Canna vs Calla lily
Neither is a true lily, and they are not related: canna is a tall, bold plant for sun and heat, calla lily a smaller one for wet ground. Canna has huge paddle-shaped leaves, green, bronze or striped, and bright flowers in red, orange, yellow or pink from midsummer to frost. Calla lily has a single elegant white funnel wrapped around a yellow spike, over arrow-shaped leaves, and grows in wet soil and even shallow water. Both are hardy only to about zone 8; elsewhere the roots are lifted and kept indoors for winter.
 CannaCanna x generalis |  Calla lilyZantedeschia aethiopica | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 5 ft tall, 24 in wide | 2½ ft tall, 24 in wide |
| Plant | 20 in apart | 18 in apart |
| Zones | 8 to 11 | 8 to 10 |
| Light | Full sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Soil | Evenly moist, rich fertility | Moist to wet, rich fertility |
| Flowers | Early July to early October; red, orange, yellow, pink | Mid May to mid July; white |
| Leaves | Bold, herbaceous | Bold, semi-evergreen |
| Job in a bed | Specimen | Drift |
| Pets | No toxicity recorded | Toxic (moderate) |
| Deer | Not listed as resistant | Resistant |
| Native | No | No |
| Spread | Low risk | Moderate risk |
Rows where they differ are marked. Flowering times are for zone 5.
Which to choose
- Choose canna for warmer gardens (to zone 11), a garden with pets, a longer show (14 weeks of flower against 9), more height (5 ft against 2½ ft) and more wildlife.
- Choose calla lily for more shade, deer country and a smaller space (2½ ft against 5 ft).
Can they grow together?
Yes: they are recorded as partners. What calla lily brings beside canna: in flower together for two weeks, from early July; low enough (2½ ft) to stand in front of it. They share full sun and zones 8 to 10.
Read more: all about canna, and all about calla lily, each with a bed the planner designed around it.