Heliconia mathiasiae 'Mildred'

Heliconia 'Mildred' (Heliconia mathiasiae 'Mildred') brings the tropics into a garden without the scale of the big pendent varieties. It forms a clump around 2m tall and 1.5m across, with paddle shaped leaves and hanging bracts in yellow and orange that the birds work through. It grows fast, so a new planting reads as established within two seasons.

Why you'll love it

• Tropical presence at a manageable size. At 2m by 1.5m it suits a suburban bed, where larger heliconias quickly become too much plant.
• Bracts you can see up close. The pendent flowers hang at eye level rather than overhead, and they last well when cut.
• Birds find it quickly. Nectar in the bracts brings honeyeaters through the garden while it is flowering.
• Fast to fill. The clump spreads steadily from rhizomes, so a mass planting knits together without extra plants later.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a full stand. At that spacing the clumps merge into a continuous block within two seasons and you can still reach in to cut spent stems.

Poolside. The leaves are large and shed little, and the plant takes humidity and reflected heat, which makes it easier poolside than most flowering shrubs.

Feature planting and pots. A single clump anchors a corner of a tropical bed. In a pot 500mm or wider it stays smaller and can be moved into shelter for winter.

Growing Heliconia 'Mildred' in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade is ideal, with morning sun and shelter from harsh afternoon sun that scorches the leaf edges. This is a tropical and subtropical plant, and it is frost tender, so cool temperate and frosting inland gardens need it potted under cover or in a warm courtyard.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with plenty of compost dug through. Heliconias resent dry compacted ground, so mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the emerging shoots.

Water and feed. Water regularly through the warm months and do not let the clump dry out while it is in growth. Controlled release fertiliser in early spring and mid summer gives the strongest flowering.

Pruning. Each stem flowers once, then dies back. Cut those stems at ground level as they finish, and divide the clump every three to four years if it crowds itself.

What to expect when it arrives

This heliconia is grown in 175mm pots and sold in packs of six, which is the practical unit for the mass planting it does best. Plants arrive as young established clumps with a few leaves rather than in flower, and the first bracts usually appear in the second warm season.

Large soft leaves can tear or crease in transit. That is cosmetic, and new leaves replace them within weeks in warm weather. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare varieties in our heliconia collection.
• Browse plants suited to poolside gardens.
• Read how to build a tropical garden that looks lush all year.
• Find companions in palms, ferns and tropical foliage.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

One metre apart for a full mass planting. Closer spacing does not fill the bed faster and makes it awkward to reach in and cut old stems.

Will it grow in a cool southern garden?

Not in open ground. It is frost tender and wants tropical or subtropical warmth, so southern gardeners should keep it potted in a glasshouse or a warm sheltered spot.

When does it flower?

Through the warm months, mainly late spring into autumn, and close to year round in the wet tropics. Flowering is light in the first season while the clump establishes.

Does it look tired in winter?

In the subtropics the foliage can mark and fade by late winter, then recovers with the spring flush. Cut spent stems at the base rather than shearing the whole clump.