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Canna glauca L.
| Family Name: | Cannaceae |
| Synonyms: | Canna angustifolia L., Canna annaei André, Canna fintelmannii Bouché, Canna hassleriana Kraenzl., Canna jacobiniflora T.Koyama & Nob.Tanaka, Canna lancifolia Schrank, Canna liturata Link ex A.Dietr., Canna longifolia Bouché, Canna mexicana A.Dietr., Canna pedicellata C.Presl, Canna siamensis Kraenzl, Canna stenantha Nob.Tanaka, Canna stolonifera D.Dietr., Canna stricta Bouché |
| Common Name: | Water Canna, Aquatic Canna |
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Herbaceous Plant |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Maximum Height | 1 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | United States of America (South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Texas), southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Bermuda, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina, Uruguay |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Freshwater (Emergent Freshwater) |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a herbaceous perennial which has unbranched stems and grows up to 1 m tall. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaf blades are light green, narrowly ovate, measures 28 - 70 cm long and 1.5 - 14 cm wide, and clasping the stem at the base; both sheath and blade are glaucous, base cuneate, apex acute. |
| Flowers | Inflorescence, raceme, at least 10 flowers per inflorescence, each flower is 7 - 10 cm long, yellow, bracts ovate; sepals narrowly elliptic, petals tube-like. |
| Fruit | Fruit capsule, measures 2 - 5 cm long and 2 - 4 cm wide, globose to ellipsoid shape, young immature fruits are covered with small wart-like pattern on the fruit surface. When the fruit matures, it releases numerous seeds through the valves at the fruit top. Seeds are 0.7 - 1 mm x 0.6 - 0.8 mm, and brown mottled with black. |
| Habitat | It grows in marshes, ponds and swamps. |
| Etymology | The genus Canna is derived from Greek name for a certain type of reed. The specific epithet glauca means "greyish-green", which refers to the leaf colouration. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Edible Plant Parts : Edible Stems Food (Fruit or Vegetable): Its underground stems (rhizomes) is starchy and therefore eaten as a staple in the Andean areas of Southern America. The rhizomes were used as famine food during World War II. |
Landscaping Features
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Flowers |
|---|---|
| Landscape Uses | Pond / Lake / River, Marsh / Bog, Container Planting |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Abiotic |
|---|
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Lots of Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast to Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Waterlogged Soils (Does not Drain Site) |
| Propagation Method | Seed, Root Cutting, Division |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Ovate) |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acuminate |
| Foliar Base | Cuneate |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Bisexual Flowers |
| Flower Colour(s) | Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Flower Grouping | Cluster / Inflorescence |
| Individual Flower Shape | Tubular |
| Inflorescence Type | Raceme |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Seed Colour(s) | Black, Brown |
|---|---|
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Numerous (>20) |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 481 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 1777 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
