What causes those lil worms that ruin the leaves?! They (the worms) are not in all of my Canna's either.

Is there something I am doing wrong? Maybe getting the leaves wet w/lawn sprinkler?

Hi Terri. That critter is called something like a canna leaf folder or leaf tier. They don't do a lot of damage or kill the plant, but they can make it look ugly. I have a similar worm attacking my grapevine. I just open the leaves and crush 'em. Most poisons won't penetrate the leaves, but you could use either Dipel dust or Thuricide liquid concentrate to get them before they get the leaves folded. These products are bacillus thurengiensis, a bacteria that's only toxic to caterpillars, and very safe to use. You could try Neem oil or pyrethrin, but like I say, I'm not sure how well it would penetrate. They're not eating the flowers themselves, are they?

Hiya Dave!

No they are not eating the actual flowers BUT it seems that they get a hold of the last leaf to open before the bloom-part is revealed. Result: Brown (burnt looking even!

Hmmm. I don't know if watering could have anything to do with it, but something must make them more attractive than the others.

I monitor them just about every other day-ish.

There I am with my face down in the Canna's, trusty scissors in hand, ready to cut those weird lil 'stitches'...the neighbors have already decided that I'm a lil ! LOL!

So what attack mode are you using on your grapevine pests? Curious minds wanna know

Hey Terri...the Canna Leaf Rollers can be a royal pain in the patoot and turn a gorgeous plant into a ratty looking mess. lol! You can get rid of them but it takes persistance.

Here's a great website with instructions that should help you out...seems to be written especially for Texas gardeners. :-)

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/f&b_11.htm

OMG! Rosie!!!

Thank you so very much! That site is the BOMB of info!

Here's the rub:

I have a gazillion of these around here!

AND!
I did remove the dead growth THIS year and the 'rollers' were much more abundant than last year....things that make ya go "Hhmmmmmm...", I'll tell ya.

These Duskywings seem to like this Hackberry Tree (local's call it that) in the front yard.

This is "A Series of Unfortunate Events"..Scurry, TX style :rolleyes:

I'm glad you found some answers, Terri. Those are beautiful little Skippers BTW. :-)

I've had less problems with the leaf rollers,but I use neem once a month on my whole beds& the cannas are in the path.I DO see those skipper butterflys.

In TX we have to watch when we spray neem cause the sun will fry it on the plants makeing them look ugly.I spray in the evening,but still with time for drying(like 7ish).
I been growing out some of my canna seeds this year.I got excited last week.a purple leafed one!(If they fresh...ya don't gotta soak cause the mix they start in is keept moist.)

Purple! I love purple! I don't believe I have ever seen a purple one!

I would love to see a pic of yours someday njoynit!

If ya look in my yahoo albulm will be a shot there somewheres with it in bloom summer 2005 albulm.I've just had the one seed pop up purple leafed.I think my purle leafed austrilia canna did set seeds.I think journeys end is going to be a sparse seed setter.I only got 1 last year and just 2 this time and the other 3 stalks have not set any.

I know where you live now scurry.near kaufman We sometimes go fishing up lake fork off 19 outside of Emory .Its Yantis,but not for all utilities(so backwoods...lol)BIL said waters way down up there right now. I'm not certain,but believe are only 5 purple leafed cannas.I've searched them up quiet a bit. so none of yours are seed setters????????????

Hmmm.... I'm not reeeal sure I know what a 'seed setter' would be if it bit me! LOL!

Mine are the bright yellow flowered ones. They have a really nice lighter shade of green foilage.

Now they do 'make' alot of new ones! I now have them nearly everywhere in the front! I believe they would grow in the street if I threw them out there !

I always thought they were a bulb plant
I would love to get some more colors...just never think about it @ 'gettin' time

hmmm.....I don't have a yellow one.

I have florance vaughn.It will grow taller in a pond& about 4 ft in ground.
http://www.karcheskycanna.com/

I have this indica type.IT makes seeds
They don't carry the one I have....BUT it looks like this& although you can't notice the orange stripe on the red ....my stripe is yellow on orange.
http://www.karcheskycanna.com/

and I have these.Bengal tiger
http://www.karcheskycanna.com/

Those are VERY cool!
Mine are like the Yellow Humbert

except that the leaves always extend above the blooms and the fact that I really never noticed any 'red spots' either....