Dianna Langer

Archive for the ‘Tanaka’ Category

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A Little History

Walter Dillingham purchased 50 acres of unwanted swampland in 1912 from Bishop Estates for $25,000. Actually Waikiki was mostly swampland as well into the 1800′s.

Plans were announced in 1948 for the shopping complex. The Ground breaking ceremony occurred in 1955 and construction began in 1957.

When it first opened in 1959, it was the largest mall in the entire United States with 89 stores and 4,000 parking spaces. The Mall of America built in Bloomington, Minnesota became the next mall to become the largest in America. Today Ala Moana is one of the 15 largest malls in the U.S.

In 1966 the mall doubled in size and added J.C. Penney and Liberty House.

In 1987 a food court with 19 restaurants and 900 seats was added.

The current owners of Ala Moana (General Growth Properties) use it as a template, and have invested a billion dollars to remodel other centers across Canada and the United States.

The Ho’okipa Terrace was opened in 2005. It has ten incredible restaurants all in one place including Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., California Pizza Kitchen, Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks, Mai Tai Bar, Pearl, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Ruby Tuesday, Tanaka of Tokyo, and Tsukiji Fish Market and Restaurant.

Ala Moana Shopping Center Today

The mall is very close to Waikiki, so it is convenient for tourists. A shuttle runs every ten minutes from Waikiki seven days a week. It also has plenty of parking for those who are driving, and it is within walking distance of the Ala Moana Beach Park.

For the locals, the mall includes a grocery store, post office and a night club (Pearl Ultralounge). For all, it includes a huge international food court. You can also find fine dining facilities.

Interesting facts about Ala Moana Shopping Center:

“Ala” means street, and “Moana” means ocean in Hawaiian. The Developers chose the name “Ala Moana” because it explained the location of the center.

Hawaii became the 50th state eight days after Ala Moana Center opened Hawaii in August 1959.

Eleven of the original mall retailers from 1959 are still at the mall today, although they may not be in the same location.

Sears
Longs
Foodland
Slipper House
Crack Seed Center
Reyn’s
Shirokiya
Watumul’s
Territorial Savings
U.S. Post Office
Dairy Queen

Unique to Ala Moana

The mall features open-air corridors, which are lined with palm trees and tropical vegetation including real banana trees.

There is a center stage for performances which feature local entertainment including dancing, singing, and much more. The Royal Hawaiian Band (accompanied by hula dancers) frequently plays at Center Stage, which is one of the most popular amphitheatres in Hawaii.

They often have fashion shows on the center stage and since it is open air, they can have fireworks for special celebrations.

Down the center of some walkways are koi (fish) ponds with lilies where you can sit on the rocks and relax. There are also amazing waterfalls to enjoy.

The mall has high-end shops including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Versace and Armani, as well as department stores like Macy’s and Neiman Marcus.

Ala Moana covers 2.1 million square feet and has four levels of shopping and dining options.

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2009 Topps Chrome is on a collision course with baseball card collectors on Wednesday August 5th. At least that is the scheduled date, which is correct within a day or two about fifty percent of the time it seems. If you are planning on starting off with some hobby boxes, each box will contain 24 packs and each pack has four cards in it. The base set will be comprised of 220 cards which are made up of 50 rookies and 170 veterans. As we have come to expect from Topps Chrome, each card will also have multiple parallel insert cards. There will also be 100 World Baseball Classic cards along with their own parallel insert cards.

The World Baseball Classic insert set consists of 100 of the best players from around the globe that played in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. These cards will be found at a rate of one per four packs. A few of the featured international stars include Aroldis Chapman and Yoennis Cespedes from Cuba, and Hisashi Iwakuma, Norichika Aoki, Yu Darvish and Masahiro Tanaka from Japan. The most sought after of the 2009 Topps Chrome World Baseball Classic cards will be the hobby exclusive one of one Printing Plate cards and Superfractors. Additional WBC parallels include Refractors that are numbered out of 500, Blue Refractors that are numbered out of 199, Gold Refractors that are numbered out of 50 and Red Refractors which are limited to 25.

The 2009 Topps Chrome base set will also feature some tough pulls. Just like the WBC cards, the Printing Plate cards and the Superfractors will only be inserted into hobby packs and boxes and will each be one of one cards. There are actually four different versions of each printing plate making a total of 880 printing plate cards. Additional parallels include Blue Refractors which are numbered to 199, Gold Refractors which are numbered to 50 and Red Refractors which are numbered to 25.

2009 Topps Chrome Rookie Autograph cards will be seeded at a rate of 2 per box, and include future stars like Matt LaPorta and Elvis Andrus (who is actually doing quite nice already). If you guessed that the rookie autograph cards would have their own parallel versions, they you are correct. One of one Superfractors and Printing Plate cards will be found only in hobby boxes. Standard refractors are numbered out of 499, Blue Refractors are numbered out of 199, Gold Refractors are numbered out of 50 and Red Refractors are numbered out of 25.

If you bought 2008 Topps Chrome or 2008 Topps Heritage cards, you will probably remember that Topps split up the Topps Heritage chrome set into three series, with the second series consisting of card numbers 101-200 being found in regular Topps Chrome packs. Most collectors did not like what they assumed to be a marketing tactic and it looks like Topps will not be including Heritage chromes in the 2009 Topps Chrome packs, unless there is a last minute surprise. This years chrome set looks to be another hit, especially with collectors outside of the United States thanks to the World Baseball Classic set.

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In this Japanese language learning tips article, I will explain the proper use of “-San” in Japanese. “-San” is frequently misused by beginning learners of Japanese, but there is a simple rule you can follow that will ensure you get it right every time.

When to Use the “-San” Form of Address in Japanese

“-San,” as in Tanaka-san or Smith-san, is a form of Japanese address that just about everyone is familiar with, whether or not they are a learner of the language. “-San” is used to address someone in a polite, somewhat formal manner. 

Just as in English we would address someone we don’t know that well or someone with a somewhat higher status than us as “Mr.” or Ms.,” in Japanese we would use “-San” in much the same way, with one important difference: in Japan, there is a much greater emphasis on formality and politeness, so unless the person you are communicating with is a very close friend or intimate, you should ALWAYS use the “-San” form of address.

In the West, where we tend to be much more informal, we may initially address a person we have just met as “Mr.” or ”Ms.” and then after a few minutes take the liberty of addressing that person by their first name. In Japan, this is a big no-no. Never eliminate the “-san” form of address when speaking to a Japanese person unless specifically invited to do so by that person. 

