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Canna Lily · Canna indica

Why are my Canna Lily leaves rolled up?

If your leaves look like they have been folded or rolled into a tube, you likely have Canna leaf rollers. These caterpillars hide inside the rolled leaf to feed, so check inside the fold to confirm.

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pests on a plant
Photo: Jules Verne Times Two, CC BY-SA 4.0

Check these first

  1. Unroll a damaged leaf to see if a caterpillar is inside.
  2. Look at the new growth for clusters of tiny bugs.
  3. Check for sticky residue on the leaves.

Likely causes

  1. Canna Leaf Roller

    Most likely

    How to tell: You will see leaves tightly rolled or tied together with silk. If you unroll the leaf, you will find a small green or brown caterpillar inside.

    What to do: Manually unroll the leaves and remove the caterpillars by hand. For larger infestations, use a spray containing Bacillus thuringiensis every 7 to 10 days. This is a natural bacteria that targets the larvae without hurting other plants.

  2. Aphids

    Possible

    How to tell: These tiny insects cluster on new growth and flower buds. They cause the leaves to look distorted or sticky from honeydew.

    What to do: Blast the aphids off with a strong stream of water from your hose. If they persist, apply insecticidal soap once a week until they are gone.

Pests on other plants

Find out what's wrong with your canna lily

The list above covers the usual causes. Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your actual plant and tells you the likely cause, how serious it is, and what to try first. Identification and a health check are free.

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When to worry

A few rolled leaves are just a nuisance, but if the entire plant is covered, it will stop growing properly. Address it as soon as you see the first roll.

Stopping it coming back

Keep the garden clean by removing dead plant material in the fall. Check your plants weekly during the growing season to catch caterpillars early.

Canna Lily: pests? Check yours with a photo

Every plant is a little different. Take a photo of your canna lily and Pocket Botanist tells you which cause is most likely, how serious it is, and what to try first. A few checks a day are free. Save the plant and you get care reminders timed for it.

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Questions people ask

Should I cut off the rolled leaves?
If the leaf is badly damaged, go ahead and trim it off. If it is only slightly rolled, you can unroll it and remove the pest instead.
Do these bugs come back every year?
Yes, they can overwinter in plant debris. Cleaning up your garden beds in late autumn helps reduce the population for next year.

Guides to these causes

More problems with Canna Lily

Back to the Canna Lily guide

This article was generated with AI on from the plant’s care profile and is general information, not horticultural advice. Read about how we build these guides.