While in town' this week I came across some red Canna indicas that were at the most, one foot tall, including the opened bloom. Has anyone came across one in bloom, while so small? There was quite of few of them. I did 'manage' to collect some seeds.
I took my camera into get cleaned, so I didn't manage to get a photo.

I saw one like yours for sale in a local nursery - tiny red flowers. If it wasn't for the price the roots would be down in the basement with the indica right now. There is a worrisome number of corms piled on the pingpong table and on plastic bags on the floor. How they will all be used I don't know.

If you ever get the yen to send some north I'd love to get some. Tiny canas could be very useful in the mid border, going places where 8 foot indicas just can't fit. The local hummingbird gardeners might really like to grow it.

Those shorties sound really cool, Patricia. I can't help feel some concern about attracting hummers down that close to the ground. I get a little nervous seeing mine visit low-growing flowers, altho I do see it happen often. I hope the seeds do well for you! Even in my coolish climate, I got a few of my canna seedlings to bloom in my yard their first year.



Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place

After writing the previous info, I wandered around outside and noticed that two my Scarlet C.indicas are now blooming and these are also 12"-15" tall, including the open bloom! The others, beside them are the usual size, about 30-36" tall.
But, I will pass along some seeds when they become available...just in case they are a new/different variety.

No hurry, this year I'll look again for the tiny one and maybe reach in my pocket... The flowers on the one here were about the size of a medium sage flower. Considering Canna's fabulous abilities of increase $20.00 for a 10 inch pot seemed inflated if not outright highway robbery - still.

Ward, if you send me your info, I will send a few of the red that I found, and the more of the scarlet, which should set seeds quite quickly, probably in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, they will be small for you!
You too, Patrick!

Here is a photo of the short scarlet canna indica. This is in a 'garden area that doesn't receive any additional water, so it is dry right now.

I bet that picture will look a lot different when the rains hit.

Patricia, strangely....some seeds from a short C. indica and another species-flowered canna came home with me. The C. indica wasn't in bloom, but was ID'd with a name tag. The taller ones may be the same, or similar to, the CR native cannas I started from Stephen's seeds last year.

In my travels, I saw clumps of cannas with medium-sized blooms in sort of a rosy/coral pink color. They were planted on the street side of a long privacy wall in a somewhat rural area. They were pretty well groomed & there wasn't a ripe seedpod to be found.

Give me a season to see what I have & I'll let you know whether I'd like some of your seeds in the future. Thanks for thinking of me!

Patrick
USDA Zone 8b
Heat Zone 3
Sunset Zone 5
SeaTac, WA...one cool place