Canna Musifolia - Giant Tropical Foliage Plant from The Secret Garden of Louth

[@0787george]

I love these cannas. They give an amazing feature and good filler.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

They’re awesome aren’t they, a full on wall of summer leaves!

[@onabenford6497]

I bought one in April from Etsy and its beautiful, healthy and need more ❤ TY

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Fantastic, they soon bulk up so you'll be able to split it next year!

[@HitTheDirt]

Great Video! Thanks! Added to my interesting videos by other channels playlist so other people may find you! Rough dry year for me but I’m trying to mix Japanese and tropical elements into my garden. I focus on edible plants that are perennial. Maybe next year my garden won’t starve for water.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, that's very kind of you! I've got loads of other tropical plant style videos and I really enjoy hearing others bending different styles together, great work. I hope you do get some more balanced weather next year and all the best with your exciting garden project!

[@sezjsy]

It's on my wish list. Can I just say lighting and video quality is top notch!!!! Also a very late congratulations to you and your wife ❤️ Hope you have many many happy years together

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, that’s kind of you! I hope you manage to track one down. I appreciate the feedback - I was actually worried this video was slightly off the usual quality as the sun had already gone down for most of it so it’s great to hear it’s still decent 😃 I hope you have a great evening!

[@gayleford8721]

Just bought two of these, they are quite big and look really healthy. Thanks for your great advice on how to take care of them!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one Gayle! They're lovely plants and strong growers, I hope they do well for you.

[@ironian24]

I bought my cannas 3 years ago and they are now running all over the flower beds, I even potted a couple and put them in the greenhouse as an experiment to see how they do. I feed mine once a month on liquid seaweed and chicken manure pelets. I have left mine to get on and every year they come back up, I don't dig them up and they come up every year with more and more cannas. We are in Norfolk and we get snow and hard frosts but they still come up every year.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, it’s great to hear they’re doing so well for you! How have you found they’ve done this spring and what minimum temps did you see out of interest?

[@ironian24]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden ok so it snowed in winter this year here in Norfolk and we had late frosts too -5 was the lowest temperature from memory, as we speak they have run all over the flower bed that I created 4 years ago not 3, I had gingers there too but they did not survive the winters, the cannas I leave to do there thing and when they die back they cover the floor so I am guessing that adds a layer of protection just by leaving the dead plants and not cleaning them up. WE now have 3 different varieties of canna all have spread everywhere I counted 50 separate plants and all doing well so far, the tallest is 2 foot at the moment, looking forward to see the flower show in late summer. they usually flower around September time for me. They are easy to dig up and cut between the risones if you want to keep having more and more in different parts of the garden. This winter I will dig a few up to keep for a different section of the garden next year. The ones I did dig up this year are doing great in the new greenhouse I built featured on my latest youtube video, not trying to plug my channel but of course it may be of interest to you and your audience. I have always loved jungle plants and started growing them 17 years ago, sadly I have moved since and now have a fabulous large garden which I have put my love into and it is paying off, and also thx to you I have planted some different species this year including chinese paper plant, caster oil plant and one you may not know the snow tower which grows a huge 6 metres packed full of flowers and looks amazing, I also funnily enough bought the dragons tongue which has already spread quite dramatically and is flowering now. also planted the gigantica grass, looks like bamboo but is a grass that grows fast and upto 4 metres.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@ironian24 Wow, it must be quite the show with 50 plus cannas and great to hear they’re growing well! I suppose the advantage of potting them up in a greenhouse is that you might get the flowering a month or so earlier but maybe something you could try in your new greenhouse next winter? I’ve subscribed to your channel and will check it out! I’d probably be doing a photography one if I wasn’t doing an exotic garden channel and I see you use an R5, I’ve got an R6 and love it! Is the snow tower you’re referring to the white Echium? They’re nice. I’ve got the Miscanthus Giganteus grass, I like the effect they create, it works really well with the other exotics 😃

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Hi George. Super video. Short of space last winter left my canna black tropicana outside in a pot, only part of it returned and knackered with the cold spring. Lesson learnt next winter change in storage plans. I love the dark foliage cannas including the tropicana and bird of paradise varieties. Would love a musifolia👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, I hope you find a Musifolia, they're strong growers for sure. Yeah, always a gamble leaving them outside in pots, they do OK in a polytunnel or similar kept just above freezing and seem to be tougher when they've bulked up a bit. The bird of paradise ones are lovely things for definite!

[@gordonissocoollike]

Great video I missed last year.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Gordon! This one was 2021, my first spring of making vids - doesn't time fly!

