Bronze Peach Canna

Bronze Peach Canna (Canna x generalis 'Bronze Peach') is a big-leaved, tropical-looking perennial that stands 70cm to 1.2m tall and only 35cm to 50cm wide. Dark purple-green leaves set off large, pale peach-pink flowers that keep coming from mid spring until the frosts. It is raised from seed rather than from a heavy rhizome, so it arrives as a young plant you can pot up for the patio or plant straight into the garden.

Why you'll love it

• Foliage that works without flowers. The broad, dark purple-green leaves bring bold shape and colour even between flushes of bloom.
• A long flowering season. Flowers open from mid spring and carry on until the first frosts, so one plant covers the whole warm season.
• Compact enough for a pot. At 35cm to 50cm wide it suits a patio container, yet it is tall enough to make a real impact in a bed.
• Tough in heat and dry spells. It copes with heat and drought, flowers best in full sun and still performs in part shade.
• Cold hardy in the ground. Rated hardy to -12C, it dies back over winter and shoots again from the roots when the weather warms.

Where it works best

Feature planting. Group three or five plants about 45cm apart so the leaves just meet. The dark foliage makes a handsome backdrop for paler flowers and silver plants nearby.

Patio pots and containers. A single plant suits a pot 30cm or wider, and the compact spread keeps it in proportion on a deck or balcony. Keep the pot in full sun for the most flowers.

Tropical and poolside borders. The large leaves give a lush, tropical look beside a pool or outdoor room, and the plant shrugs off the heat reflected from paving.

Growing Bronze Peach Canna in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the most flowers, though part shade works. It suits tropical, subtropical and temperate gardens and is rated frost hardy to -12C. The top growth dies back over winter, so expect a bare patch in cold districts until spring.

Soil. Plant in nutritious soil. Dig in compost before planting, and use a quality potting mix in containers.

Water and feed. In dry spells water weekly at the base of the plant or into the pot, not over the leaves. Feed fortnightly through the growing season, or use a slow release fertiliser each season.

Pruning. Remove spent flower stems to keep the clump tidy, and cut the dead foliage to the ground after it dies back. In cold districts, spread a generous layer of mulch over the crown to keep the roots warm. Leaf chewing caterpillars can mark the foliage in warm weather, so pick them off by hand.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Bronze Peach Canna as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Because it is grown from seed rather than from a large rhizome, expect a small leafy plant, not an instant clump. Plant it into warm soil or pot it on, and it builds leaf quickly in the warm months, with flowers following once the plant has some size.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Plants for poolside gardens
• More tropical plants
• Plants that suit pots and containers
• Long flowering plants and how to care for them

Common questions

How tall does it grow?

Between 70cm and 1.2m, with a spread of 35cm to 50cm. Full sun, regular feeding and steady moisture push it toward the top of that range.

Will it survive winter?

It is rated frost hardy to -12C. The leaves die back over winter and the roots shoot again in spring. In cold gardens, mulch generously over the crown once the top growth has gone.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes, its narrow spread suits a patio pot. Water into the pot weekly in dry spells, feed every fortnight and keep it in full sun for the best flowering.