A Summer Giant for Your Desert Pots

Some plants whisper in their calming soft hues of pink and blue.

Some shout out loud, seeking attention for their primary colors.

That’s what Canna does.

Canna walks into a summer pot like it owns the place. Big leaves. Strong stems. Tropical-looking flowers in colors that seem almost too lush for the desert. Orange, red, yellow, bronze foliage, burgundy leaves, variegated leaves. It brings height, drama, and that wonderful feeling that your patio has suddenly become more than a collection of pots.

It becomes a garden.

I have gone through different plant favorites over the years, especially when I wanted a tall backbone plant for jumbo summer pots. There were years of Butterfly Iris, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Mexican Lime Trees, and other larger plants that gave a container height and structure.

But Canna has always had a special kind of presence.

I don’t remember the first time I saw one in a nursery, but I can imagine exactly what happened. I probably turned a corner, saw those huge flowers and bold leaves, and thought, Now what are you doing here?

Because Canna has that effect.

It looks tropical. It looks dramatic. It looks as if it belongs somewhere with more humidity and less dust. And yet, when planted well in a large enough desert pot, Canna can be a spectacular summer centerpiece.

Before you plant one, though, there are a few things to know. Canna is not difficult, but it is not a small-pot plant either. A favorite variety is the Tropicana Canna, pictured below

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