Double Mahoi. It stays shorter than most of the other dwarfs that I have (Dwarf Brazilian and Dwarf Namwah). The only shorter plant that I have is Zan Mareno, but its fruit is pretty small. I tried Mauritius, but the fruit got "cigar end rot'. (I heard it was susceptible to it, but I tried it anyway). And, of course, I tried Super Dwarf, but like everyone, it kept choking. Double Mahoi is my favorite Dwarf also because by the second or third generation, you get two stalks of fruit and it has never choked. I also like Gran Naine. It doesn`t get too tall and it produces good fruit.

I don't know if anyone in our area knows the names of cannas; we mostly got them from our grandmothers & our aunts, who told us, "That one's yellow, that's the red one", "I got that one from an old neighbor". I don't think there's a canna that *doesn't* grow well in your area; if you get one with very dark or very light leaves, you'll need to put it in a lightly shaded area; dark leaves wilt in our brutal sun, & light leaves sunburn. For a natural setting like around a pond,I'd post a "wanted" on freecycle ro craigslist or in my local shopper, offering to dig people's overcrowded cannas, & plant them all together. Just be sure to protect them as much as possible from strong winds. Best luck, & have fun!

Jess: Yes, those people did that in 20 weeks (5 months), with lots of running & weight lifting, boxing, plus a high-fiber diet: lots of RAW veggies & fruits, lean fish & poultry, and low-fat. The dietician who designed Biggest Loser diet recommended at least 7 RAW fruits & veggies per day and 3 proteins. Always good to try new foods: I tried RAW Brussel sprouts (sliced thin) in salad and I'm addicted to it now. I tried FRESH turmeric yesterday (so yummy with chicken) and it was great in suppressing my appetite, didn't feel hungry for hours afterwards. I researched on turmeric since my Mom has diabetes, and even my skinny sisters are pre-diabetic. My blood-sugar is fine, but I need to bring down my triglycerides & cholesterol levels .. will have that tested end of this year. See excerpt from below link: "The published Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry confirmed that Turmeric could benefit diabetes. Turmeric, an ancient spice, can alter the pathological states of type 2 diabetes linked to heart disease, a dangerous complication of diabetes. In a new study on the reduction of formation of fatty deposits in the arteries, which is a risk for patients with type 2 diabetes it was found that curcuminoid extract can prevent this. Over a series of six months the study revealed the involvement of turmeric extract, curcumin does stop the fatty deposits forming on the inner surfaces of the arteries obstructing the blood flow." Avery July 31, 2015 at 9:15 pm I’ve bee using Turmeric powder for 8+ years. I keep it in a salt shaker and whenever, whatever I cook, from oatmeal to fish, vegetable, I put in about 3-4 shakes of Tumeric along w/a shake or two of Black or White Pepper, except of course in sweet foods, like Oatmeal, cookies, etc. Another great herb is “Fenugreek,” also from India and great for stabilizing blood sugar. Check w/your Doctors. RG February 18, 2015 at 8:42 am I was paying close to $500 per month on Diabetic Medicans. Since starting a Turmeric, I have stopped doctor prescribed Diabetic meds. What a savings! Dr Sheldon March 8, 2014 at 3:01 pm Transmax-resveratrol, an extract of purple grape skins, is a much more effective dietary alternatives to treat Type 2 Diabetes than Tumeric (curcumin). It, like Tumeric, can be used with drugs such as Metformin. In two recently published human clinical trials done by respected medical schools it was shown that transmax had the effect of reducing blood glucose, improving insulin sensitivity, lowering blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, and even lowering body weight." *** From Straw: the 2 studies of resveratrol & diabetes are found in the below link. My grand-mother drank wine daily, she lived up to 98 year old. But I'm allergic to the sulfites in wine, and any purple-figment produce would do: be it red cabbage, red onion, red beets, or blueberries. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/8/prweb9794089.htm

Update on Bman's Etna: Well, this proves that this plant is/was a chimera. It bloomed a few days ago, and behold: The 2 genotypes 'unmeshed'(?) themselves, producing 2 separate phenotypes on what may be a single plant, or at least they seem to be conjoined. (I hope I'm using those terms correctly!) Anyway, I'll find another, bc the mixed color was really attractive! --Rr