Mexican canna
Canna glauca

Family: Cannaceae

What it is like

A herb. It has long slender stems. These grow 1.2-2 m high. It has creeping, slender underground stems or rhizomes. It spreads 30-90 cm wide. The leaves are greyish and sword shaped. They are pointed. They are 45-70 cm long and white along the edges. They are 2-14 cm wide. They clasp the stem at the base. The flowers are yellow. They are in clusters of about 10. The flowers are 8-10 cm long. The fruit are 2-5 cm long and have warty projections over them. They contain many small seeds. They are brown with black marks.

There are about 50 Canna species. They grow in the tropics and subtropics.

Where it is found

A subtropical plant. They grow best in sunny positions. They need rich soils and can be in water 30 cm deep. It grows in seasonally wet locations. In Brazil it grows below 1,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Countries/locations it is found in

Antilles, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Brazil, Central America (country/location of origin), Haiti, Hawaii, Indonesia, Mexico, North America, Pacific, Paraguay, Peru, SE Asia, South America, Uruguay, USA, West Indies

How it is used for food

The rhizome is baked in ashes for 20 minutes.

Edible parts

Fruit, seed, root, rhizome

How it is grown

Plants are grown by division of the thick fleshy rhizome. Plants can be grown from seed.

Rhizomes have a better taste when harvested in autumn or winter.

Its other names

Local names

Achira, Andurinha, Bacao, Bananinha-do-brejo, Caete, Cana-do-brejo, Imbiri, Kana Louisiana, Louisiana cannam Makya, Maraca amarilla, Water canna

Synonyms

Canna angustifolia L.; Canna elegans Raf.; Canna glauca L. var. rubrolutea Hook.; Canna mexicana A. Dietr.; Canna schlechtendaliana Bouché; Canna stricta Bouché;