[@themoorlandsallotment7159]

I love them. If you decide to divide some of these rhizomes please do a video.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Fantastic, I will do, probably not this year but potentially next spring!

[@mikemillson9572]

I am so jealous that you can grow tree ferns and I am unable to do that here without bringing them indoors for the winters. Kidding of the jealousy bit but your garden is lovely. Thank you for sharing. My Musifolia tops nearly 10 feet here is west Tennessee in the US.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Mike and thank you! Yes, we're blessed to have a (generally) mild and cooler climate but tree ferns aren't a completely hardy plant and can need protection when it's a cold winter. I'm equally jealous of your longer, hotter summer when it comes to the growth of Cannas, bananas and all the big Colocasias etc! Last year was the first year my Musifolia has flowered here with the record breaking heat, it was around 8 foot of growth but that was potted. Cool plants aren't they!

[@barrymcgee2078]

Cheers George, more great advice

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Barry, I appreciate it!

[@paultsworld]

Thank you for a very informative video. This is my first Winter over-Wintering a canna. My canna is in a large pot and I’m tempted to simply put that pot in the shed….or should I clean off all the old soil/compost and repot it in dry compost and wet it a little? I’d like to ask another question if I may…do you think a stand-alone brick garage would be ‘warmer’ than a wooden shed with windows?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Paul and thank you. It’s up to you in honesty but I’d be tempted to move it in as it is if it’s filling most of the pot (a small plant in a big pot would potentially stay too damp, plus it may be better to repot / split it in spring). You don’t want it to dry out completely but you don’t want it to be cold and soggy either. As for your second question, ‘warmer’ is the key word there. I think the brick garage would keep out the cold and retain more warmth than the shed during the depths of winter, but as the days warm up the shed might offer a better place once the chance of severe cold has passed - the windows will certainly let more heat build up. I’d probably go for the garage from Dec - mid Feb but ultimately any standalone unheated structure may dip to temperatures very close to outdoors if it gets really cold.

[@paultsworld]

Hi George, thanks for such a detailed answer. I’ll take your advice on both counts - including a quick transfer to the shed when appropriate! Your informative videos are encouraging me to try the tender and spectacular large leafed plants.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@paultsworld No worries Paul. It's all a game of experimentation and so much depends on location and how winter unfolds but generally once you've found a method that works for you it's repeatable. Nice one, I hope you enjoy looking forward to next spring!

[@yvetteclayton3773]

Hi George iv'e bought two cannova f1 red are these the same care.... thanks again for sharing your knowledge

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Yvette and thanks for commenting! Yes, they’re a smaller grower, a full sun spot would be great but partial shade OK and all the other care tips would be exactly the same, you’re right 😃

[@chriscollins3196]

Great video, very helpful. I have just planted out a Canna Musifolia 'Grande' really looking forward to seeing what it will do

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Chris, these are the same, I just missed off the Grande. Hopefully grow absolutely massive but fingers crossed! Are you trying any other varieties for the first time?

[@chriscollins3196]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Yes, also trying Canna Bird of Paradise.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@chriscollins3196 Nice one, they’re certainly an interesting one and not one I’ve tried yet, good luck with them! 😃

[@o000omusico000o]

another great video George ,i brought a Pretoria from farmer gracey and it was so small and rotten i companied and they sent me another and it rotted to so never buying of them again.i have canna musifolia they are lovely and i brought one and and its now 5 plants they are great i also have a canna stuttgart beautiful leaves .thanks again and sorry for rant :)

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you, I’ve had some stuff off them but not really this year, it’s not good that the replacement rotted too! Great your Musifolia and Stuttgart are growing well though, hopefully we have a good long warm summer so they get huge, they’re both good growers 😃 Haha don’t worry, I’d be annoyed too!

[@iankershaw45]

I had cannas from farmer graces this year. 2 foot tall so far. Waiting for flowers.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@iankershaw45 That's good going Ian, I have found personally that some plants take a while to get growing from there but it sounds like your cannas are off to a great start and will completely take off in July!

[@kendy123456789]

Planted 1 last year in a large pot, I protected the pot by wrapping it up for winter and put straw all over the top, but it's not survived, I think the cold still worked its way down the stems from where I cut them off. It was fantastic last year, it grew from a bulb to about 5ft, I'm in sunny Leeds.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, unfortunately I’d have to agree with you that the cold got it. Pots are very vulnerable to freezing through during very cold spells (like the -5 nights we had earlier this year) and unfortunately even with wrapping and straw, they can still freeze through - so with a plant that isn’t hardy it can be just too much. Maybe if you’ve got a shed or garage it could give your cannas that next level of protection?

