When to plant and prune Canna (Indian shot)
Canna (Indian shot) flowers from early June to late October and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Canna (Indian shot) is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | mid April to early May | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| South Coast and Channel | late April to mid May | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | mid April to early May | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| South East and Home Counties | early May to late May | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| East Anglia | mid May to early June | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | late May to mid June | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Wales and West Coast | early May to late May | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Northern England | late May to mid June | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early June to late June | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late June to mid July | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Northern Ireland | mid May to early June | early June to late October | early June to late October |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | mid April to early May | early June to late October | early June to late October |
Growing notes
Depth: plant rhizomes shallowly, about 10cm deep and 75cm apart, once the last frosts have passed at the end of May. Starting them into growth under cover in March or early April is what gets flowers from June rather than late summer - a late start is the usual reason a canna never flowers. Containers should be at least 30cm wide.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 75 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 180 cm
- Eventual spread
- 100 cm
- Hardiness
- H3
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 30 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
Feeding
Potassium-rich feed in midsummer to support flowering, especially in containers.
Pruning group
Remove faded flower spikes and tatty leaves through the season; cut top growth to about 15cm when frost blackens it
Winter protection
Tender. In mild areas cannas can be left in the ground under a 15cm mulch, accepting some losses; in colder gardens lift the rhizomes once the top growth withers, cut stems back to about 15cm and store in barely damp compost somewhere frost-free over winter.
What usually goes wrong
- canna virus (streaked, distorted leaves)
- red spider mite under glass
- aphids
- slugs and snails on young shoots
- failure to flower after a late start
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for canna (indian shot).