There are about a dozen Canna Lily (Canna spp.) species. The genus of colorful flowering plants hails from South America.
While you can certainly create an interesting and varied garden by simply mixing and matching a wide variety of Cannas, you can generate even more interest by adding some canna companion plants that share the Cannas’ love of warmth, sun, and well-draining soil.
The canna’s dramatic foliage and exotic flowers take pots and planters to new heights.
Excellent Canna Lily Companion Plants
Canna lilies typically bloom late in the summer, so knowing what to plant with canna lilies will provide desirable foliar and floral interest.
Related: More on growing Canna Lilies here.
Examples include:
Elephant Ears
Elephant Ears (Alocasia, Colocasia, and Xanthosoma) are members of the Araceae family of plants native to India and Asia.
You may also hear them called Taro. True to their name, these plants are well-known and appreciated for their large, elephantine leaves.
These plants are typically winter hardy in USDA hardiness zones 8 and above.
While selecting companion plants for canna lilies or any plant in your garden, it is always best to pair plants with similar growing conditions together.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers come in over 70 varieties ranging from 3’ to 9’ feet high.
These fast and easy-growing North American native annuals thrive in all parts of the United States during the warm summer.
hey have bright green, lush foliage on the inside with a white border. They are perennial plants that you can enjoy for many years.
Make your selections according to availability and your personal preferences. Follow packaging directions for best results.
Amaranth
Amaranth is a useful and pretty perennial plant that produces edible leaves and attractive panicles of yellow or magenta flowers that transition into a very high-quality grain.
This easy-to-grow plant can attain a height of 9’ feet and often springs up as a volunteer around bird feeders.
On another note, it is also important that you don’t forget to apply a slow-release fertilizer at planting so that they will bloom to their utmost potential.
Dahlias
Dahlias are perennial plants native to Mexico and South America. In fact, they are the Mexican national flower.
They are grown from bulbs and are available in 42 species. Flower forms, colors, combinations, and blooming habits are almost limitless. All are spectacular!
By grouping together plants with the same sunlight, soil, and watering needs, the chances of getting all plants to flourish are much higher, and you won’t have to spend extra time tending to certain plants in your garden.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea typically likes a shady spot or a spot with morning sun. Even so, with some strategic positioning, a row of these full, thick shrubs can make a nice backdrop for your Cannas.
There are several different varieties of Hydrangea, each with its own significant light and temperature needs.
Leaf and flower formation differ somewhat from one type to the next, but all do have full, pretty flower clusters in shades of white, blue, and pink.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus comes from the West Indies and is available in about 300 varieties. Some are annuals, and some are perennials. Some are shrubs, and some are trees.
All hibiscus are members of the Mallow family and produce pretty, exotic, tropical-looking blooms that perfectly enhance the appearance of your Cannas.
Choose the variety you prefer according to your location and desired result. If you plan to grow them in containers, choose a large pot so the plant has enough room to reach its full potential.
Any of these choices planted alongside or amongst Canna lilies provide a fascinating mix of large, colorful leaves and bright, bold flowers.
This article discusses growing Cannas and provides smart tips to help you pair them perfectly with the best companions.
Read on to learn more.
Subtle Companion Plants For Cannas That Make It Pop!
Canna lilies, on their own, provide great interest in terms of both blooms and foliage.
Because of this, you can choose to go with plants that are large, dramatic, and colorful (such as those listed above).
Dianthus is a great companion to Lilly as they share the same growing conditions. Growing them in the same pot will be beneficial as you will provide them with the exact nutrients.
Or you can take a different direction and enhance their boldness with the subtle textures and colors of ornamental grasses or plants such as:
Brazilian Vervain
Brazilian Vervain is also known as Tall Verbena. This “see-through” plant is intended to fill empty vertical space in a perennial flower garden.
This ground cover prefers partial shade and, thus, will do well under with canna lily pairing. Very attractive to pollinators, its leaves and lavender blossoms are small and delicate.
Asparagus
Asparagus fern is a small, lacy, delicate green shrub from South Africa. It is not actually a fern but a member of the Liliaceae family of plants.
This pretty, easy-to-grow space filler may become invasive in conducive settings.
False Indigo
False Indigo is native to the prairies of North America. This plant has folk medicine uses and was once used to make blue dye.
It has small, attractive grayish-green leaves, pretty, deep blue flowers, and a sturdy, upright growth habit.
Yarrow
Yarrow is a member of the Asteraceae family of plants. It grows wild throughout the United States and Canada.
The wild variety produces dome-shaped clusters of tiny white flowers.
Cultivated varieties are just as hardy and are available in shades of red, pink, gold, yellow, and white.
Choose The Right Companions For Aquatic Canna Hybrids
While most species of Canna lilies like well-draining soil, it’s important to know that some varieties (e.g., Canna glauca) are actually hybrid aquatic plants and do well in low-lying areas or even on the verge of ponds or in water gardens.
Aquatic Canna lilies look great accompanied by:
Arrowhead Plant
Arrowhead plants (Syngonium podophyllum) are best planted in a tropical setting. This perennial member of the Araceae family of plants is usually kept as a houseplant.
Still, it can be kept outdoors year-round in a shady, jungle-like setting in areas such as Florida.
The color of the flowers can be influenced by the soil’s pH level, and these flowers do prefer a slightly acidic soil type.
Water Hyacinth
Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a fast-growing, free-floating water plant that produces showy blooms in lavender/blue with yellow centers.
This tropical plant comes from the Amazon basin and may be invasive in similar settings.
Lizard Tail
Lizard Tail (Saururus cernuus) is native to the southeastern and eastern United States and eastern Canada.
The plant has pretty, heart-shaped leaves and attractive white, fluffy, plume-like flower spikes. It grows well in swampy settings.
Like Attracts Like
Clearly, aquatic hybrid Cannas are best accompanied by aquatic plants.
However, the main thing to remember when choosing what to plant with cannas is that the plants you choose should thrive in the conditions your Cannas prefer.
Perennial plants accompanying Canna lilies must be able to survive in USDA hardiness zones 7-11.
They must like full sun (6 hours a day), and well-draining soil richly amended with organic matter and mulched to retain just the right amount of moisture.
Remember that (like most plants), even though terrestrial Cannas like slightly moist soil, it is important not to allow them to stand in stagnant water because this will promote root rot.