Heliconias... Heliconias... Heliconias: November 2008

Welcome to Heliconias... Heliconias... Heliconias

This blog is all about growing Heliconias, an exotic plant not native to Malaysia. All pictures shown are digital photos of the actual species in my garden such as Rostrata, Dwarf Jamaican, Latispatha and several psittacorums such as Andromeda, Lady Di, Fuschia, Strawberry & Cream and hybrids such as Golden Torch and Alan Carle.

Heliconia are close relatives of gingers, bananas, birds-of-paradise and traveler’s palms. There are more than 200 (350 including cultivars) documented species of the single genus, with the bulk of them originating from Central and South America such as Guyana, Costa Rica, Berlize, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil. You may be interested to note that about 6 species have evolved separately in the South Pacific and Indonesia, and typically have green inflorescence.The name "heliconia" actually comes from Greek mythology after the great Mount Helicon, the abode of the muses of the arts and sciences.

The beauty of the heliconia lies in the brightly coloured bracts that are mistakenly called the flowers. The actual flower is the tiny little flowers that emerge from the large showy bracts. Each stem can only flower once, after which the entire stem deteriorates, drives up and collapses. As such, it is recommended to cut at the base of 'flowered-out' stems.

BTW, this blog has been read by visitors from Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Netherland, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom & United States of America :-)

16th Sept 2009 : 17:30

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Watching Flower Growth : Lady Di (2nd Round)

3rd December 2008

2nd December 2008

1st December 2008

30th November 2008

29th November 2008

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27th November 2008

26th November 2008

25th November 2008

24th November 2008

22nd November 2008

20th November 2008

19th November 2008

18th November 2008

17th November 2008

Did you notice the yellow perianth between the 2 red bracts ?

16th November 2008

Did you notice the ant on the distal one third of the LH unopened bract ?

15th November

2 bracts clearly visible.

13th November 2008

2nd bract starting to be visible

12th November 2008

10th November 2008

9th November 2008

Shooting up red and straight...

8th November 2008

7th November 2008

Wow, just spotted a new inflorescence growing on my Lady Di. The previous flower watch did not capture such an early growth. So, I have decide to record another flower growth for Lady Di :-)

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Watching Flower Growth : Dwarf Jamaican

18th November 2008

17th November 2008

16th November 2008

Notice the see-through effect of the strong sunlight ?

15th November 2008

14th November 2008

All 4 bracts are clearly separated

13th November 2008

LH and RH bracts separating nicely. Notice that the middle 2 bracts are also starting to separate.

12th November 2008

LH bract separating and middle 2 bracts growing fast.

11th November 2008

10th November 2008

4 bracts now visible, with LH and RH bract starting to open.

9th November 2008

2 well developed red bracts and a growing 3rd bract on the right...

8th November 2008

7th November 2008

6th November 2008
3rd bract starting to open up...

4th November 2008

3rd November 2008

2nd November 2008

1st November 2008

What a surprise, I just noticed that my Dwarf Jamaican has started to flower again !

2 bracts clearly visible.

Identifying Heliconias

Heliconias may be distinguished from other members of the Zingiberales by their inverted flowers, a sterile staminode and fruits which are drupes (a hard seed surrounded by fleshy pulp).

Heliconia's height can range from 60 cm to more that 6m tall, depending on species and growing conditions. Being rhizomatous in habit, Heliconia rapidly occupy any available area through the production of adventitious underground stems. They are herbaceous or non-woody plants, with a ‘pseudostem’ made up of overlapping leaf petiole sheaths that offer the leaves and flowers mechanical support.

In their natural habitat, Heliconia typically occupy clearings on the forest floor in humid tropical rain-forests, especially in places where sunlight can penetrate through the leaf canopy, and also along river banks.

Having recently read the book 'Indentification of Heliconias', I am now able to identify 11 out of the 12 heliconias that is now residing on my balcony garden based on height; inflorescence particular on number of bracts, color of rachis, sepals, ovary and pedicel; leave form.

Inflorescence form refers to Erect (upwards) - eg. stricta ‘Bucky’ ; Pendulous (hanging) eg. chartacea ‘Sexy Pink’ ; : Contorted eg. collinsiana x bourgaeana ‘Pedro Ortiz’ ; Distichous (arranged on opposite sides in the same plane) ; eg. rostrata and spiral eg. chartacea ‘Sexy Pink’

Leave form refers to Musoid (banana-like leaves), Zingiberoid (ginger-like leaves), Cannoid (canna-like leaves).