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Heliconias
Not many plants can give a garden a look and feel of the tropics like Heliconias can. Heliconias are native to the Central and South American regions and also exist on Islands in the south west Pacific. Their abundance in Southeast Asian countries is spectacular to say the least. Heliconias will do well in so called 9 to 11 zones in the United States but can also be kept in zone 8 regions with a little care.
Heliconias are also known as Lobster claw and the wide spread False Bird of Paradise. This tropical plant blooms from spring until fall but dies back during the winter season only to return in the following spring with a vengeance! Its leaves look very much like the ones of the Banana plant. Its flowers which actually are bracts come in various colors like yellow, pink, red or a variation of these colors. The red and yellow ones are called Heliconia rostrata, and as the name suggests their flowers look like the claws of a lobster.
Heliconias can grow anywhere between 2ft and 20ft. On rare occasions sizes larger than that have been seen which is something to bear in mind when deciding to obtain some for your garden.
Heliconias are fast growing plants and need lots of space to thrive. This does not mean they are unsuitable for growing in tubs because they are and look brilliant in them in any garden or patio. When planted in a garden they will have to be tended to so as not to let them take over the garden and dominate it like they do in the wild.
Plenty of water is a must and fertilizing the soil once a year is recommended to keep the Heliconias in optimum condition. In order to get the best and most brilliant blooms, full sun or partial shade is a necessity. When exposed to full sunlight Heliconias tend to grow slower than ones that are partially kept in the shade. The difference can be more than 50 percent in some cases. Heliconias are not made to grow in low temperatures; basically any temperature below 50 degrees Fahrenheit means certain failure in most cases.
Heliconias traditionally make an important source of food for Hummingbirds; this feathered companion also nests in the plants and is partly responsible for distributing its seeds across a wide area. The leaves of the Heliconia are also used by The Honduran White Bat who lives in nests it creates from the leaves.
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