The Most Important Rule on Using “-San” in Japanese

In addition to the above advice, there is one essential rule you must follow regarding the use of “-San” in Japanese. When introducing or referring to yourself, NEVER call yourself “XX-San.” So if your name is Mary and you’re introducing yourself in Japanese, or even to a Japanese person speaking English, you must never say “I’m Mary-San.” In Japanese, you simply never refer to yourself using “-San.” 

Similarly, and this becomes a bit more complicated, you never address members of your own group using “-San” when speaking to persons outside of your own group. For example, when interacting with a business client or counterpart from another company using “-San,” you would never address yourself or someone from your own company as “XXX-San!” 

Forms of address in Japanese are actually quite complex and there is much more to the story, so I’ll go into more depth in another article. For now, just remember this basic advice on the use of “-San” and you’ll be assured of impressing your Japanese counterparts as a well-informed and well-mannered gaijin! 

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There are three different types of airsoft sniper rifles and each one is played very differently! Depending on which one a sniper decides to use will alter the gameplay and tactics he uses!

First, we have the famous Spring Powered Rifle! This classic airsoft gun is used my airsofters around the world because of its reliability! For any sniper a Spring Rifle is a great choice for just grabbing your gun and going. These are used by both beginning airsoft snipers and advanced. To work a spring rifle it is most commonly operated with bolt-action and can sometimes require strength to pull back the spring, depending on its power. A great example of a typical spring sniper is the JG BAR 10. This gun helps teach you the basics of sniping, while providing the window of opportunity to go full-out and upgrade. In the end, this gun can be upgraded to shoot at about 600 fps with.36 gram BB’s and reach ranges of 300ft.

Next, we will look at the ElectricRifle, like the M14 or M24. These snipers are powered by a battery inside of the gun and can normally be shot without having to pull a bolt back. Not only do these guns have a fairly large range, but they also come with the reliability of being sure you will pin someone down with a reign of BB’s. The rate of fire can also be increased on these types of guns by replacing the battery! But, in the airsoft community, Electric Sniper Rifles can often be looked down upon, for not staying true to the sniper way of “one shot one kill”. So be ready for a very different sniping experience when using this type of gun. Echo1 and Classic Army are great providers for airsoft Electric Rifles!

Lastly, we have the Gas Powered Rifle. When the term “gas” is used it generally means Green Gas, Propane, or CO2 is being used to power the gun! These should generally be used by advanced players because of the technical aspect of these guns. Gas guns are also VERY powerful, usually, and should be handled with great caution! The good thing about powering your gun with gas though, is that it can help in tactical situations, because gas is much quieter than Electric or Spring guns! Tanaka is a great brand to look into for this type of sniper!

Each of these different Airsoft Snipers have their own Pros and Cons, but in the end you will have to decide for yourself on how you want to snipe, in the world of airsoft!

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Jerry Lawler recently told me that the late Jack Brisco was one of the top three wrestlers he ever faced in Memphis, putting the former two-time NWA World champion in the same class as Nick Bockwinkel and Dory Funk Jr. But most longtime Memphis fans would agree that nobody had better chemistry with the King than Bill Dundee, who arrived in Memphis with partner George Barnes in the mid-70s. I never saw the Aussies’ first run in Memphis, but I recall their feud in 1987 when George returned to the area for a few months. Their match on Aug. 11 1987, was part of a big card with Lawler working with Curt Hennig for the first time for the AWA title in the main event. Also working underneath were Jeff Jarrett and Billy Travis vs. Pat Tanaka and Paul Diamond–that foursome had been having some amazing bouts around the horn. They may have been past their primes, but I’ll be damned if Dundee and Barnes didn’t steal the whole damn show. Just a tremendous bloody Memphis brawl. If the chemistry they had working with each other as opponents was anything like they had as a team–especially when they were 12 years younger–they must have been something together.

Bill was the perfect underdog babyface opponent for Lawler. And nobody could sell like Dundee in his prime–the realistic way he endured punishment reminded me of a boxer. Rumor has Ricky Steamboat watched film of boxers to study how they reacted to punches, and incorporated that into his brilliant work in the ring. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Steamboat studied film of Dundee. The scrappy little Australian (as Lance would call him) would be on the ropes, but he just wouldn’t quit. Then just when you had him practically counted out, out of nowhere the Superstar would catch his foe with sunset flip a or a flying bodypress off the middle ropes/turnbuckle for the win–and the crowd would pop.

People always put over Lawler’s promo skills, and it’s true, the King was a master. But Dundee wasn’t far behind. A very underrated talent in that regard. And man he could he work. Besides his matches with Lawler, Dundee’s bouts with Tony Charles, Bockwinkel and Billy Robinson were some of my favorites.

Still, the first Jerry Lawler vs. Bill Dundee series with all the wild stipulations in 1977, is the first feud that really captured my imagination as a kid. Lawler and Jerry Jarrett used to remind each other that “personal issues draw money” when co-booking the Memphis territory. That philosophy was evident in the initial Lawler vs. Dundee series, a long program featuring heated promos and a series of stipulations over the summer of 1977 that captured the imagination of the fans. For weeks, the promotion featured the same bout on top, consistently drawing money.

July 11: Lawler’s Cadillac on the line vs. $4,000 of Dundee’s money; Attn: 8,044

July 25: Lawler’s Southern title on the line vs. Dundee’s Cadillac: Attn: 7,681

Aug. 1: Lawler’s hair vs.Dundee’s Southern belt and Cadillac; Attn: Sell-Out 11,300

Aug. 8: Lawler’s Southern title and Cadillac vs. Dundee: Attn: 11,100

Aug. 15: Mickey Poole’s hair (Lawler’s manager) vs. Dundee’s Cadillac: Attn: 8,397

Aug. 22: Poole’s hair vs. Dundee’s hair: 7,143

Aug. 29: Lawler’s hair vs. Dundee’s title and Cadillac: 7,420

Sept. 5: Lawler’s hair vs. Dundee’s hair: 10,129

Sept. 13: Lawler’s hair and title vs. Beverly Dundee’s hair (Bill’s wife): 9,000

The personal stips kept the matchup fresh and interesting, with the fans captivated consistently week to week. I remember Dundee managed to save his hair on Aug. 22 of ’77 after “NWA official” Guy Coffee initially stopped the bout because Dundee had taken too much punishment. (Incidentally, the idea of Mr. Coffee being a high-ranking NWA representative is pretty funny.) Desperately, Dundee pleaded to continue, and of course, he came back to win the bout and shave the head Lawler’s manager, Mickey Poole instead. I was only 6, but I remember all the matches with the hair and Cadillacs at stake, especially when Dundee and his wife, Beverly, had their heads shaved on consecutive weeks as the summer of ’77 came to a close. Those matches, the release of Star Wars and the death of Elvis Presley are pretty much the only memories I vividly recall from that year of my youth.

