Ok, I'm looking for the toughest, cold hardiest cannas out there, I.e. ones that could survive in Zone 6 (with mulching). So far, searching the internet and looking at the local garden centers has turned up:
Canna 'Roi Humbert' which one of Old House Gardens customers in N. Kansas claims to have consistently overwintered with minimal mulching.
Canna 'Rose Futurity' which I found at the local Lowes with the label claiming it to be hardy to -10F (since they have a 1 year warranty on plants, they have to replace it if it dies :D), and from what I've been able to gather on the internet it should be hardy to at least 0F, so I'm going to mulch it just to be sure.... Other Futurity hybrids also seem to be particularly hardy.
There was also some website claiming that the Longwood aquatic canna hybrids are also hardy to Zone 6, as long as the roots are submerged....
I know that Brian Williams has also been overwintering cannas with mulch in his Zone 6b location, but he hasn't specified which ones.
Any input would be helpful. I mean, I already have hardy palms, bananas, bamboo, sugar cane and yuccas, so I figure there probably is some kind of extra hardy canna out there somewhere.
The Hardiest Cannas?
I have over wintered just about all the well known cannas here with 6 to 8 inches of leaves or mulch. I believe all cannas are zone 7 some though are stronger or weaker than others which does not make them hardier in most cases but makes them preform better with a better chance of survival. Omega red russian and Musafolia have made it out with little protection so have most species or hybrid like species. The ones that grow slower and rarely bloom are the ones to watch out for.
Hey Brian,
I think I'll have to order some Musafolia from you next year... They would be a nice addition to my woodland garden (a bit late to plant anything marginally hardy this year)....
I guess I'll get that and some of the Omega red russian and some Roi Humbert (and the aquatic ones... I have an ugly swamp in the woods that is generally just a muck hole that could use some beautifying).