Canna Ehemanii, an heirloom from the 1800’s, put up its first spike a few days ago, and today it bloomed. Usually its flowers dangle from 6 to 8 feet up, but this spike was smaller. It is rare, and available in limited numbers in the US. Our plant came from Old House Gardens in Ann Arbor, Michigan, an online nursery specializing in heirloom bulbs. Karcheskey Cannas in Pennsylvania also sells it online.
Cannas love good soil, hot sun, and lots of moisture. In dry spells the hose should never be far-
The dangling rose red bells of this canna belie the idea that cannas are common and vulgar. Along with the orchid flowered types such as “Blueberry Sparkler, they bring a tropical refinement to flower borders.
I am not certain how this canna would fare in the northernmost parts of New England, but here in tropical Southern New Hampshire, it is doing well-
Gardening On Granite 