Heliconia rostrata (Hanging Lobster Claw)

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Heliconia spp.

heliconias

Heliconiaceae

Tropical Americas and western Pacific

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Hummingbirds Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterHigh

HardinessZones 10–12

Overview

Heliconia spp. is a genus of about 190 species of large tropical herbaceous perennials in the family Heliconiaceae, related to bananas and gingers and called lobster claws, false bird-of-paradise, or wild plantains. Plants grow from spreading rhizomes into clumps 1.5 to 20 ft (0.5 to 6 m) tall, with long-stalked paddle-shaped leaves 1 to 10 ft (0.3 to 3 m) long arranged like those of a banana. The visible color comes from waxy boat-shaped bracts, in red, orange, yellow, pink, and green, held in a zig-zag rank along an erect or hanging stem; the true flowers are small and tucked inside these bracts. Inflorescences range from a few inches to several feet long depending on species. In their native range the flowers are pollinated mainly by hummingbirds, and the bracts hold rainwater that shelters tiny aquatic insect larvae. The genus is native to the tropical Americas, with a few species in the western Pacific, growing in rainforest clearings, stream banks, and forest edges. Heliconia spp. is frost-tender and grows outdoors only in frost-free climates, where established clumps spread widely by rhizome; cold below freezing kills the foliage and rhizomes.

Native Range

Heliconia spp. is native to the tropical Americas, from Mexico and the Caribbean through Central America to Brazil and Bolivia, with a smaller group of species in the islands of the western Pacific. It grows in rainforest clearings, along streams, and at forest margins in warm, humid lowlands and foothills.

Suggested Uses

Heliconia spp. is grown as a tropical landscape plant for borders and screening in frost-free gardens, in large containers and conservatories elsewhere, and as a long-lasting cut flower. The bract stems are widely used in tropical floristry.

How to Identify

Look for banana-like clumps of long-stalked paddle leaves rising from rhizomes, topped by stiff waxy bracts arranged in a flat zig-zag rank. The bracts, in red, orange, and yellow, are boat-shaped and hold the small true flowers inside them. Inflorescences stand erect in some species and hang down in others. The leaf bases wrap to form a false stem, like a banana, separating Heliconia spp. from the true bird-of-paradise (Strelitzia spp.).

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1'6" - 20'

Width/Spread2' - 10'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Summer Fall

In frost-free climates many Heliconia spp. flower for much of the warm season, and some bloom nearly year-round where conditions stay warm and moist. Each colorful bract stem lasts several weeks to a few months. Flowering slows in cooler, drier, or shaded conditions.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

red, orange, yellow, pink, and green bracts

Foliage Description

green, sometimes red-backed

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam

Drainagemoist

Water & Climate

Water Needs

High

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

1-3 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Heliconia spp. grows in full sun to part shade in rich, moist, well-drained soil at pH 5.5 to 7.0, with steady warmth and high humidity. It is frost-tender, hardy only in USDA zones 10 to 12, and is grown in containers or under glass where winters are cold, kept above 50 F (10 C). Plants use ample water and nutrients during active growth to support the large leaves and bracts. In suitable climates the rhizomes spread steadily, and clumps are lifted and divided to control their size. Wind shreds the foliage, so sheltered sites keep the leaves intact.

Pruning

Spent flower stems are cut to the ground after the bracts fade, since each stem flowers only once and then dies back. Old and damaged leaves are removed to tidy the clump. Crowded clumps are lifted and divided in spring to renew them and limit spread.

Pruning Schedule

spring