My mother had a friend who managed to get me an autographed picture of Dundee around that time, and I thought that was the greatest thing. It was my first autograph of any kind. When I first entered the business, Dundee wasn’t too friendly toward me. I tried to break the ice by explaining how much he meant to me in my childhood. I was disappointed when he took it the wrong way, saying something like, “Jesus, kid, do you know how many times a week I have people telling me how they grew up watching me?”

Nobody feuded longer–or better–than Bill Dundee and Jerry Lawler.

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The Pokemon Eevee evolutions are probably the most popular characters around. The eight little characters have captured the hearts of adoring fans all over the world. Eevee, Umbreon, Espeon, Flareon, Jolteon, Vaporeon, Glaceon, and Leafeon have become every childs obsession. But with so many people wanting them, how can I find them? And what items are out there?

Due to their popularity, the Eevee evolution characters have become quite difficult to obtain. Since everyone wants these specific eight Pokemon characters, they have become expensive and hard to find. Take Umbreon for example. The beautiful black cat is probably the most popular of the bunch. Prices for anything with Umbreon on can be rather high. Whether its little mini Chupa pop figures, Keshipoke figures, canvas plush toys, Pokedolls, stuffed toys, tshirts, or Pokemon cards, you will probably have to pay quite a bit to get your hands on them.

So, what kind of merchandise is out there and how can I get it?

There is quite a few Pokemon items with the Eevee evolution characters. Most of these items come from Japan. The Japanese items are much better quality and since Pokemon is a Japanese anime, its natural that most of the items come from Japan.

POKEDOLLS

In 2008, the Pokemon Centers in Japan made the Pokedoll stuffed toy. The set consisted of the eight evolutions, Umbreon, Espeon, Flareon, Vaporeon, Glaceon, Jolteon, Eevee, and Leafeon. They quickly sold out. They were then released in the USA for a brief time and of course, sold out very fast. Then in December, 2009, Pokemon Centers in Japan re-released the evolution Pokedolls. Again in very small quantities. Once again they sold out in a matter of days. You can find these items on Ebay, but be careful, as there are many bootleg or counterfeit items. You are almost always safe buying from a Japanese seller, as they are honest and of course they are made in Japan, so your chances are much better of getting a real one.

CANVAS PLUSH

In 2009, the Pokemon Centers in Japan made the canvas beanbag stuffed toy. The set consisted of the eight evolutions, Umbreon, Espeon, Flareon, Vaporeon, Glaceon, Jolteon, Eevee, and Leafeon. They sold out in a matter of days. They are smaller than a Pokedoll and have a small amount of beans inside. These are very cute, as they have legs and are more accurately shaped like the characters. These were not released in the USA or anywhere outside of Japan. The prices are skyrocketing on them. They used to be about $20 when they came out. Now expect to pay near $60 a piece for them.

CHARMS, KEYCHAINS AND STRAPS

There have been some keychains of some of the evolution characters like Umbreon over the years, but these have become nearly impossible to find and can range up to $200 each. In 2009, the Pokemon Centers in Japan released the Pokemon Time mobile phone straps. Of the evolutions, only Umbreon, Eevee, and Espeon were made. Umbreon sold out in days, while the other two sold out in weeks. Also in 2009, there was a set of 6 charms that included Umbreon, Espeon, Flareon, Jolteon, Vaporeon, and Eevee. Glaceon and Leafeon were left out of this set.

CARDS AND STICKERS

There have been many Japanese Pokemon Eevee evolution cards and stickers released over the years. Most of the cards range about $5-10 and stickers $1-5. The exception is some of the old Bandai cards. Back in 1997 when Pokemon first came out, they released some sticker cards. They are like cards, but actually have stickers on the front that you can peel off. Some of these can get expensive. Usually they cost about $30-150, depending on the character and condition of the card.

Now the tricky part, how can one obtain these treasures?

There is always Ebay, but personally I prefer to avoid it due to the number of bootleg items that are currently being sold. Your best chance is some of the smaller, personal sites where the seller is located in Japan. There are only a handful of sites that are in English, so it makes it diffiucult if you cant read Japanese. Also most Japanese sites will not send internationally.

Getting the Eevee evolution items is tricky and usually very expensive. Buying as soon as they come out is the best bet. Almost always the price increases as time goes by. Good luck in your quest. Gotta have them all.

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The international organization known as Rotary promotes yearly travel that all people between the ages of 26 and 40, male and female, and of all backgrounds – should know about – because it is a Rotary-funded six week study aboard and anyone can apply to be a part of this significant life experience. If you are this age group – you could enjoy the kind of experience that is described in my notes in this article. To find out more about the program go to the international Rotary website and search for GSE – Group Study Exchange – and contact your local Rotary Club for more information.

Our adventures continued:

May 5th – Thursday:

It’s a free day today – we’re winding down – and my hosts understand that my favorite spot is the hot springs – so Takafumi, Aoi and I went to Seiryu. I have three favorite spots in the pools – and today the third spot is laying in the shallow hot springs water resting back on a log that works as a cushion for a rest. There is a large wall of rocks beyond this pool – that make the soothing sound of falling waters. We had massages – and lunch. This evening we went to see Moe’s ballet performance (she’s 14) and danced beautifully – and there is nothing cuter than the little three foot Japanese girls – in ballet slippers, hair pulled back with ribbons, and a pink tutus – charming.

May 6th – Friday:

Magazines read backwards in Japan – Cities often have ferris wheels, some built on the top of buildings high above the streets – and gas pump hoses hang down from above the cars in the gas stations. Where has it gone?? – these five weeks when we’ve had so much to see, learn, do – and enjoy. Where?? – it was the first week, and seemed like we were planning to be in Japan for a long time – and now gosh, the final day of the GSE team experience. So many friendships, host families, pictures, experiences, funny moments, cherry blossoms, good drink and food – so much to be remembered as we were upon this final day. Plans were being made for travel. Julia heading home – Antonio, Harry and Monica off to Tokyo – and I was making Kyoto plans with the Tanaka‘s and Ai.

