Potted Canna Lily Companion Plants

Creating a stunning garden bed is all about putting the right plants together. If you love the bold, tropical look of canna lilies, you can make their beauty pop even more with the perfect neighbors. Choosing the right potted canna lily companion plants is the secret to a vibrant, layered display that lasts all season.

These companions do more than just look good. They help your cannas thrive by filling space, adding different textures, and even helping with pest control. Let’s look at how to build a gorgeous container garden around your potted canna.

This combination is the core of your design. The right partners will highlight the canna’s large leaves and bright flowers while creating a full, lush container.

Why Companion Planting Works for Potted Cannas

In a pot, every plant has a job. Cannas are the “thrillers”—the tall, dramatic focal point. Companion plants act as “fillers” and “spillers.” Fillers add volume and mid-level interest. Spillers cascade over the pot’s edge, softening its look.

Companions also create a mini-ecosystem. They can shade the soil to keep roots cooler and help retain moisture. Some even attract beneficial insects that keep pests away from your cannas.

Top Plant Partners for Color and Texture

Think about contrast. Pair the canna’s big, broad leaves with plants that have fine, delicate, or trailing foliage. Here are some excellent choices:

Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas): Its vigorous trailing habit in colors like lime green, deep purple, or variegated cream perfectly frames a pot and contrasts with canna leaves.
Licorice Plant (Helichrysum petiolare): The fuzzy, silvery-gray leaves are a beautiful neutral that makes the greens and flowers of other plants stand out.
Coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides): With endless color patterns, coleus fills space brilliantly. Choose colors that complement your canna blooms—burgundy coleus with orange cannas, for example.
Asparagus Fern (Asparagus aethiopicus): Its soft, feathery texture is a lovely foil against the sturdy canna. It’s a classic filler for tropical-style pots.

Best Flowering Companions

Adding other flowers extends the color show. Choose plants that enjoy the same conditions: full sun, consistent moisture, and regular feeding.

Lantana: A tough, sun-loving plant that blooms non-stop. Its clustered flowers attract butterflies, which will also visit your cannas.
Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon): Adds spiky, upright flower form that contrasts with the canna’s broader shape. It’s heat-tolerant and doesn’t need deadheading.
Petunias or Calibrachoa (Million Bells): These reliable spillers provide a massive cascade of color. They help cover the base of the canna stalks with continuous blooms.
Dahlia: Another bold, sun-loving bloomer. Pair smaller, bedding-type dahlias with cannas for a spectacular double-feature of vibrant flowers.

How to Plant Your Canna Container

Getting the planting right ensures all your plants grow well together without competing to much. Follow these steps for success.

Choose a Large Pot: Cannas have big root systems. Start with a container at least 16-18 inches in diameter and depth. Ensure it has excellent drainage holes.
Use Quality Potting Mix: Fill the pot with a high-quality, well-draining potting soil. Do not use garden soil, as it compacts in containers.
Position the Canna: Place your potted canna rhizome or starter plant slightly off-center towards the back of the pot. This creates a dynamic layout.
Add Filler Plants: Surround the canna with your chosen filler plants, like coleus or asparagus fern. Plant them a few inches away from the canna’s base.
Add Spiller Plants: Place trailing plants like sweet potato vine near the edge of the pot so they can spill over freely.
Water Thoroughly: After planting, water the container deeply until water runs out the bottom. This settles the soil around all the roots.

Ongoing Care for Your Mixed Container

A planted container needs a bit more attention than a single plant. Here’s how to keep everything healthy.

Watering: Check soil moisture daily in summer. Cannas and most companions prefer consistently moist (not soggy) soil. Water deeply when the top inch feels dry.
Feeding: Plants in pots use up nutrients fast. Feed every 10-14 days with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer to support all that foliage and flower growth.
Deadheading: Remove spent flowers from both the cannas and their companion plants. This encourages more blooms and keeps the pot looking tidy.
Sunlight: Almost all these plants require full sun (6+ hours daily) for the best performance. Some, like coleus, can tolerate partial shade if needed.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Even experienced gardeners can run into issues. Watch out for these pitfalls.

