How to Care for a Canna Lily in a Pot

A canna lily is a beautiful flower that, thanks to its vibrant colors, can bring a touch of brightness to your home. When looking for a plant with that tropical vibe and easy care for when in a pot, this is probably one of the better choices, considering the fact that canna lilies are pretty forgiving even to those who might not have a green thumb.

So, how do you care for a canna lily in pot? We prepared a comprehensive guide to ensure your plant grows well and rewards you with a multitude of beautiful flowers in all hues of red, orange, yellow, pink and cream.

Step 1: Choose the Right Pot

As with any other potted plant, if you want your canna lily to grow well, you need to do some research about what planter will be the best for it. Cannas like to have a lot of room for their root system to develop, so it’s best to look at large planters, ideally with drainage holes in the bottom.

Another thing is that you need to pay special attention to the quality of the planter you’re purchasing. Calla lilies can grow quite tall, reaching even 5 feet, and if you buy a planter of poor quality, chances are it won’t be able to properly support them and eventually will break, forcing you to purchase another one. High-quality planters are a must when growing canna lilies in a pot.

The material specifically has a lot to do with it - fiberglass planters and fiberstone planters are stronger than materials like plastic or terracotta, meaning they are definitely options to consider. Concrete is also a good choice, as just like those two it’s also durable and weather-proof, which comes in handy when you want to place your potted lilies outside.

Step 2: Choosing the Potting Medium

When it comes to the ideal soil for growing canna lilies in pot it’s crucial that it is well-draining, loose and rich. You might want to try a combination of loam with either grit or perlite (or both), along with ample organic compost - your canna lilies in pot should thrive when potted using this soil.

Each of the elements we mentioned has a specific property that will help your lilies grow well - loam is good for proper drainage and nutrient retention, grit and perlite can help prevent root rot which unfortunately is a common condition, and compost helps your plants grow by providing them with essential nutrients.

If you want to go a step further, you can also measure the pH level of the soil, as slightly acidic soil pH is the best for this specific plant, but it is not a requirement.

Step 3: Caring for a Potted Canna Lily

Cannas like moisture, which is why you should keep their soil moist at all times, especially since canna lilies grown in a pot consume water faster than those planted in a garden. Once the flowering phase is over, you can reduce the watering.

If you want to achieve the best results - a sea of beautiful and vibrant flowers - we recommend using a balanced slow-release fertilizer when planting and liquid feed every four weeks or so throughout the growing season.

Canna lilies, just like many other plants, love full sun, so ideally you should place your planter somewhere they will have constant access to it.

Another important part of caring for a potted canna lily is deadheading - and while it might sound… interesting to say the least, it involves nothing more than getting rid of faded blooms to make space for new ones to grow.

Step 4: Potted Canna Lily During Winter

If you keep your potted canna lilies outside, you should bring them inside before the first frosts and place them in a cool, dry area as they enter a dormancy period to wake up again during spring. Thankfully, caring for canna lilies in pots during the winter months is extremely simple, requiring nothing more than that.

The Bottom Line

Canna lilies are a beautiful addition to any space they are planted in, and thanks to the fact they can be grown in a pot, you don’t have to restrain yourself to only have them in your garden. As long as they get enough sunlight, they should be good in any room.

While you might have to dedicate some time initially to find the best things for your plant, including highest-quality planters or a good soil combination, you will be rewarded with beautiful blossoms for many years to come.

FAQ

How many lilies can be planted in one pot?

For best results, you should pot lilies in a way that there’s not more than one variety and no more than two rhizomes in each planter - although, if you have a very large planter, this number might be slightly increased. The important thing is to not overwhelm them and give them enough room to grow.

Does adding pebbles to the bottom help with drainage?

For a long time, it was believed that adding some kind of material, typically pebbles or sand, at the bottom of a planter or a container would help with drainage when caring for potted plants. However, studies, especially the one from Washington State University, have shown that it is not true. In fact, depending on the chosen material, it can actually be more difficult for water to move than when there is nothing else but the soil in the container. So, the best way to ensure proper drainage is to invest in a planter with drainage holes.