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Canna indica L. (Ornamental)

Family Name:	Cannaceae
Synonyms:	Canna limbata, Canna lutea, Canna compacta
Common Name:	Indian Shot, African Arrowroot, Pisang Sebiak, Bunga Tasbih, Daun Tasbih, 美人蕉

Full Sun

Lots of Water

Ornamental Flowers

Aquatic

Herbaceous Plant

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Infraspecific Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Aquatic & Hydrophyte (Waterside / Marginal), Herbaceous Plant
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Shrubby
Maximum Height	0.9 m to 1.5 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Mexico, Caribbean, South America
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Description and Ethnobotany

Others - Plant Morphology	Herbaceous shrub, up to 1.5m tall when grown in ground. Leaves light green, 25 - 50cm long, sheathed around main stem arising from underground rhizome. Rhizome thick and branching.Flowers bright red, sometimes with yellowish lip, 4.0 - 4.5cm long, produced in simple or branched spike inflorescences. "Petals" are actually showy petaloid false-stamens (staminodia). Fruits are globose explosive capsules, warty or softly spiny, mature from green to red to black. Seeds spherical, black, covered by very hard woody testa (seed coat), dense and sink in water.Suitable for landscaping flowerbeds and waterside borders. Inflorescences are smaller than most Canna species and hybrids, but plant is relatively free-flowering. Tolerates wet soils. If not grown for seeds, dying flowering stalks can be cut back for neater appearance. Propagate by division of clumps, rhizomes or seeds (should be scarified and soaked in water overnight before sowing). If grown in containers, divide clumps yearly.Similar-looking to the taller Canna indica (Edible Canna) which is differentiated by larger leaves, flowers that are bright red above and red-spotted yellow at the base, and purplish-green stems or stalks.Genus epithet Canna derived from Greek name for a certain type of reed. Species epithet indica refers to India, as Linnaeus (father of modern taxonomy) thought the plant also originated from India. Common name 'Indian Shot' alludes to the black hard seeds, which resemble bullets used in 18th and 19th century shotguns.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Others: Seeds used as beads for necklaces, earrings and rosaries.

Others - Plant Morphology

Herbaceous shrub, up to 1.5m tall when grown in ground. Leaves light green, 25 - 50cm long, sheathed around main stem arising from underground rhizome. Rhizome thick and branching.Flowers bright red, sometimes with yellowish lip, 4.0 - 4.5cm long, produced in simple or branched spike inflorescences. "Petals" are actually showy petaloid false-stamens (staminodia). Fruits are globose explosive capsules, warty or softly spiny, mature from green to red to black. Seeds spherical, black, covered by very hard woody testa (seed coat), dense and sink in water.Suitable for landscaping flowerbeds and waterside borders. Inflorescences are smaller than most Canna species and hybrids, but plant is relatively free-flowering. Tolerates wet soils. If not grown for seeds, dying flowering stalks can be cut back for neater appearance. Propagate by division of clumps, rhizomes or seeds (should be scarified and soaked in water overnight before sowing). If grown in containers, divide clumps yearly.Similar-looking to the taller Canna indica (Edible Canna) which is differentiated by larger leaves, flowers that are bright red above and red-spotted yellow at the base, and purplish-green stems or stalks.Genus epithet Canna derived from Greek name for a certain type of reed. Species epithet indica refers to India, as Linnaeus (father of modern taxonomy) thought the plant also originated from India. Common name 'Indian Shot' alludes to the black hard seeds, which resemble bullets used in 18th and 19th century shotguns.

Ethnobotanical Uses

Others: Seeds used as beads for necklaces, earrings and rosaries.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Flowers, Ornamental Seeds
Landscape Uses	General, Flowerbed / Border, Container Planting
Thematic Landscaping	Water Garden, Naturalistic Garden

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Seed or Spore Dispersal	Abiotic (Explosive Dehiscence)

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun
Water Preference	Lots of Water
Plant Growth Rate	Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance	Fertile Loamy Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Drains Site), Easy to Grow
Propagation Method	Seed, Storage Organ
Propagation Method Remarks	Rhizomes

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Glossy / Shiny

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Venation	Parallel
Foliar Margin	Entire - Wavy / Undulate
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot)

Non - Foliar and Storage

Stem Type & Modification	Acaulescent
Root Type	Underground (Fibrous Root)
Specialised Storage Organ(s)	Underground (Rhizome)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s)	Red
Flower Size - Remarks	4 - 4.5 cm long, red & sometimes with yellow tip

Inflorescence Type	Spike
Ovary Position	Inferior / Epipgynous
Flowering Period	Free-Flowering
Flowering Habit	Polycarpic

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Black
Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Dehiscent Dry Fruit , Capsule

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	483
Species ID	1779
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.