What is tikas in english?
The species Canna indica L. is known by the common name Tikas in Tagalog.
- Canna indica L.
Canna Indica (Indian Shot) is not from India, but is native to the West Indies and Tropical America. It is a perennial plant cultivated both for its seeds and its rhizomes (underground stems) for thousand of years. The rhizomes can be starchy and sweet while ripe seeds are strung into rosaries by Buddhists and Muslims. Hawaiians make ornamental garlands (leis) using the seeds as well as in rattles used in hula dances.
In English, Tikas (Canna indica L.) is known by Edible canna, Indian beed, Indian canna, Indian reed, Indian shot, or Queensland arrowroot.
- Indian shot
Etymology: The plant is native to the West Indies hence the “Indian”. The seeds resemble shotgun pellets, hence the “shot”.
- The better the fruit, the more wasps to eat it.
- —German proverb