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Canna 'Happy Carmen'

Canna lily

Canna 'Happy Carmen' is a compact, rhizomatous perennial bearing large, exotic red flowers above bold tropical foliage from midsummer through to the first autumn frosts.

Supplied as an established plant in a 3 litre pot

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Aspect

Full sun

Hardiness

Not frost-hardy

Flowers

Summer to autumn

Soil

Loam, sand, clay

About this plant

Bold tropical flowers for a long summer season

  • Description

    Canna 'Happy Carmen' is a striking, upright, rhizomatous perennial grown for its bold, paddle-shaped foliage and large, exotic-looking red flowers carried on sturdy stems above the foliage from midsummer through to the first autumn frosts. Part of the Cannasol series, bred for a more compact and weather-resistant habit than older canna cultivars, it performs reliably in the variable conditions of a UK summer without the flopping and wind damage that can affect taller varieties. It brings an unmistakably tropical quality to a sunny border or large container and is a reliable and rewarding choice for summer bedding, patio planting, and mixed border schemes.

  • Why we like it

    “

    Few plants change the character of a border or patio quite as dramatically as a well-grown canna in full flower. The combination of those large, exotic blooms and the bold, architectural paddle leaves gives 'Happy Carmen' a presence that is genuinely hard to replicate with anything else, and the Cannasol breeding gives it a more manageable, weather-resistant habit than older cannas that makes it a more reliable performer in the reality of a UK summer. The long season from July to October is a genuine asset, and for sheer exotic impact per square metre it is difficult to beat.

Key features

What makes it special

Colourful foliage

Fully hardy — comes back every year

Easy to grow & low maintenance

Specs & details

The particulars

Botanical name
Canna 'Happy Carmen'
Common name
Canna lily
Supplied as
3 litre pot
Flower colour
Red
Eventual height
80–120 cm
Eventual spread
50–70 cm
Flowering period
Summer to autumn
Habit
Upright, clump-forming rhizomatous perennial
Life cycle
Rhizomatous perennial
Hardiness
Not frost-hardy
Aspect
Full sun
Soil type
Loam, sand, clay
Moisture
Moist but well-drained
Position
Mid-border, patio container, summer bedding scheme, tropical-style planting
Plant spacing
3–4 plants per m²
Growing skill
Easy to grow, though annual lifting and storage is required in most UK gardens

Plant calendar

When to plant, when it performs

 
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Planting
Flowering

Start rhizomes under glass in late March or April for the earliest display, or plant out directly after the last frost from late May. Flowering begins in July and continues through to October or the first hard frosts. Lift rhizomes after the first frost blackens the foliage and store frost-free over winter.

Planting & care

Help it thrive

Planting guide

Canna 'Happy Carmen' requires a warm, sheltered position in full sun and a fertile, moisture-retentive soil. Before planting, incorporate generous quantities of garden compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility and moisture retention, as cannas are hungry, thirsty plants that respond dramatically to good soil preparation. Do not plant out until all risk of frost has passed, typically from late May onwards. For the longest possible display, start rhizomes under glass in pots of compost in late March or April, keeping them warm and moist, and plant out the growing plants after the last frost. Set rhizomes horizontally about 8–10 cm deep, or plant pot-grown plants at the same depth as in the pot. Space around 50–60 cm apart. In containers, use a large pot of at least 40 cm diameter filled with a rich, moisture-retentive compost.

Care tips

Water generously through the growing season, particularly during hot, dry spells, as moisture stress causes the flowers to be smaller and fewer and the foliage to lose some of its lushness. Feed container-grown plants with a balanced fertiliser in spring as growth begins, then switch to a high-potassium liquid feed every two weeks through the flowering period. Border plants benefit from a dressing of balanced fertiliser in spring and a mulch of garden compost to retain moisture. Deadhead spent flowers by removing the entire spent flower stem back to the next emerging bud or lateral stem to keep the display tidy and encourage further flowers. After the first frost blackens the foliage, cut the stems back to around 15 cm, lift the rhizomes carefully, allow them to dry for a day or two, then store in barely moist compost or dry sand in a frost-free place through winter. Check the stored rhizomes periodically through winter and discard any that show signs of rot.

Winter care

Canna 'Happy Carmen' is not frost-hardy and the rhizomes will be killed by hard frost if left in the ground unprotected over winter in most parts of the UK. In mild, sheltered gardens in the south and west, the rhizomes can sometimes be overwintered in the ground under a very deep, dry mulch of bark or straw applied before the first frosts, but this is a risk and losses are common even in mild winters. The safest and most reliable approach for most UK gardens is to lift the rhizomes after the first frost has blackened the foliage, cut the stems back to around 15 cm, allow them to dry briefly, and store them in barely moist compost or dry sand in a frost-free place such as a garage or cool shed through winter. Replant or pot up in late March or April, starting them off under glass to give them a long growing season before planting out after the last frost.