I went with Aoi in the morning to have hair washed at the shop – and discovered how much was around were my host family lived – big department store, the small Japanese streets, so colorful, and filled with one after another of vendors selling sweets, meats, vegetables bustling with people. At 1PM each of the team checked back into the Grand Hotel – and I noticed that what seemed so foreign for our first night’s stay, now seemed so familiar. What stirred me to feel like a stranger and wonder how I would manage – had turned into an adventure of the human spirit that eased any concerns – and replaced them with a picture book of joys. Ria and I popped back to where I had started – for a cup of coffee at Starbucks – and made plans for her daughter, Aoi, to home stay with me in the States. I’ve learned how much the Japanese value international experience – and I notice how enriched my life is to have international friends. Dr. Funakoshi came by to pick us all up – once more dressed in team blue blazers and looking like sharp Americans – we headed out the front door of the Hotel. Two blocks away are three big department stores, Iwataya, Daimaru and Mitsukoshi – they all connect underground – spanning the three blocks below – with what is the most amazing array of foods that you have ever seen. Want to buy a mango for $42 – a perfectly grown, sweet one – Japanese sweets of so many – any kind of meat or fish? – they are all there. Each department store has different things – so it’s a must to catch them all – we walked for over an hour to gaze at the fare – all beautifully displayed to entice you. Dr. Funakoshi stopped to treat us to a traditional Japanese dessert, of two sweet pancake sides enclosing sweet beans flavored with honey – yummy. We stopped for cold green tea – and then for a visit to his dental clinic. Today – being our last GSE team day – the Nishinippon Newspaper prepared an article for their paper about the team. We visited the newspaper to see Nobuyuki Tanaka, who is on the GSE team coming to the U.S. and is a Staff Writer in the City News Section — and he gave us a tour of the offices. Then Hikaru Shimizu, Chairman of the Board of the Nishinippon Newspaper Co. and a Rotarian, met and talked with us.

Ahhh….packing – how is it all going to fit in the suitcase – not – have to give some away – presents from friends to take home – change of clothes for the party and wrap up of packing. Five-thirty – and time to be in the lobby – for the night’s celebration of our GSE experience together. Aahhh….how to part – with all that we’ve shared. The party was at the Café in the Park – down on the river – in a room where we could all be together – and a cozy pouring rain outside. Gifts – host families there – the incoming Japanese GSE team – the GSE Japanese committee – District Governor and past District Governors, and others who translated and shared our experience – maybe 80 people – and glad to see people we knew along the way as our team traveled through the different areas in the District. Speeches in Japanese – to us in English – and much to be said. Izumi spoke for the Japanese Committee – and I spoke for our team. It’s tough to make a speech – with so much heartfelt emotion -and wait for translation at good points – and I had three things to cover: that the gift that the Japanese had given our team was that they changed our lives forever (we could only think bigger with this generosity and international experience), that what I had learned personally was that as people “we are so much the same, and at the same time, so different (example, when I go to a Rotary Club meeting I know exactly what is going on because it is the same, and yet it is in a language that I don’t understand), and third, that Paul Harris had a vision that lead to us to being here (the Rotary gift) and as my message has been “we should include all smart people who share a concern” (men, women, Japanese etc.) to give the gift of Rotary freely…it is a powerful force to grow in a troubled world. I thanked our Japanese hosts for the excellent job that they did, the financial contribution that their District makes to have it be a great experience, and assured that their team would be in excellent hands with us in America. The District Governor, Mr. Tachibana spoke – he’s funny – and also Mr. Takamoto – and this trip has been important to their connection with our District. Hisa is arranging for the Ogori Rotary Club to be a sister Club to the Los Gatos Morning Club – great idea – and three of the Club’s members will come to visit our Club. They closed this party with the Oh Rotary song (never have I heard that one in America) – and the traditional hand clap.

As you can guess – one party always leads to another here – and The Tachibana’s had arranged for the next one – with all of us who had enjoyed each other so much – to be at an “oldies” restaurant – whiskey and ice on the table, lots of food – and a corner reserved for us to listen to the 60′s music – and dance – yes, a lot – and the Governor was dancing wild and crazy – and all the teams – and those who lead – and it went on late into the night – fun and good to shake around freely as we all crowded onto the dance floor. There has been nothing but good will on this trip – and the American team has done an excellent (each one of them has been terrific) job. Now the birds fly off in different directions -thankful for the people who make up Rotary and see the world with generous eyes.

This article concludes a series of fourteen articles — on happy travels in Japan. Check with your local Rotary Club about participating in a GSE experience — it’s once in a lifetime to treasure.

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How can parents know which Pokemon plush toys their children are going to like? Ever have the problem of which Pokemon character to buy for your child for a gift? Most people have. Its very difficult to choose which one out of the 500 or so characters that your son or daughter will like.

Probably the most recognizable Pokemon character is Pikachu. It has a yellow tail with black markings and is the most well known character. It has been in every movie, show and game. This is the one most adults think of when they hear about the Pokemon brand.

But, is this the character you should buy? Of course it depends on what your child likes. All children have different tastes. Some of the older characters are usually a good bet as they have remained popular for a long time.

Bulbasaur is kind of a dinosaur looking character that carries what looks like an onion on its back. This is a grass type, and is one of the very first to be seen in the show, which makes it another favorite.

Another older favorite of kids is Squirtle. This water type looks like a turtle, and is blue in color with a tail that looks like a squirrel, hence the name Squirle. The main character, Ash has one that often is seen wearing sunglasses.

The fire type, Charmander, looks like a small red dragon with a golden belly. The tail features a flame on the tip, and it is more popular with boys then with girls.

Of course the newer Pokemon plush toys are always good too. Many characters like Shaymin, Darkrai, Latias, Latios and other new characters are pretty safe to get as gifts as most children will like them.

These are usually good for both boys and girls and are pretty fail safe. Most of the time you can listen to a child talk about their favorite and be able to decide which one they would prefer. Pokemon plush toys come in many varieties and you can find the perfect one for them that they will want to platy with. A starter Pokemon is a great way to give them something you can be sure they will like.

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Waking up in the morning could be more pleasant if not for that nasty morning breath. Despite the fact that you brush your teeth directly before going to bed, there are still some things that can be the cause of bad morning breath.

First of which is when the mucus in the nasal area thickens, thus the morning breath. Nasal mucus is rich in protein and when they thicken up in one area, especially in the nasal walls it will probably aggravate bacteria which are left in the mouth.

Sleeping disorder could also lead to bad morning breath. Remember how dry mouth could lead to breeding of bacteria? If you are a mouth breather by night you are most likely to have bad breath the next morning. The same follows for those who snore during their sleep since the same thing happen to them as with mouth breathers.

