Canna flaccida

Common Names

Golden Canna, Bandanna of the Everglades, Yellow Canna, Southern Marsh Canna

Summary

Sources describe Canna flaccida as a rhizomatous perennial of the Cannaceae native to wetlands of the southeastern United States, from South Carolina to Texas. It grows about 3–5 feet tall with long, glaucous leaves up to 18–36 inches long and bright canary-yellow flowers that open in the evening and fade by midday, arranged in terminal clusters. It inhabits moist to wet habitats such as open marshes, swamp margins, and pond edges across a range of substrates from clay to loam to sand.

Propagation is by division of rhizomes or by seeds (seeds require scarification), forming dense stands in suitable sites. It is a long-lived plant often used in water gardens and wetlands, thriving in full sun to partial shade and moist or waterlogged soils, and is frost tender in northern regions. It attracts bees and butterflies for nectar and serves as a larval host for the Brazilian skipper Calpodes ethlius; it is not considered invasive and supports wildlife along ponds, ditches, and bogs.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

3-5 feet

Spread

12-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 8-10

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun. Tolerates partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist to wet soil (clay, loam, or sand) with rich, organic, well-draining characteristics; pH 6.0–7.0.

Soil Drainage

Moist soils are preferred

Soil pH

6.0-7.0

Slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Spring through Fall

Foliage Color

Green to blue-green (glaucous)

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division, Cuttings, Layering, Grafting

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees and butterflies