Indian shot, Queensland arrowroot

Where does Indian shot grow?

Found in: Africa, American Samoa, Andes, Antilles, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, Eswatini, Europe, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kiribati, Kurdistan, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Marquesas, Mexico, Myanmar, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rotuma, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, St Helena, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, Uruguay, United States, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies

Notes: There are about 10 Canna species. They grow in the tropics and subtropics. They originally came from tropical America.

Status: It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is a starchy root crop of some importance in some coastal areas mainly on the Papuan side of Papua New Guinea.

Growing Indian shot, Queensland arrowroot

Cultivation: They can be grown from seed. It is more easy to grow them by dividing the plant. The crowns should not be planted too deeply. The end section of the rhizome is planted. Well developed tubers with one or two undamaged buds should be used. A spacing of 1 m x 1 m is suitable. Tubers are planted about 15 cm deep and need to be kept weed free during early growth. About 2.5 tons of tubers are required to plant a hectare. The tubers are dug from between 6 and 19 months. The tubers can be stored if cool and dry. For starch manufacture they need to be processed immediately.

Edible Uses: The rhizomes are a source of starch. The rhizomes are eaten after cooking. They are boiled or baked. The leaves and rhizomes are used for animals. Starch can be extracted from the roots. This is achieved by rasping the tubers, then washing the starch out and straining out the fibres. The large starch grains are very digestible. The starch is used to make transparent noodles. The young shoots can be eaten as a green vegetable. Immature seeds are cooked.

Production: Harvesting occurs after about 8 months. Parts of the underground root are harvested as needed. High yields of tops and rhizomes are possible. Up to 38 tons of rhizomes and 50 tons of tops have been achieved.

Nutrition Info

Indian shot, Queensland arrowroot Photos

References

Queensland arrowroot references (Canna indica syn. C. edulis)

ALCORN, (As Canna lutea)

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Bot. Reg. 9: t. 775. 1823 (As Canna edulis)

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IRVINE, (As Canna bidentata)

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