When you sleep, your mouth relaxes thus the dropping of your tongue. It prevents saliva from hydrating the whole of your mouth. Not only that, it causes sulfur to build up at the back of the tongue. This explains the breath and sour taste in your mouth every morning. Anaerobic bacteria breed well and fast during oxygen shortages. One of the most common is Peptostreptococcus asaccharolypitus – a bacteria known to harvest very well in spaces where it is hard for oxygen to reach such as the papillae of the tongue.

The fourth common cause of bad morning breath is eating midnight snacks without brushing your teeth. The traces of the food on your mouth would dry down and cause odor to build up. The same goes for those who do not eat dinner. Gastro-intestinal gases smell quite nasty especially when trapped inside the body for a while. With nowhere to go, gastro-intestinal gases tend to build up in the mouth.

Sadly, there is no cure to bad morning breath. What you could only do is reduce the severity of the matter since most of the factors are involuntary. Use oxygen rich toothpaste to reduce bacteria build-up in the mouth for even just a couple of hours and a tongue scraper to diminish sulfur deposit build up. If you couldn’t help yourself from not eating late night snacks, remember to brush your teeth after. Proper oral hygiene is the only known solution to fight bad morning breath.

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Cannas are bold, tropical-looking, herbaceous perennial plants that bloom over a long period in summer and are cold hardy in much of the southern United States into USDA Hardiness Zone 7b. Cannas have been in and out of fashion during their long history, and are currently rebounding in popularity from a post WWII low. Currently, cannas are very popular everywhere in the United States. In the South, we plant-em and forget-em, but north of Zone 7b, they are easy to lift and store during the winter.

Cannas should be located where they will have a visual impact at the height of summer. Most cannas are tall and need to be placed at the back of a bed, but there are some dwarf varieties that will look good at the front of the border. Combine cannas with baptisia, daylilies, coneflowers, cuphea, and ornamental grasses. Cannas are 55mph plants and can be located along highways where they can be appreciated by drivers. In 1986, in preparation for the US Olympic Festival in Raleigh, the NC Department of Transportation Roadside Beautification Division used several dump truck loads of Canna ‘The President’ along the highways. To say they liked cannas would be the understatement of the decade as visitors can now find canna lilies planted along highways from one end of North Carolina to the other.

History and Background

Canna species are native to semi-tropical and tropical parts of North and South America. Their native range extends from South Carolina (Canna flaccida) south to Argentina and includes the Caribbean islands. In their native habitat, cannas live in damp shady locations along the margins of rivers and lakes.

Cannas are valuable as a food source in certain cultures because their rhizomes contain a high quality starch. The primary species used for food production is Canna indica. The starch (commonly called achira) is used in Vietnam to make high quality “cellophane” noodles. In the modern era of agriculture, canna is only rarely used as a primary food source, as it has been replaced by more nutritious and higher yielding crops such as potatoes and corn. Cannas have been cultivated as a food crop for over 4000 years in their native range in Central and South America.

In addition to food, cannas have a variety of other uses. Canna seeds are pea-sized, round, brown or black in color, and exceptionally hard. They have been used as shotgun pellets in India (hence the common name “Indian Shot”). The seeds are used as beads in jewelry, rosaries and have even incorporated into baby rattles and musical instruments. A purple dye can be extracted from the seed, and fibers extracted from the stem of the plant are used to make jute and paper. Cannas have been used for phytoremdiation (the use of plants to absorb toxins from soils), in order to remove toxic heavy metals such as copper and zinc from pig waste, and to remove excess fertilizer and insecticides from greenhouse runoff. In Thailand, cannas are a traditional father’s day gift.

Although used for thousands of years as a food crop, cannas were not well-known to European botanists until the 1500s. They are first mentioned in the book The Vienna Codex (1536-1566). Cannas may have arrived in Europe from the Americas as early as Columbus’s 1492 travels. By 1576, cannas were cultivated in gardens in several European countries; although, they only became widely popular as ornamental plants in the Victorian era (mid to late 1800s). Cannas had a particularly large following in France, Hungary, England, Italy, Germany, America and India during the late 1800s.

Hundreds of cultivars with shorter habits and novel flower forms and colors were created between 1860 and 1910. Unfortunately, most of these cultivars were lost because European gardeners stopped growing cannas during the upheaval from World War I through World War II. In addition, garden fashions changed. In the first half of the 20th century prominent garden designers, such as Gertrude Jekyll, replaced formal looking Victorian gardens with informal, relaxed perennial borders. This led gardeners to largely abandon the plants used by the previous generation, including the canna. However, starting in the 1950s, cannas have been making a slow comeback in gardens, and today they are approaching their Victorian era popularity. Modern breeders have been releasing some wonderful cultivars and currently there are more than 2000 cultivars to choose from.

Morphology

Cannas are herbaceous perennials with a rhizomatous rootstock that allows them to spread slowly outward from where they are planted. Each individual stem consists of a central stalk with 10 to 12 leaves arranged alternately or spirally along it. Each plant may be 2′ to 3′ wide. In nature, the plants end to be quite tall (7′ to 16′) but many shorter selections have been created for gardens. Once the plant has 6 to 9 leaves, it forms an inflorescence at the tip. After the inflorescence has finished flowering, that stalk begins to die and is replaced by a new stalk emerging toward the tip of the rhizome.

Canna leaves are usually large, banana-like, tropical-looking and bold. Most cultivars have rich emerald-green leaves, but some have purple/red or variegated leaves. The purple or red leaf color is usually quite dark and may cover the entire leaf, just the outside margin, or occasionally just the midrib. Variegation in cannas has two forms. It may consist of white or red splotches/sectors on green leaves (Canna ‘Stuttgart’). Or, it may consist of narrow stripes of color between the minor veins (Canna ‘Phasion’ or Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’).

When canna leaves first emerge, they are rolled up and unfurl over the course of a day or two (unfurling occurs only at night). The leaves areagenerally waxy (glaucous) and may have a dull or shiny finish depending on the type of wax. The Water canna cultivar group generally has very narrow leaves compared to most others. The leaves have rounded sides that taper to a point at the tip (acute or short acuminate). The leaf blade tapers gradually into a sheath that merges with the stem and thus there is no leaf petiole.

