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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.

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

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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

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