[@kendy123456789]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden im actually still holding out that it may push through as everything in my garden is deffo 6 weeks behind last year from comparing my pictures i took. I will be digging up all my dahlias and Canna come autumn this year I think living in leeds area its just too cold and i am 600ft above sea level where i live (1 mile from LBA) so in winter its very windy and cold.

[@lawn38]

@@kendy123456789 I’m Leeds too, we had a very cold winter I lost virtually all my pink China colocasia but surprisingly some survived. First time growing Cannas, bought Musifolia and it’s growing great but have no greenhouse to store in winter so fingers crossed shed will do.

[@amilie15]

When you say you lift the cannas; do you cut down the leaves? Or do you lift them leaves and all? Also; when you mention a greenhouse or Polytunnel, do you mean a heated one or will they be okay in unheated greenhouses? Thanks for making such helpful content! Great video :)

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Amilie and thank you very much. This was one of my first videos so I maybe could have explained more but happy to help. When I'm lifting them, I chop the stems down to maybe 6-8 inches above the ground, as it would die back anyway. I then pop them in pots, on the drier side but not completely dry in a polytunnel which is only heated to around 2 degrees when a freezing night is forecast. In a milder winter, they'd be fine without heating I'm sure, perhaps with a bit of a mulch but in a colder spell, I like to just ensure their survival without spending a lot of money on electric. Hopefully that helps and I'll try and do more overwintering content over the next couple of months.

[@rizmirza1829]

Hi, very informative video, I've planted a Canna Tropicana. The plant is growing however lots of Ants are crawling down the leaves into the centre, worried they maybe building a nest? Any tips to get of them without damaging the plant

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and thank you! Hmm, that’s an interesting one, are there any aphids on the plant too?

[@rizmirza1829]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden ,no aphids just seem to be Ants only, looking really busy

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@rizmirza1829 It’s hard to give any specific advice but I’d have a look to see if there’s a nest in the soil around it or any actual damage to the plant. I’m not a fan of using any sprays so just tend to use a hose to spray them off!

[@rizmirza1829]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Agree about sprays , and I have nothing against Ants. Mums tip, to place some Cinnamon bark in the middle and lightly rub the plant with Veg oil. Mass exodus going on

[@rizmirza1829]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thanks for the advice about the nest

[@JG_de_JB_Oficial]

Omg what is the plant in your back??? When the video starts...

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

There’s a Dicksonia Antartica tree fern and a giant Gunnera Manicata leaf!

[@Bee-io3id]

Whoop whoop I have one of these! Still small but hoping for great things by Autumn

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hey, lucky you! Hopefully we get some consistent warmth and it’ll really grow well with good watering etc - they’re really strong growers so it should do well for you 😃

[@stanleygladstone1210]

Hi George, When you overwinter your cannas, do you cut the leaves down to the ground or just leave them growing. Thanks for the great vids and congratulations on your marriage.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Stanley and thank you very much, that’s very kind of you. I generally cut down to a couple of inches off the ground, sorry I didn’t clarify that. My thinking is that I’d rather have the cut ends dry out than have a lot of soft foliage rotting down and potentially causing issues further into the rhizome.

[@marymary5494]

Thank you George, excellent video as always. 👌💕

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you for watching Mary, I hope your garden is growing well! 😃

[@KrisHammes]

Do you have any idea where I can find Canna Edulis in the uk?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, personally I grew some from seed but it may be worth trying Hart Canna, I think they have the best range.

[@waynebroughton5047]

Hi mate I’ve grown canna tuerckheimii from seed this year there about a foot tall at the moment,have you had any joy with these? Great vid once again 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Wayne and thanks! Great to hear yours are doing well, I haven’t grown them but one of my friends has and they sound similar to yours. I grew Altensteinii from seed this year and are a similar height but probably not as healthy as yours, I had to keep mine in the plugs too long unfortunately! I’m sure they’ll do well eventually. If yours are a foot high you’ll almost certainly see flowers this year 😃

[@mylesstewartirvine2355]

A chum gave me some Canna tuerckheimii rhizomes last year. I live near enough to London that all my Cannas overwinter in the ground. Like C. musafolia amazing plants that will grow to 3 metres or more plus produce flowers and sell pollinate & build into clumps at speed. They leaves are pure green though and don’t have the red down the middle of the stem. Deffo worth a go.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@mylesstewartirvine2355 That’s fantastic, Musifolia definitely clump up fast for sure! I wouldn’t risk leaving them in the ground up here although some of my Hedychiums that I did are poking through now!