The canna flower is very exotic. Technically, the ‘flowers’ are inflorescences, meaning that they are clusters of flowers on a single structure. A single terminal inflorescence forms at the tip of the stalk. The inflorescence may be straight and narrow (a spike) or quite well branched (a panicle or thyrse). The well-branched trait is strongly selected for by breeders as it is showier. Some canna florets open in the morning and look best during the daytime, while others are night bloomers whose beauty is waning by the next morning. Canna flowers are pollinated by a variety of organisms. Day-flowering cannas are pollinated by bees or hummingbirds and night-flowering cannas are pollinated by moths or bats.

Canna florets tend to be short-lived, lasting only a day or two. New florets open constantly and provide a continual bloom during the season. In temperate gardens, canna flowering usually begins in midsummer and will last until frost. The start date and duration of flowering varies by cultivar. Flowering is more prolific if gardeners remove the old flowers, taking care not to damage the unopened buds still remaining in the flower spike. In a greenhouse, cannas will generally not flower in the winter due to low light levels, and flowering may be curtailed during extremely hot temperatures.

Canna flowers range in color from pale-yellow, to orange, to blood-red, and all shades in between (salmon, apricot, and pink). Many people think that canna flowers only come in rich, saturated exciting colors like bright-red or yellow. However, there are many pastel shades of pink, primrose yellow, and pale orange. A few cultivars are marketed as being white, but that is not strictly true. The “white” cannas usually emerge a very pale yellow and mature to a cream color. There are no true white cannas in cultivation. Some of the Victorian era cannas were said to have been pure white, but they have been lost to history and we have no way of verifying these claims. There are no blue or purple canna flowers.

Canna flowers may be striped, streaked, spotted or splotched with contrasting colors. The most common form is a yellow or orange flower with darker red to brown splotches on it. There are a few picotee cannas that are red with a yellow edge. Occasionally the throat of the flower (where the staminodes overlap) will have a contrasting color. The labellum may have contrasting spots or stripes on it too.

Their thick seed coat allows canna seed to survive for a very long time. In 1969, Canna indica seed was found in a 550-year-old archaeological dig in Argentina and was successfully germinated. Fire plays a part in canna seed germination in its native habitat. In the wild, canna seed germinates best in places burned by fire, which not only weakens the seed coat, but destroys any competition for the emerging canna seedling.

Taxonomy

The genus name canna comes from the Greek “kanna” and the Celtic “cana” which refers to “a reed-like plant” and is also the root of the musical term “canon”. The name canna was applied to this genus as early as 1576 and was formally given to the genus by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum. Cannas are the only genus in the family Cannaceae. Cannaceae is in the order Zingibales and is thus distantly related to Banana (Musa), Bird-of-Paradise (Strelitzia), Heliconia, Maranta, and Ginger (Zingiber). Like these, canna is a monocot.

The taxonomy of the genus canna has been tumultuous and confused due to its worldwide cultivation for food and its extensive hybridization for ornamental use. In the past, experts have argued that there may be 50 to 100 species in the genus and used floral morphology to identify different species. However, modern taxonomists have declared many of these species to be either duplicates or to be cultivated hybrids that do not deserve a specific epithet. The botanist Nobuyuki Tanaka wrote a monograph of the of the family Cannaceae in 2001 and indicated that there were 19 species in the genus. In 2008, H. Maas-van de Kamer and P.J.M. Maas released another monograph declaring that there are only 10 wild species in the genus. Maas lumped many of Tanaka‘s Asian canna species together under Canna indica using the argument that cannas are native to the Americas and any Asian taxa are merely descendants of Canna indica that spread worldwide as a food crop. Tanaka on the other hand has done cytological and genetic analysis of all the taxa and makes a case for 19 genetically distinct cannas based on morphology, DNA analysis, and pollen structure. Different breeders and growers may choose to follow one taxonomist or the other as their preferred source.

Canna hybridization has crossed many of the wild species in a very complex manner. Many epithets have been used in canna breeding programs leading to names such as Canna x hortensis, Canna x hybrida, and Canna x orchiodes. These have all been abandoned and for the sake of simplicity, all ornamental hybrids of canna are now properly called Canna x generalis. Usually, breeders do not mention the epithet “x generalis” when they write the name.

Genetics & Breeding

Cannas first appeared in US gardens in the 1840s but they were not widespread until the 1890s. Much of the early breeding work with cannas occurred in France. The first prominent breeder was M. Théodore Année, a French diplomat who collected Canna glauca and Canna indica in Chile and based his garden hybrids on crosses of these two species. He improved the habit and leaf color but his cultivars sported wild-type flowers. Année released at least 20 hybrid lines by the 1870s with names such as Canna Annei-rosea, Canna Annei-rubra, and Canna Annei-marginata. Later catalogs referred to Canna Anneii and some early taxonomists have used the now invalid term Canna x annaei. Unfortunately, many of his hybrid lines have died out, but there are some modern hybrids with similar traits. The Année cannas were bred primarily for foliage attributes and are usually listed in the Foliage Group of ornamental Cannas. Année was also responsible for another popular breeding line of foliage cannas named for a German named Ehemann. These were primarily a cross between Canna iridiflora and Canna ‘Warscewicsii’ (aka Canna warscewicsii, Canna indica var. warscewicsii) and are also known as Ehemann Cannas, Canna ‘Ehemannii’, or the invalid name Canna x ehmannii.

From the 1860s to 1903, Pierre Antoine Marie Crozy bred hundreds of cultivars of cannas from Canna glauca, Canna indica, Canna iridiflora and Canna ‘Warscewicsii’ with a wide range of heights and flower colors. Some of these were known as French Dwarf cannas or gladiolus-flowered cannas due to their resemblance to (what else?) gladiolus flowers. Some of these were triploids, and only a few of his original cultivars survive today. These (and their modern offspring) have been assigned to the Crozy group of cannas. Crozy cannas tend to be the most cold-hardy of the garden cannas.

In the 1890s the German botanist, Carl Ludwig Sprenger, while working in Italy, crossed existing cultivars with the American native species Canna flaccida to bring bright yellow flowers into the gene pool. He introduced multicolored flowers that had yellow staminodes with red or brown splotches. These flowers often tended to resemble Cattleya orchid flowers because they had wide overlapping staminodes. Sprenger’s cultivars were referred to as Italian Cannas or Orchid-flowered Cannas. They have also been known as Canna x orchiodes (or Canna x orchioides) which is no longer considered a valid name. These cannas have been assigned to the Italian Group of Cannas.

