Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Wednesday - June 10, 2015

From: Pflugerville, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Invasive Plants, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Is Canna glauca invasive?
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

How aggressive is Canna glauca? I'm interested in planting one near a gutter downspout, but I'm afraid it will crowd out groundcovers (heartleaf skullcap and fall obedient plant) in the two locations I'm considering. Can it be controlled?

ANSWER:

Canna glauca (water canna) is not overly invasive and can be controllled by keeping it in a pot and plunging it into the soil. The pot will keep the roots confined and which will restrict the growth and spread.

 

From the Image Gallery


Water canna
Canna glauca

Water canna
Canna glauca

Water canna
Canna glauca

Heartleaf skullcap
Scutellaria ovata

Heartleaf skullcap
Scutellaria ovata

Fall obedient plant
Physostegia virginiana

Fall obedient plant
Physostegia virginiana

More Invasive Plants Questions

Bald cypress causing problems in Spring TX
June 22, 2010 - There is a 50+ ft Bald Cypress growing near my property line. While the tree has grown substantial knees along the driveway and some as far as 35 ft from the tree in my flower beds, I do not see any d...
view the full question and answer

Invasive horsetail in Etna NH
July 27, 2009 - I seem to have an increasingly "healthy" supply of Equisetum in ALL of my many gardens over the years .. it is not easy to get all the rhizomes (what is?) is it possible to control it some other way...
view the full question and answer

Smarty Plants on Invasive Plants
March 26, 2004 - How bad are invasive species?
view the full question and answer

Can rose Zephirine Drouhin damage brick from Springfield IL
August 22, 2010 - Can ZÉPHIRINE DROUHIN damage brick?
view the full question and answer

Are non-native Chinese pistache poisonous to alpacas from Galt CA
October 07, 2012 - Are Chinese Pistachio trees poisonous to alpacas?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.