[@rickburt4275]

Hi I don't think the plant ypu are talking about is Musifolia--it looks like Ehemanii to me. I grow both-unless yours is some kind of hybrid. Hanging fuschia flowers are a characteristic of Ehemanii.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Rick, it’s definitely musifolia, I’ve grown ehemanii as well. Both are fantastic cannas for sure! Ehemanii never get to the same heights though, even in pots this year the musifolia are over 2.5m tall!

[@craigrogers3864]

George I've not long had a good size Tropicana Black, probably 2ft, next year should grow bigger?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Craig, yes they should. They’re not the tallest canna but should still get a good bit bigger than that next year!

[@manishadeore8806]

it's bulbs/rhizomes are of what colour ?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, they’re a red colour with white coming up the stems. They’re very fast to size up and multiply.

[@novicegardner1783]

Hi George. Great video. I've grown my musifolia for first time this year. Grow it from scratch and now 2mtrs tall. I live in Northamptonshire and would like to know the best way to over winter it. I do not have a green house but have a shed and a lean to I cover in clear tarp every winter to protect the plants I need to.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and thank you! Great work, that's amazing! Is the ground well drained where you are and how many musifolias do you have?

[@novicegardner1783]

Hi. I have it in a huge pot in one of my beds. It was grown from 3 Rhizomes but now forms a huge clump. I have really bad clay that's why it's still in the pot.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@novicegardner1783 Ah right, in that case I’d probably go with the shed option, keeping it just ticking over on the drier side. I wouldn’t wrap it in anything unless it gets properly cold, maybe just some straw on top, the shed will keep the lighter frosts off it.

[@novicegardner1783]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thank you so much for your advice. Best get the shed tidy now then 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@novicegardner1783 No worries! Good luck ☺️

[@jeffreygraham4391]

George I have just bought a fresh rhizome from jungle seed thinking I could dry store it over winter and grow it March /April In the instruction it recommends planting it and growing it immediately but recommends trying to dry store it over winter What would you do dry store it and take a chance or start to grow it now in December

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, yes unfortunately cannas don’t do well completely dry stored - do you have a greenhouse or polytunnel you could leave it potted up in?

[@jeffreygraham4391]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Hi George I have a small bog standard plastic covered shelved mini greenhouse should I pot it up in compost and put it in there? What about watering Regards Jeff

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@jeffreygraham4391 Hi Jeff, in a mild winter that should be find but a normal winter they might a bit more heat. I keep mine in a polytunnel just about frost free but they’re rhizomes I’ve grown for a few years - it’s tricky when you get them dry at this time of year. If you keep them inside they’ll grow too leggy but you don’t want them to be dry for too long. Somewhere cool, frost free and just keeping the compost from drying out would be optimal, maybe a garage or shed? You don’t want to let them dry out but equally they don’t want to be too wet and cold otherwise they’ll rot away.

[@jessebuilds5788]

Love these plants, but I really struggle with slugs (or something else). The new leafs emerge totally destroyed - some just fall straight off the plant, so I think there is something living in the stems. I tried using nematodes, but that has made no difference. Also tried cutting some of the stems open to see what was living in there - but couldn't see anything. I have several of these plants and it is the same for them all. Thankfully, eventually they grow fast enough to beat the pests, but at this time of year they look dreadful and are really struggling. Any tips from anyone?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, I'd love to help but I struggle with the slugs too. Personally I'm trying to play the long game and attract as many birds and frogs, toads plus other predators to the garden but appreciate that's not immediately helpful. Perhaps growing them in larger pots in a greenhouse etc. then planting them out with a good headstart in mid-June might improve things.

[@saltlifess6226]

Here in Florida, I can't grow cannas due to the high humidity and fungal diseases. I grow Heliconias instead

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I didn’t realise that you couldn’t grow Cannas there, Heliconias are amazing though! So many incredible colours and shapes 😃

[@Foryou-vf3pg]

I want seeds.can you send to thailand?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Unfortunately not, sorry.

[@raphlvlogs271]

they can act as miniature bananas.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Definitely, the same kind of foliage without the overwintering faff!

[@bbolivier5181]

Cannas

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Definitely a great tropical style plant!

[@MrBaconwhopper]

My Cannas are being plagued by snails. Looks like someone used a shotgun on them.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Mine are basically the same Justin, not good! Probably an effect of the late spring followed by a wet spell...

[@Alex-hx3nm]

is you local climate good for growing these flowers outhome? i live in a snow hell where wintes is 9 months long, i'd love to be born in sicilia!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, we have summers that are good enough for them to thrive and flower well - some get lifted for winter and others stay in the ground. 9 months of winter might make it tricky but you could maybe grow them in a greenhouse and bring them out in summer to extend the season? Yes, that would definitely be a different climate!