America also had its own crop of early canna breeders which include Antoine Wintzer and Dr. Van Fleet who together created over 100 cultivars from the 1890s to the 1910s. Their goal was to create pure color forms of rare colors, including yellow and white. Many of these crosses are still around today including the popular burgundy-leaved ‘Wyoming’. At the same time, the West Coast plant guru Luther Burbank had his own canna breeding program.

The most prominent botanist of the 20th century doing research on canna genetics and breeding was Triloki Nath Khoshoo of the National Botanic Gardens of Lucknow in India. He performed in-depth studies of canna history, breeding and genetics during the 1960s and 1970s. The culmination of this research was the well known book, The Origin and Evolution of Cultivated Cannas.

Over the last 150 years, breeders have reduced the height of the plant, increased the flower size and staminode width, increased the length of the flowering period, improved the flower placement (higher above the leaves and more erect), improved flower durability, improved the cold hardiness, and produced self-cleaning plants (the spent flowers fall off automatically and do not need to be pruned).

Breeders are still looking for very pure bloom colors, especially white. Canna liliiflora has “white” flowers but is not cold hardy and it has been difficult to produce garden-worthy cultivars from it. Some are looking for blue or purple pigmentation in the flowers (as it currently does not exist). In addition, breeders want to increase the length of time that an individual canna floret lives, and the number of cultivars whose florets open during the day instead of the night. Improvements in both of these traits would result in plants that have more florets open at the same time and thus appear to be more floriferous. There is also the potential to improve the scent of canna flowers but flower scent is not the focus of many breeders.

Culture

In their native habitat, cannas grow in shaded locations. However, in temperate gardens cannas need full sun. The more sun, the better. In the extreme southern US, the intense sunlight may bleach the flowers, but partial shade may help in these locations as well as in the desert Southwest, where the lower humidity and soil moisture may also cause foliar burning. Cannas will survive in a shady site, but they will not grow as profusely and the leaves (especially red or purple) may lose their color, defeating the purpose of growing them.

Cannas prefer rich, water-retentive, well-drained soils that are high in organic matter but will do fine in a wide range of soils. They prefer a pH around 6.5. Some cultivars have been bred to grow partially submerged in shallow water as well as in saturated soils. In drier planting areas, at least 1-2″ of water per week is needed to keep cannas looking their best.

Cannas are heavy feeders. Gardeners need to provide plenty of compost or organic fertilizer to keep their plants looking their best. Without adequate fertility or moisture, cannas look quite ugly. If your cannas look ratty during the summer, that’s a sure sign that an extra shovel of manure is required. As long as you are using organics, it is impossible to over-fertilize a canna. You can cut ragged plants to the round even in midsummer, add fertilizer, water, and they will quickly recover.

If you’re growing your canna in containers, keep in mind that cannas are large plants and therefore need a large container. Any good potting soil will work fine. The plants will lose vigor as they become pot-bound. When that happens, lift the root-ball, divide the rhizomes and replant. Container-grown cannas will need watering once or even twice a day if grown outside, and it may help to stand the pot in a saucer of water. Provide a slow-release granular or water soluble fertilizer at full rate according to the instructions on the label.

Pruning is not necessary with cannas. As mentioned earlier, the old flower stalks will die and fade away on their own, but if you are a neat freak, feel free to cut them back. Be sure to remove the old spent inflorescences on cannas that produce viable seed to prevent unwanted seedlings that will vary from the original clone. In the fall, I like to let cannas die back on their own since the old foliage helps protect the rhizomes from winter cold.

Cannas are root hardy perennials in places where the soil does not freeze, and can survive air temperatures down to 0°F. They like really hot temperatures in the summer and perform well into the upper 90s. Canna rhizomes should be planted 2-4″ deep after the last frost date and should not be planted after August, north of Zone 8. Potted cannas should be planted in the garden at the same level they were in the pot. A well-developed rhizome will have 3 or more eyes on it. We recommend that in climates where winter temperatures drop below 5 degrees F they be covered in fall with a 1′ deep pile of shredded leaves. North of Zone 7b, you may be able to squeeze out another half-zone of hardiness by looking for a microclimate in your garden. Site your cannas along a south facing wall or other heat-retaining structure. Cannas are generally not bothered by high winds and do not need wind protection. Cannas form wide clumps so individual plants should be spaced 2-3′ apart… more for some of the more stoloniferous canna selections.

In colder climates, lift the tubers and store them indoors above freezing for the winter. When lifting the rhizomes, take care not to damage them, especially those cultivars that have long narrow rhizomes (like Canna ‘Stuttgart’). Shake off the excess soil and store the rhizomes in peat moss to avoid dessication. Do not add any water or you will promote rotting. Dust the rhizomes with sulfur to keep away fungi and bacteria. Keep the rhizomes cool (below 50°F) but do not let them freeze. A garage, crawl-space, or basement is ideal. Make sure that the peat does not dry out too much during the winter. If the peat starts pulling away from the pot edge, add a little water. Prior to planting in the spring, wet the peat moss so that the rhizomes are turgid when planted.

Propagation

Cannas may be propagated by division or by seed. When dividing the rhizome, lift it and remove any excess soil. Cut the rhizome into sections, each containing at least 3 “eyes” (prominent red buds). Single-eye divisions may survive but will take longer to produce a vigorous new plant. The best time to divide is when the rhizome is actively growing so that the new buds are easily seen.

Due to centuries of breeding, most of the commercial cannas are sterile and don’t produce seed. Only those which are fairly close to the native species will produce viable seed. If you have several cannas, you can expect a wide range of variability in the seedlings since cannas are both self-fertile as well as out-crossing to other nearby cannas.

If your plants’ seeds set, they will be held in warty quarter-sized capsules. When opened, the canna seed look like small, dark, ball-bearings. The seed coat is exceedingly thick and requires scarification for germination to occur. Part of the seed coat contains polyphenols which act as chemical germination inhibitors. They must break down or be washed away before germination will occur. Nick the seed coat with sandpaper, or a small saw blade until the light-colored tissues are exposed. Take care not to cut too deep and damage the embryo. There is a roughly circular spot on the seed called the “imbibition lid” near the hilum slit (the scar where the seed was attached to the fruit), which is slightly raised above the surface of the seed. The imbibition lid is the spot that naturally decomposes, falls off, and allows water to enter the seed. If you can find it, the imbibition lid is the best place scarify canna seed.

An alternative to scarifying the seed is the hot water method. Place the seeds in a cup and pour very hot (nearly boiling) water over them. The temperature shock causes micro-fissures in the seed coat which allows imbibition. Let the water cool naturally and soak the seeds in it for 24 hours. Warm water above 122°F (50°C) for 24 hours helps to loosen the imbibition lid.

