Lobster's Claw

Did you know

• The pendulous red bracts hang downward like a string of lobster claws, earning its common name.
• The actual flowers are tiny and hidden inside the bracts; the showy parts are modified leaves.
• Hummingbirds are the exclusive pollinators, as their curved bills perfectly match the flower shape.
• The bracts hold rainwater that supports entire miniature ecosystems of insects and microorganisms.
• It is the national flower of Bolivia, where it grows abundantly in lowland tropical forests.

Color meanings

Uses

• tropical landscaping
• cut flowers
• screening
• container plants in conservatories