Red Canna

This Canna plant, brought from a village near Sirisi, was planted in our apartment parking area on November 3, 2022. It was barely a foot high.

Canna, also called as Indian Shot, is a wild plant, doesn't need much care but it needs to be watered regularly like any other plant. This picture was shot two months later i.e. in the first week of Jan 2023. I have liked Canna since my childhood days. I remember using its leaves as little plates. Canna leaves are similar to banana leaves hence it is safe to eat from it. Canna has several names in Kannada such as Hoodingana, Charegundinagida, Sarvajaya and Kelaahoovu. The last one literally means banana-flower. In northern Karnataka it is commonly known as Kaadabaaligida, roughly meaning wild-banana-plant.

Initially, development seemed slow but the plant developed its roots first, from which sprouted another plant. Then in the third week of Feb 2023, it flowered for the first time. To the right of the Canna flower is another type of Canna, its leaves are slightly smaller. The second variety's flowers are smaller, it's petals are a narrow and long.

A closer look at our red-orange Canna Lily.

This flower stays fresh for 2 or 3 days, then drops away. Green pods with seeds grow in place of the flower. The pods turn brown or black as they mature. Its seeds are hard little black balls. Apparently this is one of the seeds used as beads in jewelry.

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