Soak the scarified seeds in water for 24 hours and sow in a heated, well lit location. The soil temperature should be kept at 70°F (21°C) for best results. It is best to put each seed in its own pot because the new roots are very fragile and prone to tangling. Grow the seedlings at 60°F (16°C) until they have two or three leaves. Keep young seedlings indoors until the danger of frost has passed. Harden-off the seedlings by moving them outside to a protected location and gradually increase the light level and exposure to cooler temperatures until they are growing in full sun at outside temperatures.

Tissue culture has also been used to propagate cannas but it has been uneconomical compared to division due to the low perceived value of cannas. Because the level of virus in most modern cannas is so high, tissue culture has been the savior of many varieties that would have been otherwise lost.

Pests and Diseases

Because cannas are so tough, you would expect them to be free of pests and diseases in the garden, but this is not the case.

Slugs, snails, and Japanese beetles would fall into the range of minor pests on cannas. They damage the plants by chewing holes in the leaves or feasting on the flowers. Problems with slugs and snails can be virtually eliminated with good organic soil preparation and by avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers, which kill off many of the natural snail and slug predators. Similarly, Japanese beetles are seldom a problem when the plants are growing stress-free in well-prepared soils. If Japanese beetles do appear, they typically prefer only the canna flowers and can be easily picked up and subjected to the torture method of your choice.

Without question, the worst pest of cannas is a caterpillar known as the lesser canna leaf-roller, which is primarily found in the southern US. The canna leaf-roller moth lays eggs in the bud of the developing stalk. These hatching caterpillars use a sticky webbing to keep the leaf from unfurling, which protects them from predators and insecticide sprays. They feed and pupate inside the rolled-up leaf and can cause significant damage to the developing stalks.

Some cannas are more susceptible to damage by canna leaf-rollers than others. Typically, the closer to the species the cannas are, the less damage. Canna glauca, for example, is virtually untouched. The key to controlling canna leaf-rollers is vigilance. Leaf-rollers can be a problem as early as spring, so keep a close eye for the first sign of webs holding the newly emerging leaves together. Opening the leaves and removing the offending caterpillars will work on a small scale, but in larger plantings, you can simply clip off the top half of the rolled leaf. Insecticides such as Dipel (Bacillus thuringensis) can be sprayed into the bottom half of the leaf so that it reaches the caterpillars. If the leaf-roller population is high, you may need to spray throughout the growing season, but as you reduce the moth population, the need to spray lessens. Again, the key is to monitor your plants and not allow the larvae to mature, which starts the cycle over again.

Aphids, spider mites, or whiteflies will rarely attack cannas in the garden, but can sometimes be a problem indoors or in a greenhouse. Again, stress reduction goes a long way to prevent such attacks, but when appropriate, these pests can be killed with insecticides (see your county extension office for recommendations). It is better to try to prevent insect infestation by removing dead foliage and providing a humid environment. Mice may eat the stored rhizomes and can be treated with baits or traps.

In hot, humid climates cannas can develop a fungal problem called canna rust. It forms rusty-orange colored pustules spread by splashed water on the back of the leaves which eventually turn black and die. Canna rust is difficult to control but there are fungicidal sprays that can prevent it from starting. To control it we remove the rust covered leaves and destroy them… they should never be added to your mulch pile!

Along with leaf-rollers canna viruses are the most serious cultivation problem. Canna viruses are easily passed from plant to plant by sucking insects such as aphids and then spread by unsanitary division techniques. Virus can cause spotted or streaked leaves, stunted growth, and distorted blooms. Low levels will not kill the plant but they may reduce its vigor. In most cases, low levels of virus are undetectable and unnoticeable, except during cool weather. High virus loads, on the other hand, can render cannas so unattractive, they must be discarded. Because cannas are often carelessly divided, viruses can easily spread and multiply. Cannas are also one of the few plants in which viruses can also be transmitted by seed. While many of the seed strains are fairly clean of virus, this is not a guarantee of a virus-free plant. There are several viruses that can infect cannas including Bean yellow mosaic virus, hippeastrum mosaic virus, tomato aspermy virus, cucumber mosaic virus, canna yellow streak virus, and most seriously, canna yellow mottle virus. Most canna cultivars tolerate a certain amount of viral load and will grow and thrive despite being infected.

As late as 2005, there were virtually no virus-free cannas grown in cultivation, but the savior came in the form of tissue culture led by Agristarts of Florida. During the tissue culturing process the canna’s sterile tissue is subjected to high heat which causes the developing plant to stretch. The stretched part of the new tissue is then re-cultured before the virus has a chance to re-infect it. Each new culture is then checked to make sure the virus isn’t still present… a process called virus-indexing. This is a time consuming and expensive process ($1000-$5000 per plant) since it often takes several tries to make sure the tissue is finally clean. Agristarts is continuing their work and it is our hope that other labs will join them in their goal to bring less virused stock to the market.

Despite selling clean stock, there is no guarantee that the plants will stay clean once they are exposed to the environment, but at least we’ve got a much better quality plant than we had available in the past. There is no cure for virus infections in cannas other than the procedure mentioned above or to destroy the infected plant.

Conclusion

There are thousands of Canna cultivars on the market but they are not all gems. A list of especially good cultivars can be found on the website listed below.

Cannas are worthy garden perennials for any southern garden, and with a little extra care, a great addition to gardens in northern areas too. This flowering perennial brings an exotic beauty to sunny garden sites with its showy flowers and tropical (sometimes very colorful) leaves. Don’t let anyone tell you that cannas are passè or hard to grow. Ignore them and just remember, “You Canna if you Wanna”!

You may be asking yourself, ‘What is the best canna for me?’

If you want an incredible variegated plant, try Canna ‘Phasion’, Canna ‘Stuttgart’, Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’, Canna ‘Pink Sunburst’, or Canna ‘Thai Rainbow’.

For dramatic purple foliage choose Canna ‘Australia’, Canna ‘Intrigue’, Canna ‘Constitution’. or Canna ‘Tropicanna Black’.

If you want eye-popping saturated flower color, try Canna ‘Minerva’, Canna ‘Pacific Beauty’, or Canna ‘Orange Punch’.

For a more demure look choose the pastel colored Canna ‘Ermine’, Canna ‘Thai One On’, or Canna glauca ‘Panache’.

If you want to party like it’s 1849, select a Victorian era foliage Canna, such as Canna ‘Musafolia’ or Canna indica ‘Red Stripe’.

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