Canna 'Red Stripe'

For a touch of the exotic, you can never go wrong with a Canna, or Indian shot plant. And, quite simply, Canna 'Red Stripe' is one of the best. It is stately and dramatic, yet intriguing, and deserving of a much closer look. This is a broad-leafed deciduous perennial, grown from rhizomes. Its foliage is variegated purple-red, with a contrasting green pattern between the veins. Individually, leaves may be 60cm long. Then, from mid-summer until the first frosts of autumn, Canna 'Red Stripe' produces sumptuous, brilliant red flowers, held well above the stout stems. A mature plant can reach 240cm in height.  

In Britain, cannas are deciduous perennials, which means that they die back to ground level in the autumn. As they are native to Central and South America, they are only half-hardy here so, unless you have a very sunny, sheltered garden in the south of the country, they will require some winter protection. However, do not let this put you off, as few plants offer as much summer flamboyance as Canna indica 'Red Stripe', and its mere presence will give a glossy texture and an air of sophistication to the garden.

Gracy tells: Look at the leaves!
"Canna leaves are bold and famous for their tropical look. Most Canna cultivars have rich emerald-green leaves, but some (like this Canna 'Red Stripe') have distinctive variegated leaves!"