Growing Cannas from Seed

14 years ago

I would like to have large amounts of some very expensive cannas; the nursery sells seed as well as rhizomes for some. Has anyone grown canna from seed? Info I read sounded like, if I started them way early, I could get flowers this summer.

I'd appreciate your expertise.

Comments (4)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
14 years ago
I do grow species Canna from seed which is easy and they bloom the first year. The expensive Cannas now available I only propagate from divisions, and doubt they may be grown as identical plants from saved seed, but I have not tried. Al
origami_master
14 years ago
sorry, but those 'expensive' cannas are fancy hybrids that won't breed true from seed...tat is IF they set seed. You have to buy plants if you want the expensive fancy ones.

Those hybrids are also probably patented plants, meaning you cannot sell any divisions that you. I see no problem as to if it's ok to divide for your own planting, but I'm not sure how american patent laws work.
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Detrick, I usually file mine instead of trying to chip them, I lose more when they go flying that way! Heck, I'm impressed Lynn still has all her digits, lol. Just file until you get a white spot, or at least a much lighter color than the hard outer shell, and then soak them. Lynn's formula is a good one to know if they are going to work or not. I have many canna that I've started from seed, not many have been true to the parent, but they are still very pretty, and bloom nicely. If you would like some canna tubers I have some I can get you. I'm usually in Tucson every Thursday so I can even deliver! Let me know. Trudi :0)
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WOW, I hope I have that luck also. Where did you get your seed? Do you have the Apricot Frost picture yet?
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I used pet nail clippers for my seeds. Make sure to file/clip the opposite side of the scar on the seeds(that is where you will see a white root poking out after soaking). I then soaked them for 48 hours changing the water occasionally with warm water. I used a seed growing kit with a seed starting mix. Keep them moist at all times. I placed the seeds under a T5 plant growing light. They germinated within 3 days, and it is now day 14 and the seedlings are 6 inches tall growing their 3rd leaves. They take off very fast. Once you see the roots sticking out of the bottom, transplant them into a 4" or 6" pots, I transplanted mine into plastic drinking cups, once they grow out of those, they will be planted outside. If you want to purchase any more seeds, get them from Karchesky Canna online, 15 out of 16 seeds i got from Alice germinated, now that is a pretty good germination rate. I also purchased rhizomes from her and they are growing very tall and vigorous. Good luck to you
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It has been estimated that approximately 20% of plant viruses are transmitted from generation to generation in the seed, Seed transmission generally is achieved either by direct invasion of the embryo via the ovule or by indirect invasion of the embryo, mediated by infected gametes. I personally believe that cannas are capable of transmitting some canna viruses via the seed. This is based on seedling production over a number of years. I continue to grow both clean and virus cultivars and harvest seed from both. This is the only way we have been able to maintain certain genetic strains and traits. Seedlings from the clean cultivars nearly always produce clean seedlings (at least for the first generation). Seedlings germinated from the virused cultivars typically produce few if any virused seedlings the first generation, but it can vary from one season to another. No one seems to have an answer for this occurrence. Interesting is the fact that virus can be associated within the hard seed coat as well as internally. It is unknown if this may play a role in seedling infection in cannas. I have usually used a 10% Clorox dip prior to seed scarification. I have no idea if this is beneficial. It would not affect the embryo infection. Regards, Kent
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rainydaywoman_z8
Original Author
14 years ago
Calistoga and Origami Master: Kandesky Cannas online, sells tons of different canna that must be patented, and some they have seed for. That is where I was going to buy seed, thinking, obviously, that would a less expensive way to get a lot of gorgeous plants.

What do you think?
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
14 years ago
The purchased seed should work fine. Seed is not a problem if the pollination of the plant producing the seed is controlled. The seed produced in your garden is from a plant produced from a cross and can revert to either parent or anything in between. The purchased seed will be an F1 cross where both parents are known and the resulting seed is predictable, though not as predictable as a plant produced from a vegetative part of a plant with no sex involved. Al

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Growing Cannas from Seed

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calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

origami_master

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calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9

origami_master

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