Canna Lolita - Indian shot

Canna 'Lolita' is a tall rhizomatous perennial. From July to October, it bears soft red flowers that are edged with a fine yellow border. Its magnificent and densely packed foliage resembles that of a banana plant, with a medium green colour. This plant is drought-tolerant, but will look better in moist but well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade. It looks stunning in large pots and is impressive in flower beds. It is not very hardy, so can be grown like a dahlia.

Canna 'Lolita' is a recent horticultural hybrid, resulting from crossbreeding between C. edulis, or C. indica, a large perennial native to the tropical and subtropical regions of South America, with C. flaccida, which has wider flowers and spectacular variegation, native to the wetlands of the southeastern United States. All these plants belong to the Cannaceae family, and to the same group as gingers and banana trees. In spring, its thick and knotted rhizome develops a dense clump measuring at least 70cm (28in) tall, composed of numerous large entire leaves with a medium green colour, whose sheathing base forms a false stem. From July to the first frosts, thin floral stems reaching a height of 1.2m (4ft) appear in the centre. The asymmetrical flowers are densely arranged in spikes and have three outer red petals, finely edged with pale-yellow, and smaller petals in the centre of the flower, variegated with the same red and yellow shades.

Hybrid cannas are majestic and colourful plants, ideal for adding spice to the back of flower beds or planted in large groups on a lawn. Their cultivation is accessible to all. Consider planting them in dense flower beds of about ten bulbs of the same variety, or by mixing green and purple foliage. Canna 'Lolita' can be used to create stunning exotic-looking container displays. Grow this plant like a dahlia. Dig up the rhizomes before the frost arrives and replant them in spring.