Indian Shot
Canna indica Cannova Rose
Indian Shot
Canna indica Cannova Rose
Ordering in autumn or winter? Many hardy exotics arrive dormant or cut back right now. This is normal, and the best time to plant.
Seasonal by nature: what to expect
- Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
- It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
- Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.
Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons
The Canna indica 'Cannova F1 Rose', also known as the Indian Shot, is a bold, tropical-look perennial that brings jungle drama to sunny British borders and pots. Lush, upright, paddle-shaped green leaves make a strong architectural backdrop for a long summer show of large, rose-pink flowers that keep coming from midsummer right through into autumn. It is one of the easiest ways to add real exotic colour and a sun-soaked, tropical feel to a UK garden.
Canna is a tender rhizome, rated RHS H3, so a little winter care makes all the difference. Over winter, chill and wet together are what to fear: rhizomes left in cold, waterlogged ground will rot away long before a dry frost could touch them. Keep them from stewing in cold, sodden soil by either lifting and storing them dry once frost blackens the foliage, or by mulching very deeply over sharp, free-draining ground. In milder, coastal and sheltered gardens it can often stay in the soil year on year with this protection. See our hardy exotics, what to expect guide for how tender exotics behave through the seasons.
How and where to grow
- Position: full sun for the best flowering, tolerating light partial shade, in a warm, sheltered, south or west facing spot.
- Soil: fertile, moist but well-drained loam or sandy soil across the full pH range, with free drainage the priority over winter.
- Size: reaches roughly 0.75 to 1 m tall and up to 0.5 m across, a neat, upright, clump-forming habit for borders and large containers.
- Hardiness: RHS H3, so lift and store the rhizomes dry, or mulch deeply over sharp drainage, keeping them clear of the cold, sodden ground that rots them.
Water freely through the first summer and feed monthly to power the lush growth, deadheading spent spikes to keep the flowers flowing. The nectar-rich blooms are loved by bees and butterflies, so it earns a place in any pollinator planting. Use it as a fiery centrepiece in exotic borders, as instant height and drama in pots and containers on a warm patio, or among the wider hardy exotics and architectural foliage for a full tropical scheme.
Every Canna we supply is nursery-grown and carefully selected for a healthy, well-rooted rhizome, packed with care to arrive in top condition and ready to romp away in its first season.
Hardiness & Frost
Borderline hardy in the UK at RHS H3, so it needs winter protection. The real killer is not cold alone but cold, WET winter soil: rhizomes left sitting in waterlogged ground rot long before frost alone would finish them. In mild, coastal or sheltered gardens you can leave the rhizomes in the ground over winter only where the soil is very free-draining, cutting the foliage back after the first frost and covering the crown with a deep, dry mulch of bark, straw or leaf mould topped with grit for sharp drainage. In colder or wetter areas, lift the rhizomes once frost blackens the leaves, let them dry off, and store them somewhere frost-free and dry until spring. Keeping the rhizomes out of cold, waterlogged soil is the single most important thing you can do to bring this plant through winter.
Sun & Aspect
Full sun gives the best flowering and the strongest leaf colour, though it will take light partial shade. Choose a warm, sheltered, south or west facing spot out of cold, drying winds.
Soil
Fertile, moist but well-drained loam or sandy soil across the full pH range. Rich, free-draining ground is ideal. Avoid heavy, wet, waterlogging soils, especially through winter when cold, saturated ground will rot the rhizomes.
Watering & Establishment
Water freely through the first summer and in dry spells to fuel the lush foliage and long run of flowers. Feed monthly in the growing season and deadhead spent blooms to keep new flower spikes coming. In pots use a loam-based compost, and never let plants stand in cold, wet water over winter.
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It is borderline hardy, rated RHS H3, so it needs winter protection in most of the UK. The main killer is not cold on its own but cold, wet winter soil: rhizomes left sitting in waterlogged ground rot long before frost alone would harm them. In milder, coastal and sheltered gardens it can stay in free-draining soil year on year with a deep, dry mulch; in colder or wetter spots, lift and store the rhizomes dry over winter.
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Once the first frost blackens the foliage, cut it back. In cold or wet gardens, lift the rhizomes, let them dry off and store them somewhere frost-free and dry until spring. In mild, sheltered gardens with very free-draining soil you can leave them in the ground under a deep, dry mulch of bark, straw or leaf mould topped with grit for sharp drainage. The golden rule is to keep the rhizomes out of cold, waterlogged soil.
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Give it a warm, sheltered, south or west facing spot in full sun for the best flowering; it will take light partial shade. It is superb as a bold centrepiece in exotic borders and adds instant height and drama in pots and containers on a warm patio.
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It reaches roughly 0.75 to 1 m tall and up to about 0.5 m across, forming a neat, upright, clump-forming plant that takes around two to five years to reach full size. That compact, tidy habit makes it ideal for both border planting and large containers.
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It flowers over a long season from July through to October, carrying large, rose-pink blooms above lush green paddle-shaped leaves. Deadhead the spent spikes and feed monthly to keep the flowers coming right through summer into autumn.
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Good news on both counts. The ASPCA lists Canna as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and despite the common name canna lily it is not a true lily so does not share their toxicity. The nectar-rich flowers are also loved by bees and butterflies, making it a great choice for pollinator planting.
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Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit. -
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look. -
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box. -
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help. -
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit. Whether grown in our own nursery or sourced from trusted partner growers, every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something isn't right on arrival, we'll make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
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