Canna 'Tropicanna' (Variegated Indian Shot)

If you want to inject raw, high-octane color into your exotic borders, Canna 'Tropicanna' (also known as 'Phaison') is the undisputed king. While many plants are grown either for their flowers or their foliage, this exotic powerhouse excels at both, delivering an absolute explosion of psychedelic, multi-colored striping topped with vivid summer blooms.

Fast, aggressive, and toweringly structural, it is a staple centerpiece for the modern UK jungle garden, designed to thrive in the heat of mid-to-late summer.

Why It Belongs in Your Jungle Garden

• Technicolor Foliage: The wide, paddle-shaped, banana-like leaves are a masterpiece of nature—striated with glowing bands of bronze, deep purple, bright pink, orange, and lime green.

• Fiery Exotic Blooms: From mid-summer right up to the first frosts, it shoots up robust flower spikes topped with large, asymmetric, neon-orange blossoms that act as a magnet for pollinators.

• Aggressive Summer Structure: Reaching up to 1.5m to 2m tall in a single season, its upright, vertical stems provide excellent height contrast against lower, broader architectures like Hostas, Alocasias, or Ferns.

• Sun & Heat Loving: Unlike many large-leafed jungle plants that require deep shade to prevent scorching, 'Tropicanna' loves to bask in full sun—the brighter the spot, the more intense the leaf variegation becomes.

Jungle Garden Care Quick-Guide