Plant · GBIF taxon 8034409
Canna indica
canna indicaAlso known as Indian Shot, African Arrowroot, Edible Canna, Purple Arrowroot
Indian shot features broad, banana-like leaves and striking red-to-orange flowers that draw hummingbirds and tropical pollinators. Its smooth, dense, dark seeds were historically used as musket shot, giving rise to its vivid common name. Thick underground rhizomes store starch, allowing the plant to thrive in damp soils across warm climates worldwide.
TropicalFloweringRhizomatous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Slugs
- Snails
- Caterpillars
ThreatsHabitat loss, extreme frost, and weed control management
HabitatsWetlands, riverbanks, forest edges, and cultivated gardens
Life spanPerennial (rhizomes persist indefinitely)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderZingiberales
- FamilyCannaceae
- GenusCanna
- Speciescanna indica
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Gardening: Plant in full sun with rich, moist soil for lush foliage and abundant blooms.
- Observation: Watch for hummingbirds probing the tubular flowers for nectar during summer.
- Seed Identification: Look for hard, pea-sized black seeds inside spiky seed capsules.
Close Relative (c) Jake Gross, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Jake Gross · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Forest & Kim Starr / CC BY 3.0 · cc-by
Order Relative (c) Ong Jyh Seng, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Ong Jyh Seng · cc-by-sa
Order Relative (c) Henry de Lange, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Henry de Lange · cc-by
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