Indian shot
A versatile plant once used for food, ornament, and even ammunition.
Indian shot has many uses, and the plant used to be an important crop in parts of South America. The tubers are rich in starch and edible after cooking, while the leaves are used to wrap maize cakes.
The hard seeds have been used in necklaces and other decorations. The seeds could also be used for bird hunting, if metal pellets were missing. Impressively, the seeds can survive being fired from a shotgun and still be able to germinate!
Today, Indian shot is grown all over the world as an ornamental plant because of its beautiful flowers. As Indian shot spreads rapidly, it is naturalised in humid, tropical areas around the world. In many places, it is regarded as an invasive species – i.e. a species that spreads uncontrollably in the wild and outcompetes the natural flora.
Facts:
- Greenhouse location: The Mountain Forest House
- Danish name: Spiselig kanna
- Latin name: Canna indica
- Family: Canna family / Cannaceae
- Natural habitat: Tropical America