Канна

The plant

Canna indica is a perennial growing to between 0.5 and 2.5 metres, depending on the variety. All species of the genus are native to the American tropics and were naturalized in Europe, India and Africa in the 1860s. The name Canna originates from the Latin word for a cane or reed. The genus Canna is the only genus in the family Cannaceae, and its species are known as cannas or canna lilies. Cannas are not true lilies; they belong to the order Zingiberales, where the gingers, bananas, and arrowroots are among their closest relatives.

Flowers and pollination

What appear to be petals are highly modified stamens, or staminodes. The main pollinators of the flowers are bees, hummingbirds, sunbirds, and bats. All cannas produce nectar. The wild species often grow to at least 2-3 m in height.

Rhizome and starch

Cannas grow from swollen underground stems, correctly known as rhizomes, which store starch. The edible rhizomes of Canna indica consist of 73% water, 24% starch, 1% protein, 0.6% crude fiber and 1.4% minerals. Cooked, the rhizomes become translucent, mucilaginous, and sweet. Starch is produced by grinding or pounding the roots and soaking them in water, which separates the starch granules from the fibres. Rhizomes meant for starch should be processed within days of harvest because they perish quickly. In rural Colombia the harvested rhizomes are washed in tanks and mechanically grated to release the starch. The grated rhizomes are passed through a sieve with water, and the starch granules sink to the bottom of a tank. The starch is then washed several times with clean water and dried in the sun.

Uses

Internationally, cannas are one of the most popular garden plants. Today in China the rhizomes are processed into starch, vermicelli, white wine, and ethanol. In Vietnam, canna starch is used to make cellophane noodles known as miến dong. In South America, the leaves are used to wrap pastries such as tamales and humitas. In some areas, the leaves are fed to livestock. The seeds are used as beads in jewelry. In Thailand, cannas are a traditional gift for Father's Day.

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