Overcrowding: It’s tempting to add to many plants. Give each one enough space for air circulation to prevent fungal diseases.
Mismatched Needs: Don’t pair a drought-tolerant plant (like lavender) with a water-loving canna. One will always suffer.
Ignoring Height: Ensure your companion plants don’t grow so tall they hide the canna’s beautiful flowers. Check mature heights before you buy.
Forgetting the Foliage: While flowers are great, don’t underestimate the power of interesting leaves. They provide color and texture even when nothing is in bloom.

Design Themes for Your Potted Cannas

Having a theme can guide your plant choices and create a cohesive look. Here are a few popular ideas.

Tropical Paradise Theme

Double down on the lush, jungle-like feel. Use plants with large, dramatic leaves.

Canna Lily (the star)
Elephant Ears (Colocasia or Alocasia) for even bigger leaf contrast
Croton for wildly colored foliage
Trailing Variegated Ivy as a spiller

Cottage Garden Charm Theme

Soften the canna’s boldness with romantic, flowing plants.

Canna Lily
Trailing Lobelia (in blue or white)
Dusty Miller (for silver foliage)
Wave Petunias in soft pink or purple

Modern Contrast Theme

Focus on striking color combinations and architectural forms.

Dark-leaved Canna (like ‘Australia’ with red leaves)
Chartreuse Sweet Potato Vine (‘Marguerite’)
White-flowered Angelonia or Ageratum
Spiky Dracaena or Purple Fountain Grass for height

Seasonal Considerations and Overwintering

Your potted canna and its friends might not all be hardy in your climate. Here’s what to do when frost threatens.

Cannas are tender perennials. In fall, after the first frost blackens the foliage, you have choices. You can discard the annual companions and move the canna rhizome indoors to store it. Or, if your pot is movable, bring the entire container into a garage or basement before the first freeze.

Let the soil dry out completely. Cut back the dead foliage. Store the pot in a cool, dark place where it won’t freeze. The canna will go dormant. In spring, bring the pot back into the light, start watering, and it will regrow. You can then refresh the companion plants for the new season.

FAQ: Potted Canna Lily Companions

What are good shade companions for canna lilies?

While cannas prefer full sun, they can manage in partial shade. In shadier spots, choose companions like Begonias, Fuchsia, Impatiens, or Coleus. These plants will still thrive with less direct sunlight and provide plenty of color.

Can I plant herbs with my potted cannas?

Some herbs can work if they like consistent moisture. Mint is a vigorous option but can be invasive; it’s best kept in its own pot. Basil and parsley might work in a large container, but they generally prefer less water than cannas. It’s often easier to keep herbs separate.

How do I stop my pot from drying out so fast?

Grouping several pots together can create a more humid microclimate. Using a larger pot with more soil volume also helps. You can mix water-retaining crystals into the potting soil, and applying a layer of mulch (like small bark chips) on top of the soil reduces evaporation significantly.

What should I not plant with cannas?

Avoid plants that require dry, poor soil. This includes most Mediterranean herbs like lavender, rosemary, and thyme. Also, avoid slow-growing, small plants that will be overwhelmed by the canna’s size, like thyme or small sedums. They simply won’t compete well for light and space.

Why are my canna’s leaves turning yellow?

Yellow leaves can have a few causes. Overwatering is common, especially if the pot lacks drainage. Underwatering or nutrient deficiency (often nitrogen) is another possibility. Check your watering habits first. If the pot is to crowded, the canna might not be getting enough nutrients from the soil, so fertilize regularly.

Building a beautiful container with potted canna lily companion plants is a rewarding project. It lets you play with color, height, and texture in a managable space. By following these simple principles of combining plants with similar needs, you can create a vibrant, thriving garden bed in a single pot. Your cannas will look more spectacular than ever, surrounded by friends that highlight their best features all summer long.