Heliconia rostrata

Heliconia rostrata is hands down, my favorite Heliconia. A pendulous species, the striking red and yellow bracts hang gracefully below the leaves. This plant is not difficult to grow, but they are cold sensitive. They will need protection in zones lower than zone 10.

Here in zone 9b, I have to throw a sheet over them on nights below 32°F, but they always make it through without too much damage. The inflorescence grows from the foliage from the previous year, so if they get burned by cold, they will usually survive and come back from the rhizome, but they won’t bloom. It is for this reason that in colder climates they will need to be brought indoors. This is not the easiest thing to do, since they get over seven feet tall and they aren’t tolerant of dry conditions. a large bathroom with a skylight would work, but they really do best in a greenhouse or a conservatory.

Other than keeping them warm, the real key to getting this plant to thrive, is to feed them heavily. This seems to be the one commonality of the members of the order zingiberales (bananas, gingers, cannas, birds of paradise, arrowroots, and Heliconias). They all like to be fed. It is particularly important to supply them with an adequate amount of phosphorus. Phosphorus enables them to grow large healthy rhizomes, and is also important in blooming.

Another thing to remember, is that these get quite large. If they are kept in a restrictive container, they will become stunted, and stop growing. It will amaze you how fast they can fill a 20 gallon container. No matter how large the container, they will eventually fill it and begin choking themselves out. You will need to uproot them, and divide them at this point. If you live in zone 10 or higher, you can grow these in the ground, but they need rich soil to thrive. Here in the sandy soil of Florida, they will need soil amendments and regular feeding.

I have two different cultivars of this species available. One is the regular form, as can be seen in the video above. The other cultivar is the long flowered form, which is identical to the regular one, except that the flowers continue opening until the inflorescence touches the ground. Even when the container is raised above the ground, the inflorescence will continue growing down below the bottom of the pot until it reaches the ground.

Origin

Ecuador and Peru

Binomial nomenclature

Heliconia rostrata

Common names

Lobster claw

Description

Dark green lanceolate leaves are held upright atop tall thin pseudostems, which can reach ten feet in height, but are rarely more than eight feet tall. The inflorescence is terminal and inverts after emerging. The bracts are a vibrant red with a lemon yellow edge, and hide the inconspicuous flowers within. They open sequentially as the inflorescence grows downward.

Height

7′-8′ tall

Temperature/Zone

Zone 9, 35°F or higher. In zones lower than 10, they will need protection from frost.

Light

bright shade.

Water

Keep them evenly moist during the warm months, but allow them to dry out during the winter.

Fertilizer

I use a balanced fertilizer, quarter strength weekly. It is beneficial to provide them with phosphorus. Do not fertilize during the Winter.

Cultivation

H. rostrata prefers rich, well drained soil.

Pests

The only pests I’ve found on this plant are root mealy bugs. I use imidacloprid, a systemic pesticide.