Three Beautiful Cannas

We have three beautiful Cannas for the deck or patio this season: ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Australia’ and ‘Red Velvet’. Each one is distinctive and will add plenty of style on either side of the patio door. Cannas are tropical plants, so they thrive in the blistering heat found out on an open deck; they do need their water, however, so don't forget! Plant them directly into your garden beds for some spectacularly showy displays you can see from the deck as well.

Canna ‘Cleopatra’:

• Red and yellow flowers, variable
• Green and chocolate stripes on the leaves
• Grows to about 5 feet or so

‘Cleopatra’s’ charm is its variability. The chocolate stripes change sizes and shapes, disappearing and re-appearing from leaf to leaf; you never know what you will see next. The same is true for the flower: it starts out yellow but red dots or stripes will appear—sometimes the entire flower will be red and occasionally a white will pop up. You just don’t know—that’s the fun of ‘Cleopatra’.

Canna ‘Australia’:

• Bright red flowers
• Burgundy-black leaves—very dark
• Grows to about 5 feet

‘Australia’s’ leaves are the darkest of all the Cannas and hard to photograph—their glossy sheen makes it difficult to show just how dark this variety will get. Placed in a stand, ‘Australia’ resembles a striking black tower with flashes of bright red flowers at the top. This is a fabulous designer plant.

Canna ‘Red Velvet’:

• Bright red flowers
• Brown and olive leaves with striped ribbing
• Grows shorter, to only about 3 feet

‘Red Velvet’ offers that Canna flair for showmanship in a small, tighter package. It’s considered a dwarf; if you have a windy deck or patio, it would be an excellent choice.