- Common name:
- Heliconia Psittacorum, Heliconia Lady Diana (Orange) - Plant
- Regional name:
- Marathi - Heliconia, Haliconia
Category: Water & Aquatic Plants, Shrubs
Family: Musaceae or Banana family
- Light:
- Sun growing, Semi shade
- Water:
- Normal, Can tolerate more
- Primarily grown for:
- Flowers
- Flowering season:
- Year-around flowering, Flowers in flushes throughout the year
- Flower or Inflorescence color:
- Single flower has many colors viz., Pink, Salmon, Orange, Green
- Foliage color:
- Green
- Plant Height or length:
- 2 to 4 meters
- Plant Spread or Width:
- 1 to 2 meters
- Plant Form:
- Spreading, Upright or Erect
- Special Character:
-
- Rare Plant or difficult to get plant
- Good for Cut flowers
- Good for screening
- Attracts birds
- Good on seaside
- Generally available in India in quantities of:
- Less than a hundred
-
Plant Description:
- - Heliconias are relatives of the banana. They come from the colorful forests of south america.
- They have a ginger like root that grows at or below the ground surface.
- Plants grow to over 2 meters tall and wide.
- The flowers are uptight and pink to salmon orange with a yellow base. They have a green edge on the top.
- The flowers are held upright and borne inside the foliage.
- Leaves are large, broad and rounded at the tips.
- Plants have variable blooming seasons. These vary as per location. They flower for a longer period in the hot and humid tropics. In regions with more pronounced seasons - they can flower for a lesser period.
-
Growing tips:
- - Heliconias are tropical plants. They like it warm and humid.
- They are best grown in full sunlight. However in hot and dry areas they can be grown in partial shade.
- Plants require ample water.
- A single upright shoot flowers only once. It can be taken out once the flowering is over.
- A slight leaf removal may have to be done to show flowers from inside the foliage.
- Given a choice the flowers should be left on the plants - as they last much longer there.
