Scientific Name:
Heliconia
spp.
Pronunciation:
hell-ih-KOE-nee-uh
Common Name:
heliconia, lobster claw
Family Name:
Heliconiaceae
Plant Type:
Indoor foliage plant
Key ID Features:
Plants with leaf features similar to canna, bird of paradise, and banana; leaves of most locally grown indoor species are 15-100cm long, elliptic to ovate; inflorescence erect or drooping, spike-like with florets mostly enclosed in brightly coloured bracts and 6 tepals.
Habit:
Arching, Upright
Form:
Vase
Texture:
Very coarse
Mature Height:
1.3 - 2.0m
Mature Spread:
1.0 - 1.5m
Growth Rate:
Moderate
Origin:
Central America
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 11: (above 4 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Cut flower or foliage, Indoor plant
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Leathery
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Shapes:
Elliptic, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Cuneate
Margins:
Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Spike
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
3
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Orange, Yellow, Green, Pink, Red
Flower Time at Peak:
May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Fruit Type:
Drupe
Fruit Colour:
Blue, Purple
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green
Pest Susceptibility:
Aphids or adelgids, Fungal leaf spot, Mealybugs, Mites
