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Heliconiaceae
Heliconia (Lobster Claw)
Heliconia
Returned love, exotic flair, joy in nature.
- Family
- Heliconiaceae
- Genus
- Heliconia
- Native to
- Tropical Americas, Pacific Islands
- Bloom season
- Year-Round In Tropics
- Type
- tropical perennial
- Height
- 0.5–4.5 m
- Sunlight
- Full sun to partial shade
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well-drained
- Water
- Regular; high humidity
- Hardiness
- 10–12
- Lifespan
- Perennial
Did you know
- The colorful 'flowers' are actually waxy bracts arranged in rows that look like lobster claws, parrot beaks, or hanging chains.
- The true flowers are small and hidden inside the bracts — heliconias are pollinated almost exclusively by hummingbirds.
- Some heliconia species hold water in their bracts, creating tiny ecosystems that host frogs, mosquitoes, and microorganisms.
- The genus is named after Mount Helicon, home of the Muses in Greek mythology — they're considered the muses of the tropical garden.
- Heliconias are close relatives of bananas, gingers, and bird of paradise.