Starting Canna Lilies from seed can be a great way to fill your garden with some beautiful tropical plants while saving a significant amount of money.
I live in zone 5, Cannas cannot overwinter in the ground because of our cold winter temperatures. If you live in zones 9 and 10 Cannas are considered perennials and will bloom all year round. In my zone the tubers must be dug up and stored indoors before the hard frost or the plants will not survive. After the leaves have died back in the Autumn the plant should be cut back and the tubers stored in a frost-free space.
Canna Lily seeds should be soaked prior to planting.
Cannas will produce an abundance of seeds that are small black pellets but easy to handle. Canna Lily seeds have a very hard outer shell and should be soaked in water for 12-24 hours in order to improve germination by softening the seed coat.
I used a file to rub off a little bit of the outer seed coat.
I used a carpenter file to rub off a little bit of the outer seed coat. Rubbing the seed against coarse sandpaper will also work. Or nipping them with a pair of pliers. I further soaked the seeds for seven days until they formed little white “tails”. This is the formation of a root and a good sign that the seed is viable. Some of the seeds sprouted after 2-3 days but by day seven all had sprouted. The seed is now ready to be planted.
Gentle heat from the bottom will aid in germination.
Plant the seeds in a good quality potting soil and keep the soil moist, the seed will not do well if it drys out. Applying some gentle bottom heat from a heating mat while the seeds are germinating will help ensure success. I didn’t use the bottom heat and my plants germinate well.
Cannas will generally take 100 days to bloom after planting. To ensure blooms in the first year you must start your seeds indoors several weeks before the last frost date to give them a head start.
This method had a few steps but the reward is beautiful plants. Canna Lily plants from the Nursery can be very expensive for immature plants. Starting seeds is a great cost-saving.