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Heliconias
Exotic Heliconias
These are a close relative of the banana family, quintessentially tropical with large banana like leaves producing flowers that immediately remind you of a tropical paradise. They are not in any way hardy in our climate but one or two of the species are root hardy to lower temperatures and more tolerant of cool conditions during summer growth. If anyone has a warm conservatory or heated greenhouse to bring them on, they can be raised from seed. The seed requires soaking for two/three days and sown in a well drained damp compost at a temperature of 30°C. The seed may take a couple of months to germinate and the seedlings will need a temperature of 30C by day, 18°C to 22°C by night and good sunlight to bring them on. Sow in late spring when our improving weather conditions will help. By mid summer the plants could be used outside in pots for tropical foliage effect. It is possible to grow the shorter varieties to flowering size, usually triggered by our reduced autumn daylight hours, given a reasonable sunny warm humid position.