Canna indica
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Canna edulis
- Phonetic Spelling
- KAN-uh IN-dih-kuh
- Description
-
Arrowroot is a tropical pernnial plant that forms dense clumps and produces showy flame-red flowers.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Collector’s Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Purpurea'
Purplish leaves
- 'Purpurea'
- 'Purpurea'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Purpurea'
Purplish leaves
- 'Purpurea'
- 'Purpurea'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Canna
- Species:
- indica
- Family:
- Cannaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical and Subtropical America
- Edibility:
- Leaves are edible
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Texture:
- Coarse
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Prickly 3-parted capsule
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Raceme
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Sheath
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
-
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
