Description Family Cannaceae Garden Origin. Dusky purple leaves form a lush, upright clump. Fiery red, blousy blooms flare from summer to autumn. An easy-to-grow herbaceous perennial, it thrives in rich, fertile soil in sun. Velvet Red in Your Garden Lush and dusky purple foliage cradles fiery red blooms, smouldering against a dark jungly backdrop. Canna ‘Velvet Red’s upright stems bear large, purple-black banana-like leaves, creating a bold deep border backdrop from summer to autumn. Reaching 1.5m high and wide in 2–5 years, it offers a desirable combination of purple foliage and true red flowers. Most purple-leaved cannas have orange blooms. In southern and coastal UK gardens this tropical treat can be left out over winter if mulched with straw. Elsewhere it should be lifted and stored in a frost-free environment for winter. Growing Tips Your Velvet Red Canna Lily Soil and Sun: Plant in rich, well-drained soil; full sun is key. Shelter from strong winds will keep your canna leaves pristine and preserve the perfection of their large, blousy petals. Planting: Set in spring after last frost; water well to establish roots. Add manure or rich compost to the soil, especially in heavier clay. Make sure to dig in all around, to an area 30cm wider than the planting hole. Watering and Feeding: Regular in first season; reduce as rhizomes settle. Although your canna will tolerate dry spells once established, for optimal lushness keep the soil moist throughout the growing season. Water with a general-purpose fertilizer every two weeks from May to July, or add a granular slow-release at the base of the plant in April for maximum growth and blooming. Pruning: Cut back dead foliage in late winter and remove spent blooms throughout the season. A red canna flower haven is easy to create. Its vigorous growth from late June elevates its flowers on tough upright stems, making room for bushier flowering species around it. Feel the heat in Norfolk’s courtyard microclimates; plant this canna in pots or sunny sheltered Suffolk woodland garden clearings. Set off other hot-coloured red flowers against the dusky leaves of this lush canna. Planting Ideas for the Canna Lily ‘Velvet Red’ Be bold and bask in the bountiful midsummer display of banana-style foliage and exotic flowers. Plant Cannas ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Russian Red’, Hedychiums spicatum and densiflorum, Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ and bicolor alongside your canna. Whether in borders or a collection of pots, create a June to late October feast of foliage and flower. Add Musa ‘Bengal Tiger’ for a show-stopping centrepiece. Revel in a red flower haven with Cannas at the forefront. Hemerocallis ‘Crimson Pirate’ and ‘Dominic’, Kniphofia ‘Alcazar’, Lobelia ‘Queen Victoria’, and Alstroemeria ‘Mars’ play floral supporting roles. Albizia ‘Evey’s Pride’, Abutilon ‘Nabob’, Leucadendrons ‘Safari Sunset’ and ‘Mrs Stanley’, plus Nerium oleander (Dark Pink), add a more structured framework.
