Indian shot

Indian shot: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Upright clump, 1–1.5 m tall and about 50 cm wide.

Leaves

Large, oval to lance-shaped, up to half a metre long; green or tinged reddish brown in some forms.

Flower

Narrow, tubular flowers in clusters at the stem tips, from July to October.

Colour

Red, orange or yellow, sometimes spotted.

Seed

Round, black, rock-hard seeds in spiny capsules.

Roots

Fleshy rhizome that does not tolerate frost.

Flowering: July–October · Sowing: February–March · Plants: May–June · Pruning: October–November

Why grow it?

• Large, exotic leaves that give a border or patio pot a tropical look.
• Flowers for a long time, from July until the first frost.
• Grows fast: a single rhizome makes a sizeable clump in one summer.
• Copes with plenty of water and can even grow at a pond edge.
• Easy to grow from seed and to keep from year to year.

Indian shot: where does it grow best?

• Full sun, in a warm, sheltered spot.
• Rich, humus-rich soil: sand, loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Moist to wet: it needs plenty of water in summer and can also grow at a pond edge.
• Plant about 50 cm apart; in a pot at least 40 cm wide.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Normal or wet

Size

1.5 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Frost tender: lift the bulbs or tubers before the frost and store them frost-free

Goes well with

• Dahlia: Also warm colours, the same sun and the same winter storage.
• Tall verbena: Airy purple flowers among the large leaves.
• French marigold: Low orange flowers at its feet.
• Ornamental grasses: Fine stems as a contrast to the large leaves.

Indian shot: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May–June.

1. In March–April, pot up the rhizomes indoors in multipurpose compost at 15–20 °C to start them into growth.
2. Only plant them outside in May–June, after the last frosts.
3. Dig a planting hole and mix in plenty of compost or well-rotted manure.
4. Plant the rhizome 5–8 cm deep, with the buds facing up, and space plants about 50 cm apart.
5. Water generously and mulch to keep the soil moist.

Care

Water

Generously and regularly, especially in pots and in warm weather: the soil must not dry out.

Feeding

From June to August, a liquid feed for flowering plants every two weeks.

Spent flowers

Cut spent flower clusters back to just above a leaf; this encourages new flowers.

Mulching

A layer of compost or mulch keeps the soil moist and warm.

Support

In a windy spot a cane may be needed.

Tip: Start the rhizomes indoors in pots in March: they will then flower weeks earlier than if you plant them straight into the ground in May.

Indian shot: when to prune it?

Pruning months: October–November.

When: Cut the stems down in October–November, once the first frost has blackened the leaves, before lifting the rhizomes.

How:

• Cut the stems back to 10–15 cm above the ground.
• Then carefully lift the rhizomes with a garden fork.
• In summer, cut off spent flower clusters to prolong flowering.

Caution: If you want to sow, let a few seed capsules ripen and collect the seed before the frost.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April, cut the rhizome into pieces, each with at least one bud, and pot them up separately.

Seed

Indoors in February–March. File or nick the hard seed coat and soak the seeds overnight in lukewarm water. Sow 1–2 cm deep at 20–25 °C; they germinate within a few weeks.

Indian shot: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 0 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy: the rhizome does not tolerate frost.
• Lift the rhizomes after the first night frost, let them dry for a few days and store them in slightly moist compost or sand at 5–10 °C.
• Check them now and then: cut away rotten parts and moisten them lightly if they shrivel.
• In a pot: move the pot to a frost-free garage or cellar and give hardly any water.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs: Eat young shoots and leaves. Plant out pre-grown plants and pick slugs off in the evening.
• Red spider mite: Fine yellow speckling and webbing on the leaves in hot, dry air. Mist the leaves and water enough.
• Winter rot: Stored too wet or too warm. Store cool and barely moist, and cut away rotten parts.
• Virus: Yellow streaks or blotches and distorted leaves. Cannot be cured: dispose of affected plants with household waste.

Through the year

• February: Sow indoors. Nick and soak the seeds first.
• March: Sow. Pot up rhizomes indoors.
• April: Divide rhizomes and start them into growth.
• May: Plant out after mid-May.
• June: Plant out. Mulch and water.
• July: Flowering. Feed every two weeks.
• August: Flowering. Water generously.
• September: Flowering. Collect seed.
• October: After the first frost, cut down the stems and lift the rhizomes.
• November: Cut down the last stems. Store rhizomes frost-free.
• December: Check rhizomes for rot.

Did you know?

• The name ‘Indian shot’ refers to the round, rock-hard seeds, which look like lead shot.
• In tropical countries the seeds are used as beads and put inside rattles.
• In the Andes a form of Canna indica called achira has been grown for centuries for its starchy rhizomes.