Should You Reduce Your Canna Lilies?

Pruning canna lilies is an essential skill for any dedicated gardener, as it can rejuvenate plants, promote healthier growth, and last through winter. To keep canna lilies healthy, prune back spent flowers and trim any yellowing leaves. When the weather turns cold in fall and the canna lily goes dormant, cut them back to a few inches above the ground. Cover it with mulch or bring it indoors if needed to keep it warm.

After canna lilies finish blooming, remove the spent flower stalks and trim the stalks back to their base using pruning shears or a sharp knife. This practice encourages the plant to direct its energy towards root and foliage growth rather than seed production. Cut back old stems to about 4 to 6 inches from the ground, encouraging the plant to put energy into new growth. Don’t cut back the entire stem until the end of the growing season unless the plant is damaged or diseased.

You can prune canna lilies throughout the year when they need a little spruce up and hard as winter is setting in. Trim off all the branches on the lowest 6-8 inches of the plants when they are 18 inches tall and trim off 80 of the big shade leaves 3-5 weeks. In tropical or warm temperate climates, canna lilies will continue to grow and can be cut back hard in autumn or spring to rejuvenate and control the clump. Properly timed and executed pruning can help canna lilies last through the winter and bloom again next year.