Usually I find tropical plants a bit out of place in anything less than a Zone 9 garden, but cannas seem to blend in better than most of the drama queens of the tropics. Granted, you can’t expect a plant with a cultivar name like ‘Tropicana’ to be a wall flower. Still there are cannas, like 'Stuttgart' shown here, that don’t scream for attention. Whatever your personal preference, cannas are easy going plants with a big impact. All they ask is heat and water and they’re happy all season. Although they’re not hardy for most gardeners, they are also one of the easiest tubers to over-winter.

Photo: Courtesy of Palmer W. Cook / Stock.xchng. Used with Permission.