Flowers of a canna lily hybrid. Canna lilies are members of the genus Canna. They are not true lilies, and are more closely related to the other plant families in the order Zingiberales, such as the gingers, bananas, marantas, heliconias, and strelitzias. There are nineteen known species and numerous cultivars, all of which have large, attractive foliage, making it a popular garden plant. In addition, it is one of the world's richest starch sources, and as such is used in agriculture.Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim