Heliconias

Heliconias are possibly the most tropical looking plants of all. Both their exotic flowers, and their beautiful foliage invoke a tropical look to any garden or conservatory.

The family heliconiaceae consist of only the genus Heliconia. There is a large amount of argument as to how many different species of Heliconias are in the genus, but most botanists agree that there are between 100 and 200 different species. Hybridization between the species, does not occur in the wild, but a few hybrids have been produced in culture. Most of the Heliconias are neotropical, but there are some Pacific island species as well. They are located in the order zingiberales and are closely related to the birds of paradise, gingers, and bananas.

Heliconia flowers are not unlike the flowers of the bird of paradise family (strelitziaceae) to which they are closely related. Both families are known for their large colorful bracts that protect the inconspicuous flowers inside. Unlike the strelitziaceae, the terminal inflorescence produces bracts and flowers sequentially, resulting in an inflorescence that grows longer over time.

Some grow their inflorescence vertically. These are referred to as “upright” Heliconias, such as H. wagneriana in the picture above. Others invert after emerging, growing downward, much in the same way a banana inflorescence does. These are referred to as “pendulous” Heliconias.

Most Heliconia species are pollinated by hummingbirds, with a few species pollinated by bats. Cross pollination between species is rarely successful in cultivation, and is unheard of in the wild. I have read that this is due to species having different blooming seasons, but I have personally seen several different species blooming at the same time in the wild in Panama, so I’m a bit skeptical about that claim.

Heliconias grow from a rhizome, and can be easily propagated by division. The stems are actually pseudostems like those of bananas and the gingers of the family zingiberaceae. The leaves which resemble those of bananas, only longer and narrower, grow laterally opposite to each other, and are usually held upright. Much like bananas, the leaves are easily torn by strong wind, so a location protected by wind is a good choice.