Canna Lillies- Anyone experienced with growing them from seed?

[slug slayer]

This is my first year growing Red Canna Lillies. I noticed after the flowers die they leave behind beautiful black seeds. I've been saving them and want to plant them next year. Anyone have any experience growing them from seed and if so how long will they take to bloom?

lisa

[Lavandula Girl]

Lisa - try this site - it reiterates what I've heard about nicking the seeds, soaking them, all that good stuff for big, armored seeds! Personally, I've always grown them from the rhizome stage - let us know what kind of luck you have!

www.karcheskycanna.com/growingtips.htm

[Sandbar]

LG, had to look up your Latin sig line tonight ...

"There has not been any great talent without an element of madness.----Seneca "

Is that the right one?

[slug slayer]

Thanks Lavandula-
I just dug up the rhizomes and gosh they were HUGE and numerous- I started out with 20 and ended up with say 50. Maybe I don't need to bother with the seeds but will certainly try.

[Lavandula Girl]

Sandbar - yep, that's the one, except I translate it as 'genius' instead of 'great talent', for obvious reasons! :rolleyes:

Slugslayer - sounds like a very impressive rhizome harvest! What color red cannas are you growing? I was at White flower Farm last year, and they had some absolutely gorgeous ones that were bright lipstick red, with leaves that were striated about 4 different colors. The were really stunning.

[slug slayer]

Lavandula-

I don't know the name of the red - they were given to me by a friend from a friend and so on. I was the 5th or sixth person to receive these from successive harvests. I filled 3 paperbags with rhizomes. The leaves were not striated- just green. My friend warned me they would be huge and prolific. I'll ask her if she knows the variety.