myself but I grow them to take to RU's. Canna patens will bloom the first year late in the summer down here and some of the dwarf's (I think Park's has some seeds) bloomed in 90-120 days. I started mine under lights in the unheated garage and soaked them over night in warm water prior to sowing them. Then I just kept them wet. They germinate fairly quickly (about 2 weeks) for me and I found them easy to do from seeds. I'm just not crazy about cannas since they are everywhere down here, so I just enjoy them in other people's yards. =)

Oh, I didn't think about that. The seeds I started this way were dwarfs, not the regular kind. I tried to nick them without the pliers, but my fingers kept getting scraped. I just thought this made it easy to nick that hard coat without the finger disaster! LAS!

Believe it or not, I felt the same way about the regular, tall red cannas. My first came from a friend who moved down here from Milwaukee (spell?). They multiplied so fast, I thought I would never get rid of all of them. Gave them to friends.

Then, I invested in the dwarfs and fell in love, except for those dreaded leaf rollers. If I had the time to treat for those, I wouldn't mind having all kinds of varieties all over my yard. They like wet feet, and wet feet they often get here, especially during hurricane and tropical storm season and in March!

I know what you mean HS we are having a real typical El Nino winter down here--it has seldom stopped raining. The Louisiana Iris' I grow think they've died and gone to heaven. I haven't had to water them a single time since October and you know how wet they like it in the winter. My main objection to cannas is they take up too much room. But I just love them in other people's yard and they are really fun to grow for others from seed.

Ahhhhh!

The difference in the weather in Houston and here is that we get what you get exactly one day later!

Half of my childhood was spent in Texas (Palacios) and half here, and I worked in Houston for awhile. I worked in San Antonio, and Dallas. Then my sister and her husband inherited a ranch in Wheelock, TX, so I learned and traveled all the areas in between! Gotta love Texas! It's part of me!

So, I know what you mean!

Yes, I love those needle-nosed pliers. Great for removing hooks from a fish. I will try your method. Is it too early? I have a greenhouse but it gets down to 55 deg. on cool nights.

55 is plenty warm enough--my garage often got colder than that.

thanks so much

I planted Canna seeds a couple of years ago in early spring and got flowers that year..though the plants were not exceptionally full and bushy that first year. However I am in an area with a long hot summer and growing conditions that are excellent for cannas. I just stuck the seeds in the ground here and didn't do anything special.

I totally agree with dmj that cannas are not my favorite plants. In fact, they multiply and grow so quickly here (and of course are perennial) that they're almost invasive....one small root in three years will take over your whole garden here. I have had that experience, and like viewing them from afar in someone else's yard. I spend more time pulling them out and never seem to be able to get rid of them.

Good luck!!!!

This message was edited Jan 16, 2007 8:16 PM

This message was edited Jan 16, 2007 8:17 PM

Well, I will certainly have some to give away at the 1st annual Western NC, Upstate SC swap.