Cannas can be described in three words: big, bold, and beautiful. Water canna ‘Ra’ —a reference to the Egyptian sun god—lives up to those standards. It can reach 5 feet tall, produces striking yellow blooms from summer through fall, and has green lance-shaped leaves resembling those of a banana plant. It is versatile as well. Plant it in sun to part shade in moist soil or along the water’s edge, or submerge it directly into a pond. It isn’t hardy in the Chicago area; the bulbs should be dug up in the fall, stored in a cool dry place during the winter, and replanted in the spring after all threat of frost has passed.