If I start now, would I still get a flowering plant this year?

Yes, you should still get flowers if you start seeds now, provided that they are grown on in full sun with plenty of water and fertilizer.

Where do I get seeds? I have not seen them locally

You can post a "WANTED" message to the Seed Exchange on GardenWeb.

How do I start them?

Nick or file the seeds until you see white. Soak in water for 24 hours and then plant in seed starting mix. They should sprout with two weeks. Cannas are very easy to start from seed.

Good Luck,

Rokal

Karchecky Canna usually has some seeds. They won't have all varieties since some don't make seeds. You'll have to look at the site and see what they have to offer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Karchesky and Harris Canna Collection

I've grown many of mine from seed& they are quiet easy.On average mine we're blooming in 90-110 days.I kept them moist till sprouted.I have seeds to share too if would like just e mail me.You can get other colors from seed .They don't come true to seed.

Here in CA, USA, I got my Canna x Generalis Seed from TradeWindsFruit.com. They have two varieties, orange and what they call Tiger Lilly Red.

I had a good deal of trouble getting them to germinate due to the high temperatures here in Bakersfield. However, after moving them to shade, they have now nearly all sprouted. I would think that folks in cooler zones would have less trouble getting them to germ, especially if they start them indoors and put 'em out later. See the post I started on 'Observation on Canna Germination' for more info and photos of the young plants.

I'm so glad you asked this. I could not believe what cannas are selling for.

My question regards how to best harvest the seeds. I cut off the green seed pods from blooming plants. I had to clip while green, could not wait until they were dried on the plant.

How long do these need to dry?

Should I open the green pod and remove the seeds before drying?

Do these need to be stratified before planting?

How long before they germinate?

Thanks in advance

I would love to know these answers too! I was thinking those exact questions this morning! I was collecting some canna seeds from a plant on the corner of a vacant house!

Actually germinating cannas is quite easy. You need to nick the outser shell to expose the white underneath.

Use a nail file or sand paper or something else to remove a small amount of the outer shell. Then drop the seed in a bowl of water. Change the water daily. When you see roots growing and some tiny foliage then plant in a proper sized container.

Chris