How to Grow Queensland Arrowroot in Australia
Updated September 2026
A lush, clumping edible canna for warm gardens and damp spots
Queensland arrowroot, Canna edulis, also known as edible canna or achira, is a tall, lush clumping plant of 1.5 to 3 m with broad leaves and small red flowers. It is grown for its starchy rhizomes, which can be cooked like potato or processed into a fine starch.
It is easy, fast and very hardy in warm gardens, and it doubles as a summer screen, a plant for damp corners and a source of mulch and poultry fodder. This guide covers where it grows, planting, keeping it in bounds, and harvesting and using the tubers.
When to Plant in Your Region
Queensland arrowroot is planted from rhizome pieces once the soil is warm. Plant from October to December in South East Queensland, Northern Rivers NSW, Sydney & Coastal NSW, Adelaide & SA and Perth & WA. Plant from November to December in Melbourne & Victoria. Plant from November to February in North Queensland and Darwin & Top End. It is not suited to Tasmania and Canberra & ACT. Choose your region below for the local calendar and any regional note.
Climate and Where It Grows in Australia
Queensland arrowroot loves warmth and moisture. Frost burns the leaves, but established clumps usually reshoot from the ground in spring.
South East Queensland, the Northern Rivers, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth are all suited, with rhizomes planted from October to December once the soil has warmed. In Melbourne it is marginal: plant in November or December in warm soil and mulch well so the clump survives frost. In North Queensland and the Top End, plant from November as the wet sets in; clumps grow fast in the rain and tubers are ready by the late dry. Tasmania and Canberra are not suited, because the season is too short and cool for the tubers to bulk up.
- South East Queensland: plant from October to December.
- Northern Rivers NSW: plant from October to December.
- Sydney & Coastal NSW: plant from October to December.
- Melbourne & Victoria: plant from November to December. Marginal. Plant rhizomes Nov to Dec in warm soil. Frost burns the tops; mulch well and the clump reshoots in spring.
- Adelaide & SA: plant from October to December.
- Perth & WA: plant from October to December.
- Tasmania: not suited. Unsuitable. The season is too short and cool for the tubers to bulk up.
- Canberra & ACT: not suited. Not viable. Hard frosts and a short season leave no time for tubers to form.
- North Queensland: plant from November to February. Plant rhizomes Nov to Feb as the wet sets in. Clumps grow fast in the rain and tubers are ready by the late dry.
- Darwin & Top End: plant from November to February. Plant rhizomes Nov to Feb as the wet sets in. Clumps grow fast in the rain and tubers are ready by the late dry.
Choosing a Variety
Green leaved edible canna
The common form, with plain green leaves and small red flowers. Vigorous and productive.
Purple leaved edible canna
A form with bronze to purple leaves and stems, grown the same way and just as useful, with more ornamental value.
Not garden cannas
Ornamental canna hybrids have not been selected for eating. Grow Canna edulis if the aim is food.
Planting
Queensland arrowroot tolerates sun or part shade and grows best in rich, moist soil with a pH of about 5.5 to 7. It handles damp ground better than most crops, though not standing water.
- Rhizome pieces. Plant pieces with at least one bud about 10 cm deep.
- Spacing. Allow about 1 m between plants. Each piece becomes a spreading clump.
- Containment. Clumps spread steadily. Plant where you can mow around them or edge the bed, or grow it in a large pot at least 50 cm wide.
- Soil prep. Dig in plenty of compost or manure. It is a big, fast plant and it is hungry.
Care
Watering
Keep the soil moist through the growing season, especially in dry spells. The large leaves lose a lot of water in hot weather.
Feeding
Feed with compost or manure in spring and again in midsummer. Well fed clumps give bigger tubers.
Cutting back
Cut old, spent and frost damaged stems to the ground in late winter to make way for new shoots. The cut leaves make excellent mulch or compost and are good fodder for chickens and other stock. Lift and divide crowded clumps every few years.
Pollination
Not a concern. The crop is the rhizome, so flowers and seed make no difference to the harvest.
Pests and Diseases
Queensland arrowroot is very hardy, and the plant library lists few problems.
- Snails and slugs. They chew new shoots emerging in spring.
- Caterpillars. Some chew or roll the leaves in summer. Damage is usually cosmetic on such a vigorous plant.
- Rats. They can shelter in dense clumps and nibble tubers. Keep clumps tidy.
Harvest and Storage
Tubers are usually ready about ten months after planting, often as the tops begin to yellow. You do not need to dig the whole clump: fork up part of it and leave the rest to keep growing, since the rhizomes keep well in the ground until needed.
- To eat. Young rhizomes are the tenderest; older ones get fibrous. Peel, then roast, boil or grate and cook like potato.
- To make starch. Wash and grate the rhizomes into a bowl of water, squeeze the pulp through a cloth, and leave the water to stand. The starch settles to the bottom. Pour off the water, rinse and settle again, then dry the white starch thinly and store it in a jar.
Young shoots can be cooked as a vegetable, and the leaves are traditionally used to wrap food for cooking.
Track Your Arrowroot
Add Queensland arrowroot to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for planting, care and harvest, tuned to your region.
Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant Queensland arrowroot in Australia?
It depends on your region. Plant from October to December in South East Queensland, Northern Rivers NSW, Sydney & Coastal NSW, Adelaide & SA and Perth & WA. Plant from November to December in Melbourne & Victoria. Plant from November to February in North Queensland and Darwin & Top End. It is not suited to Tasmania and Canberra & ACT. Choose your region in the calendar on this page for the local window.
Is Queensland arrowroot the same as arrowroot powder?
Not always. Queensland arrowroot is Canna edulis. The arrowroot sold as a powder is often from a different plant, Maranta arundinacea, or from other starches. Both plants give a fine starch used for thickening.
Can you eat canna lily roots?
The rhizomes of Canna edulis, the edible canna, are eaten. Ornamental canna hybrids have not been selected for eating, so grow Canna edulis if you want a food crop.
Does Queensland arrowroot spread?
Yes. Clumps spread steadily from their rhizomes. Plant where you can mow or edge around them, or grow it in a large pot, and divide clumps every few years.
