Canna (Ganyong) originates from South America, was brought by the Portuguese to several regions, and is currently spread across Asia, Australia, and Africa. In Indonesia, this plant can be found from Sabang to Merauke, especially on the islands of Java, Bali, Jambi, and Lampung. Its rhizome (tuber) contains starch and can be consumed as a substitute for rice. The young shoots can also be consumed as a vegetable. Additionally, Canna has benefits as a medicinal plant.

It grows wild in forests, mountains, dry fields, up to highlands at an altitude of 2,500 m a.s.l.. Canna is ideal at temperatures of 18–32 ºC and requires direct sunlight. It prefers soil that is fertile, loose (gembur), with good aeration and drainage, and humidity of 50–90%.

• Morphology

• Root: Fibrous root system, thick.

• Tuber (Rhizome): Thick, surrounded by brownish-purple scales.

• Stem: Herbaceous (wet), clumping (merumpun), soft, grows upright, round in shape. It consists of regular, overlapping leaf sheaths.

• Leaves: Elongated elliptic, with pointed bases and tips, green, sometimes striped with purple.

• Flowers: Orange-red with a yellow base and imperfect stamens.

• Fruit: A three-chambered capsule (kotak beruang tiga), each containing 5 seeds, and green in color.

• Propagation is done through seeds, rhizomes (from mother clumps aged 10–15 months), and suckers (anakan) (aged 10–15 months).

It is an antipyretic and diuretic medicine, treats diarrhea, acute hepatitis, hypertension, hemorrhoids, vertigo, and bloody cough, overcomes leucorrhea (keputihan) and uterine cancer, treats urinary tract inflammation, cures internal heat (panas dalam), stops bleeding, and possesses antioxidant and analgesic properties.

2-terpene, 4-coumarin, alkaloid, flavonoids, tannins, sterols, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, steroids, saponins, phlobatannins, lutein, and cyanidin.