Cannas like full sun and after they are growing like plenty of water. It won't be long until time to lift these and you'll be able to know the shape of the Tropicanna for sure then. You didn't say when you planted the ones from Walmart, but if it was late May or early June, you should have had some flowering by now. Again, perhaps not enough water/light maybe?

I had very lousy luck with my canna bought from Walmart this year. They have a new provider it seems. My yellow were lack luster, though I did get some pretty Lady Di (dwarf/salmon peach color) that were quite lovely.

As for that banana - I don't do banana, but I'd be remembering that "hardy" is a relative term. I'd be shocked that it would make zone 5 - in case that's what you were thinking. Others here love banana and I know you'll get response.

Here's a view of "some" of the red canna that I received as a gift a few years back. These are not my favorite by far, but they are nonstoppers for this area and I'd be glad to share a few next spring with you if you like. I have stands the size of the one in the right foreground, around the flag pole, and then 4 more past the flagpole, down the steps, and then again 2 more to the left of the foreground, off the picture. These just keep on keeping on!
{{gwi:537409}}

I didn't know Walmart was selling rhizomes. I will go there sometime this week to check out what they're selling.

Hi Tess, I noticed you are in zone5a. Have you started digging your cannas up?

Yes, WalMart sells them, but in the Spring. For me the verdict is still out if I like the ones they carry by this supplier. I used to have wonderful luck with them in years past and got all my Presidents that way. You have to watch the store where you get them. For instance, I have seen them placed in the outside area during very freezing temps here. Oftentimes the manager for the area knows nothing about plants. I simply watch and purchase anything I get there (including shrubs) as soon as it comes off the truck before it can be greatly abused.

No, I'm not lifting canna yet! I usually wait until some heavy frosts so that I get as much show out of these as possible (I do watch the ground temps, though, so they don't freeze). I have about 100 mums just starting to bloom, and I always plant them with the cannas in mind for color, etc. I am frustrated that this color show can be so short, but have learned to live with it.

Every year it seems I'm out on a horribly windy/cold day lifting canna or planting fall bulbs (only to find a pleasant day occuring later that same week). I swear every year I'll do it differently next year. I'm on top of a hill and the wind can really bite. I don't think it is procrastination, but that I want to squeak out that last day of beautiful foliage or bloom.

Cool. By the way, I really didn't pay attention about frost before but now, I will be. So normally, how will I recognize it? Does the first frost happen around late October?

Also about mums, the home depot guy told me that mums are perennial. Can they really survive our 5a winters?

Well, I've only lived here for about 3 years (I'm a zone 7-8 transplant!) I'm confused on what you mean for frost "how will I recognize it?" statement. Surely you know frost living in No. IL. To save your canna, frost or not, you are just going to want to make sure that they are not in frozen ground because they are made up of mostly water and, hence, freeze and destroy the rhizones. Frost, for me, is just my wake up call to pay attention and get busy. They won't be growing anyway once it gets colder like that. If you tire of them before frost, you can dig them whenever convenient and should do so if you don't like working in the cold. A little frost seems to melt the foliage a little and it is easier to lop that off is why I do it - plus I dread the whole "summer is over" process. Also, in warmer climates they just melt down with frost, but if the ground doesn't freeze, they are good to go through the winter (like zone 8). Iowa usually has a first killing FREEZE somewhere around Oct. 15 for most stuff, is my understanding; however, it can occur earlier. Last year I think we had one such freeze in Sept, but then followed with warm weather.

OK. I ignore big box store guys - unless they are the nursery supplier people - though he told you probably correctly. Now, here is how it goes. Floral mums usually aren't hardy is my understanding. However, the mums that go to Home Depot, etc, in Spring and Fall are. Now, here is the catch. Yes, in our 5a winter, if you want that mum to be perennial, you need to plant it in the spring so it has as much time as possible to develop roots. I get about a 60-75% return rate on ones planted last spring if I leave them undisturbed over winter until about May 15. The ones which do come back, though, seem to keep coming back from then on. Mums planted in our zone in fall just don't have adequate time to get established. About 2 years ago in March when we had 2 weeks of Indian summer followed by horrific cold, everybody I knew lost all their mums. But this is not typical for the area.
I usually plant a zillion $1 size (my goal is not to spend any more than $1.25) in the Spring. The earlier I plant, the better and bigger they are by fall. The ones I found and got out in late April, despite cold weather after that, are HUGE now! I simply use my cut-off date for "pinching" to be about father's day here - (I used to halt pinching on July 4 for warmer zones). That gives a nice shape, less flop. I try not to pinch too late because I need to get these puppies bloomed before temps get too cold cause I want to enjoy as long as possible. Mums will withstand freezing temps, and the flowers are undisturbed down to about 27 degrees, I believe. You'll find different types and colors weather frosts better (not showing discoloration as readily). I had some burgandy ones that stayed stunning until the end of the season last year. Hope this helps!
Tess