Heliconia latispatha - Heliconia, Claw Flower

Gorgeous!

Meanie:

Thanks! I'm waiting for my Heliconia schiedeana to bloom in my front yard.

Show off! I'd be happy with just one!

Meanie:

Well, it hasn't bloomed in a couple of years. It hasn't received enough water and fertilizer in the past to bloom.

I had many species/varieties in pots...unfortunately, most dried up and died. :>(

That was very tardy of you Delonix!!!!

Meanie:

What do you mean "tardy?"

Yes these beauties tend to become very burdensome after a couple of years when they've become larger ... and they become really untidy too if you're not entirely on top with the trimming away of dead leaves. People have huge ugly clumps of these in gardens here ... they lose their attractiveness quickly when not looked after closely.

Bernieh:

I know exactly what you're talking about. I just thinned out many old stems out and cut many of the old leaves off the stems I kept on the side of my house...it finally looks nice and neat! The rhizomes travel like crazy also...and have to thinned out too. I'll have to post a pic soon :>)

I've seen front yards in my neighborhood with so many unkempt stems...it's not attractive at all.

I think that's why they dropped from favour here ... they spread like crazy, as you said, and require quite a bit of trimming back. Our gardeners here are not all that driven by a passion for gardening ... most rather like to just plant and forget!

He he! Tardy means careless, shoddy etc!
Surely they they don't produce leave that quickly that they can't keep up?

Bernieh:

Yes, once established Heliconia can grow like wild fire.

Many people here do the same thing put the plants/trees in and forget about them. Unfortunately, in my water-starved climate this can't be don't without loss of the plants/trees. However, many trees/plants are planted in late fall before the rains come.

Meanie:

That's what though...just wanted a clarification. :>)

Heliconia plants can produce a leaf every 3 - 5 days in warm to hot weather...and the rhizomes spread very quickly if well-watered and fertilized.

Sounds as if my wallets opening up again!

Meanie:

I can't believe what I wrote in my previous comment! That's horrible grammar. lol! I meant to say "That's what I thought."

It seems you're interested in growing Heliconia. I wouldn't recommend it as a house plant. It gets a lot of spider mites and generally will not bloom in pots...even the dwarfs don't bloom well or at all in pots. I have Heliconia stricta - Dwarf Jamaican Heliconia in a pot in my back yard...it's never bloomed in the last 8 years that I've had it. Heliconia is a gross feeder.

One day I'll have to plant my dwarf Heliconia directly into a pile of steer manure in the ground.

I'd love one - Heliconia Pendula!!!!
Not a realistic proposition though.

Meanie:

Good luck trying to grow Heliconia pendula there...it can't even grow here! (I don't usually like making definitive statement, however it's ultra-tropical) I've posted some nice pics of some growing in Hawai'i. Honestly, this one really does require a tropical climate.

I know - I think that I'll just have to continue to enjoy the one that I posted pics of at Oxfords botanic gardens!

Meanie:

There's some dwarf varieties that supposedly make decent house plants. Not sure how available they would be there though.

We grow about 20 species/varieties here in San Diego...however, I only typically see 5 varieties available in nurseries. The majority of Heliconia species are very tropical.

The dwarf ones are pretty common in the house plant sections of the better garden centres over here Delonix. Next time I see one reduced I'll snap it up and see if we can get a rebloom!

Meanie:

They are wonderful plants. Would highly suggest getting a systemic pesticide for it though...as they can get spider mites indoors....this is the reason why I've never grown a Heliconia as a house plant.

Now spider mites I know about! The best way to prevent I've been told is to keep the humidity up plus a regular misting. I presume that Heliconias will be ok with this regime?

Meanie:

Yes, that's a good way to prevent them...however, bananas and Heliconia are still notorious for spider mites indoors.

Just gone off my wishlist - I can't afford another infestation if my Erythrina is to bloom next year.

Meanie:

I would guess...if you kept one outside from spring - early fall then gave it a systemic pesticide before it's brought inside you may not get too many pest problems. Of course, I've never tried this because all my Heliconias are grown outside all year.