Canna indica L.
Indian shot (Canna indica) is a long-lived, perennial herb that is native to the West Indies and Central and South America. It was introduced to New Zealand as a garden ornamental and was first recorded in the wild (naturalised) in 1870. The plant grows up to about 2 metres tall from thick underground rhizomes and has large, broad leaves arranged around stout stems. It flowers from December to April, producing large red, orange or yellow flowers, which develop into rounded capsules containing hard, black seeds. It tolerates damp conditions and a range of soil types. It reproduces by seed and vegetatively from rhizomes. Seeds are dispersed by water and human activities. Rhizomes are spread by soil movement, dumped garden waste and other human activities. Rhizome fragments readily produce new plants.
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