Guide to growing garden plants - Canna (Indian Shot)
Although Canna is a half hardy perennial it is grown as an half hardy annual in the garden.
It is a very tall plant that may reach 1.5M in height. The more common name for Canna is Indian Shot.
It flowers in the summer and early autumn with yellow, red or pink flowers on spikes.
How to grow Indian Shot (Canna)
When growing Indian Shot from seed outdoors, it is best to sow at a depth of 6mm in the late spring, when the last frost has long gone. If growing Indian Shot from tubers then these should be buried at a depth of about 9cm. If planning to grow Canna seedlings indoors then the seed first needs to be chipped with a knife, and then soaked in warm water for two days. The seeds (which may take from a month right up to a year to germinate) should be kept at a temperature of about 22C. If you are successful in growing seedlings then they should be planted about 50cm apart in a sunny part of the garden that has good drainage. Indian Shot require a moist soil of pH 6 to 7.
Caring for Canna in the garden
Canna / Indian Shot should be well watered in prolonged dry spells and fertilised monthly. Tubers can be divided in the spring to create more plants.