Heliconias... Heliconias... Heliconias: January 2009

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, January 3, 2009

Watching Flower Growth : Andromeda

4th January 2008

2nd January 2008

1st January 2008

December 31st, 2008

December, 30th 2008

December, 28th 2008

December 26, 2008

25th December 2008

24th December 2008

23rd December 2008

22nd December 2008

21st December 2008

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).