Species

Canna indica

Etymology

Canna: Term is derived from a Greek name for a type of reed.

Common Name(s)

Indian shot

Family

Cannaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

CANIND

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Monocotyledonous Herbs

Habitat

Terrestrial. Damp spots, wetlands, low-growing habitats, disturbed shrubland, streamsides, riversystems.

Features

Erect, leafy perennial herb to 1-2 m tall. Roots rhizomatous. Stem sturdy, unbranched, hairless. Leaves on the stem, to 45 x 15 cm, oblong, with prominent midrib, sheath below. Flowers often paired, 5-6 cm long, pinkish-red and reddish-yellow, with red spots. Seed capsule round, to 2 cm, with black seeds.

Similar Taxa

Hybrid cannas (Canna x generalis) have a range of forms. a. Foliage green with large yellow flowers. b. Foliage green with large showy red flowers. c. Foliage purplish with large orange flowers. Hedychium sp. (ginger) are also similar lack the strongly ribbed leaves and have multiple flowers in each inflorescence.

Flowering

November, December, February, March, April

Flower Colours

Red / Pink,Yellow

Fruiting

January, March, April, May

Year Naturalised

1870

Origin

West Indies, Central and South America.

Reason For Introduction
Ornamental

Life Cycle Comments
Perennial

Reproduction
Usually spreads vegetaitively rather than by seed (Ewan Cameron 1996)

Seed
Seeds globose, black.

Dispersal
Dumped vegetation, soil movement, occasionally water movement.

Tolerances
Tolerates hot to moderate temperature, damage and grazing, wind, salt, damp to mod dry. Intolerant of shade, heavy frost.

References and further reading

Gardner, R. 1990. Canna. Auckland Botanical Society Journal, 45: 1-4.

This page last updated on 15 Jan 2013