Question
I bought a lily at a nursery last year, thought it was a canna, thats what it was labled anyway, I'm in zone 5, I dug up the root/rhizome, whatever, and stored it.  Its growing again this year, but I'm not sure that I have what I thought I had.  I have been unable to figure it out online from the root thing.  Its like a big white blob with tiny roots coming out of it.... how can I find out for sure what it is?

Answer
Hi Janet,
Thanx for your question.  Canna rhizomes will be dark brown and the skin underneath is white.  Usually, they will start sprouting in the basement as soon as it warms up in April and May.  True lilies have bulbs that look like they have scales or they will be completely smooth.  MOst have brown or tans skin like onions with white skin underneath.  A canna will have a rhizome which is a long piece of stem which has adapted to growing underground.  This stem stores carbohydrates and other nutrients gathered from photosynthesis.  What did the plant look like last year?  Please describe leaves, size, flower, color, heighth of plant, growing period.
thx,
Tom