1. Home
  2. Question and Answer
  3. Houseplants
  4. Garden Articles
  5. Most Popular Plants
  6. Plant Nutrition

Canna Lily Varieties: Complete Guide to Species and Cultivars

Canna lilies (Canna spp.)—tropical showstoppers with massive paddle-shaped leaves and flamboyant flowers—are actually related to bananas and ginger, not true lilies. With 19 wild species and countless cultivars, they offer spectacular diversity in flower color (reds, oranges, yellows, whites), foliage (green, bronze, variegated), and height (1.5-9 feet).

Canna lily flowers

Fun Fact

Traditional Father's Day gift in Thailand!

Wild Species (All USDA Zone 10)


C. amabilis
N. Argentina
Deep crimson to pale yellow
2-4 m

C. bangii
Peru, Bolivia
Orange-red, erect
4 m

C. coccinea
N. Argentina
Raspberry red
2 m

C. compacta
S. Brazil, N. Argentina
Dark orange-red
2 m

C. discolor
N. Argentina
Red, peach, white hues
3 m

C. flaccida (Water Canna)
SE USA wetlands
Large, fragrant, yellow
1.5 m

C. glauca
Tropical America wetlands
Pale yellow/orange
1.5 m

C. indica (Indian Shot)
SE USA
Magenta, scarlet, yellow
0.5-2.5 m

C. iridiflora
Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica
Large, hanging, pink-red
5 m

C. jacobiniflora
Tropical America wetlands
Scarlet, orange
3 m

C. jaegeriana
S. America, Caribbean
Curved, small, orange
5 m

C. liliiflora (Scented/White Canna)
Peru, Bolivia
Lily-like, honeysuckle-scented
3 m

C. paniculata
S. Mexico, Costa Rica, tropical S. America
Red to yellow shades
5 m

C. patens
N. Argentina
Yellow with red margin
1.5 m

C. pedunculata
SE Brazil
Erect, yellow, small
2.5 m

C. speciosa
Tropical America
Bicolored, scarlet petals
2 m

C. tuerckheimii
Central America to Ecuador
Orange-red
4-5 m

Popular Ornamental Cultivars

Cultivar Flower Color Foliage Height (m)
Angel PinkTranslucent apricot/peach, yellow throatGreen2.5-3
Apricot DreamBuff salmon, rose throatGray-green2.5-3
Bangkok YellowRed bud to clear yellow, white throatGreen with white striping2-3
Bengal TigerBrilliant orangeGreen with white stripping5-6
BittersweetLight red-orangeGreen4
China DollHot pinkGreen3
CleopatraYellow with red speckles/streaksGreen, sometimes purple streaks3-5
Crimson BeautyCrimson, faint yellow streakGreen3
Dawn PinkBright pinkBurgundy2-3
ErebusSalmon pinkGlaucous green3-4
Futurity OrangeRed-orangeBronze2.5-3
Indian ShotPeach shades, white throatGreen3-4
IntrigueRed/orange/yellow blendGray-green, brownish veins2.5-3
Louis CottonLight yellow-orangeBronze2.5-3
Madame ButterflySoft yellow, shaded pinkGreen3
New WhiteCreamy, almost whiteGreen4-5
Orange BlushSalmon pinkGreen3
PretoriaBright orangeGreen/yellow with red edging3-4
Red King HumbertRedBronze red6
Red StripeSmall, bright redPurple with green pattern3-4
Salmon PinkSalmon pinkGreen2-3
TaneyOrange-apricot salmonGlaucous green4-5
The PresidentScarlet redGreen3.5-5
Tropicanna GoldOrange/yellowGreen with gold stripes3-5
Tropicanna BlackTangerinePurple-black3-5
ValentineBlood redGreen2.5
WyomingBright orangeGreen with brownish edge6-9

Growing Notes

  • Temperate/subtropical; widely grown in gardens globally
  • Victorian-era popularity in Europe, India, UK, USA
  • Name from Celtic "reed/canes"
  • Taxonomy consolidated from 50-100 to 19 species by Maas (Netherlands) and Tanaka (Japan)
  • Use in tropical plantings, borders, patio containers
  • Stunning even without flowers—reedy canes and palmy foliage

Select varieties matching your climate zone and design vision. Cannas deliver unmatched tropical drama whether grown for flowers, foliage, or both!

Copyright © www.100flowers.win Botanic Garden All Rights Reserved