orange and yellow canna lily

Brighten Up Your Garden with Vibrant Orange and Yellow Canna Lilies

Cannas are spectacular tropical-looking plants that bring excitement and vibrancy to gardens with their bold colors and stately presence. Among the most dazzling varieties are cannas in fiery shades of orange and sunny yellows. When paired together these warm hues create cheerful, radiant displays reminiscent of sunsets and tropical locales.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the top orange and yellow canna lily cultivars to add sizzle to your garden. Whether grown in beds, borders or containers, these beauties are sure to ignite your landscape with their brilliant blooms and flashy, banana-like leaves.

Overview of Orange and Yellow Canna Lilies

Cannas comprise around 20 species, but countless hybrids and cultivars are available to gardeners. During the summer cannas produce flowers on stalks that tower over their large, lush foliage. Their leaves remain attractive even when not in bloom.

Cannas span the spectrum of rainbow colors, but orange and yellow varieties are exceptionally vivid. Their fiery, tropical colors exude excitement and warmth. Many also have wonderfully contrasting red, pink or peach-colored throats on the flowers.

When selecting cannas, factor in:

• Height – Dwarf cannas reach 2-4 feet, mid-size 4-6 feet, giants 7+ feet
• Bloom time – Early, mid and late-season bloomers extend the display
• Foliage – Green, bronze, variegated and patterned leaves offer options
• Color combinations – Orange and yellow cannas complement each other perfectly

With hundreds of cannas to pick from, here are some top orange and yellow varieties to consider.

Radiant Orange Canna Cultivars

Let’s start with some spectacular orange canna selections:

• ‘Tropicanna’ – Brilliant orange petals with peach-pink dotted throat atop dark leaves with bright red veins
• ‘Orange Punch’ – Vibrant tangerine blooms with yellow throat on compact 3-4 foot plants, ideal for containers
• ‘Burning Ember’ – Peachy-orange blossoms resembling flickering flames above bronze-burgundy leaves
• ‘Orange Beauty’ – Huge flowers in true orange over blue-green foliage on 4-6 foot plants
• ‘Wyoming’ – Massive 6-8 inch orange blooms on tall stalks above bronze leaves
• ‘South Pacific Orange’ – Large sunset-colored flowers great for borders and containers; All-American Selections winner

Delightful Yellow Canna Varieties

Some top-notch yellow cannas to highlight:

• ‘Yellow King Humbert’ – Bright golden blossoms with dark red dots on 4-5 foot plants with bronze foliage
• ‘Florence Vaughan’ – Soft yellow petals with orange flecks and red spots on 5 foot plants
• ‘Golden Butterfly’ – Sunny 2-3 foot dwarf with yellow flowers perfect for containers
• ‘Yellow Dancer’ – Brilliant yellow blossoms with red halo on 5-6 foot tall plants
• ‘Australia’ – Huge 6-8 inch golden blooms on towering plants up to 8 feet tall
• ‘Erebus’ – Pale yellow flowers with speckled orange throat on compact 2-3 foot plants

Designing Flamboyant Orange and Yellow Canna Displays

Used creatively, orange and yellow cannas can create stunning eye-catching displays:

• Plant in bold swaths for maximum color impact. Use tall orange cannas as backdrop to shorter yellows
• Edge beds and borders with continuous waves of one color, or alternate between orange and yellow
• Underplant with cool blue and white flowers like lobelia and alyssum to make the warm colors pop
• Combine with purple foliage like dark-leaved butterfly bush to accent the sunset tones
• Site near blue and purple flowers such as hydrangeas and globe amaranth for complementary appeal
• Grow in containers for a tropical look, mixing with elephant ears and other lush foliage
• Use cannas to fill empty spots for continuous color after spring bulbs fade

With smart pairings and layouts, you can design dazzling beds and borders showcasing your favorite orange and yellow cannas.

Growing and Caring for Orange and Yellow Cannas

While easy to grow, providing cannas with optimal care ensures abundant flowers and vigorous growth:

• Plant in full sun to light shade in fertile, well-draining soil. Shelter from strong winds.
• Water regularly to keep soil consistently moist. Avoid saturated, waterlogged soil.
• Apply a balanced fertilizer monthly during the growing season.
• Pinch off spent blooms to extend flowering into fall.
• Mulch cannas in cold climates for winter protection. Store bulbs indoors where winters are very cold.
• Divide crowded clumps every 2-3 years to rejuvenate.
• Watch for earwigs, slugs and spider mites which may attack cannas.

With proper siting, watering, fertilizing, and pest management, orange and yellow cannas will thrive and reward you with their signature bold, carefree displays.

12 Stunning Orange and Yellow Canna Combinations

Here are some delightful pairing ideas to inspire your canna selection:

• ‘Australia’ yellow with ‘Wyoming’ orange
• ‘Yellow King Humbert’ with ‘Burning Ember’
• ‘Florence Vaughan’ combined with ‘Tropicanna’
• ‘Golden Butterfly’ and ‘Orange Punch’
• ‘Yellow Dancer’ alongside ‘South Pacific Orange’
• ‘Erebus’ yellow paired with ‘Orange Beauty’
• ‘Australia’ as backdrop to ‘Tangerine Dancer’ and ‘Burning Ember’
• Short yellow ‘Yellow Butterfly’ fronted by tall orange ‘Stuttgart’
• ‘Yellow King Humbert’ and ‘Pretoria’ for foliage contrast
• ‘Florence Vaughan’ underplanted with orange and purple annuals
• Silver-leafed plants like dusty miller to highlight ‘Tropicanna’
• Orange and yellow cannas in dramatic container pairings

Have fun designing energetic orange and yellow beds, borders and containers. Their festive colors are sure to ignite your garden with summertime excitement.

Ignite Your Garden with Vibrant Orange and Yellow Cannas

With their gloriously fiery hues and exotic appeal, orange and yellow canna lilies are sure to set your garden ablaze with tropical passion. Their flamboyant flowers, striking foliage and commanding presence lend excitement and pizzazz to garden beds and borders.

Hopefully this article has provided some inspiration for selecting vivid cannas in sunset shades to spice up your landscape. Skillfully blended, these easy growers will soon become star players in your garden, thrilling onlookers with their brilliant beauty. Let these tropical torchbearers ignite your beds and borders with their exotic verve!