Canna indica Cannova Scarlet Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Canna indica Cannova Scarlet — 17cm / 2L17cm / 2L
Indian Shot

Canna indica Cannova Scarlet

£15.99
Protect from hard frostSun-loving
Pot size
17cm / 2L £15.99

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Description

The Canna indica 'Cannova Scarlet', also known as Indian Shot, is a bold, tropical-look perennial that brings vivid colour and lush foliage to sunny British gardens. Broad, upright, paddle-shaped green leaves form a strong architectural clump, topped all summer and into autumn by spikes of vivid scarlet-red flowers. It is the kind of exotic statement plant that turns a border or patio pot into something that feels a world away from the UK climate.

This Cannova is an early-flowering F1 selection bred for cooler summers, so it performs well and blooms freely even in a British season. It is important to understand that Canna is a tender rhizome, rated RHS H3, and is not reliably hardy outdoors over winter across most of the country. What threatens these rhizomes is less the frost itself than damp: sit them in cold, waterlogged winter soil and they will rot, so the aim is to keep them dry rather than saturated through the coldest months. In most gardens the safest approach is to lift the rhizomes after the first frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere frost-free and dry, or in mild, free-draining spots leave them in place under a deep, dry mulch with sharp drainage added.

Water and feed generously through summer for the biggest leaves and the longest flowering display, using a high-potassium feed every two to three weeks. It is superb at the heart of exotic borders and just as happy as a centrepiece in large patio pots and containers, where its upright habit adds instant architectural foliage. Pair it with other hardy exotics such as the evergreen Trachycarpus fortunei for a layered jungle effect, and read our guide on what to expect from hardy exotics for seasonal care.

Every Canna we supply is nursery-grown, selected for strong healthy rhizomes and vigorous growth, and packed with care to arrive in top condition ready to power away in the warmth of summer.

Live Arrival Guarantee

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, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

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

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Indian Shot

Plant me in full sun and protect me when hard frost threatens.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Indian Shot

Canna indica Cannova Scarlet needs full sun and moist but well-drained soil. It is half-hardy to around −5°C and needs protection from hard frost.

Good for

Architectural Exotic Borders Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H3 · Semi-hardy · down to around −5°C

tender (RHS H3), lift and store the rhizomes dry over winter, or mulch deeply where drainage is sharp.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered

full sun, in the warmest, most sheltered spot you can give it, ideally south or west facing.

Soil

ClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

fertile, moisture-retentive but free-draining loam, sand or clay, across the full pH range, with sharp winter drainage.

Watering

A hungry and thirsty plant in growth. Water freely all summer and never let it dry out, and feed every two to three weeks with a high-potassium feed to keep the scarlet flowers coming right through to autumn. Ease off watering as the plant dies back in autumn, then lift or mulch before hard frosts arrive. Read moreShow less

A hungry and thirsty plant in growth. Water freely all summer and never let it dry out, and feed every two to three weeks with a high-potassium feed to keep the scarlet flowers coming right through to autumn. Ease off watering as the plant dies back in autumn, then lift or mulch before hard frosts arrive.

Mature size

Height1-1.2 m
Spread0.4-0.5 m

Reaches full size in 1-2 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Jul-Oct · Red

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

Once the first frost blackens the foliage, cut stems down. In mild gardens mulch deeply over the rhizome; in cold ones lift and store it dry.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets; Canna is generally regarded as non-toxic. As with any garden plant, discourage pets and children from eating it.

Native range

Neotropics (C. & S. America)

Family

Cannaceae

Also known as

Canna indica Cannova Scarlet

Genus

Canna
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Canna indica hardy in the UK?

Not reliably. Canna indica is a tender rhizome rated RHS H3, so it is not fully hardy outdoors across most of the UK. The main danger is cold combined with wet rather than cold on its own, as rhizomes left in cold, waterlogged winter soil tend to rot. Lift and store them dry over winter, or in mild, sharply drained gardens leave them under a deep, dry mulch. See our guide on what to expect from hardy exotics for seasonal care.

Do I need to lift Canna rhizomes over winter?

In most of the UK, yes. Once the first frost blackens the foliage, cut the stems back, lift the rhizomes and store them somewhere frost-free in barely damp compost. This keeps them from sitting cold and wet, which is what rots them. In mild, free-draining spots you can instead leave them in place under a thick, dry winter mulch, though losses are more likely in cold or wet winters.

How tall does Canna Cannova Scarlet grow?

It reaches around 1 to 1.2 m tall and 0.4 to 0.5 m across in a single season, forming an upright clump of bold, paddle-shaped green leaves. Cannova is a compact, early-flowering F1 series, so it stays neat enough for borders and large patio pots.

When does Canna Cannova Scarlet flower?

Expect vivid scarlet-red flowers from around July right through to the first frosts in autumn. As an early-flowering F1 selection bred for cooler summers, it blooms freely and for a long season in British gardens, especially in a warm, sunny, sheltered spot.

Does Canna need full sun?

Yes. Canna is a true sun lover and needs a warm, sheltered, sunny position to flower well, ideally south or west facing. It is at its best in hot, sunny exotic borders, where the scarlet flowers and lush foliage really earn their place.

Can I grow Canna Cannova Scarlet in a pot?

Absolutely. Its upright habit and bold foliage make it a striking centrepiece for large patio pots and containers and a quick way to add architectural foliage. Use a fertile, free-draining compost, water and feed generously through summer, and move the pot somewhere frost-free and dry over winter.

Does my plant come with a pot?
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.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
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.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
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.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
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.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
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.
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Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

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Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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