Heliconia papsiana

Heliconia papsiana is a clumping tropical perennial (Heliconia sp.) grown for upright red and orange bracts held above broad, banana like leaves. It reaches about 2.5m tall and each clump spreads to roughly 1.5m, thickening from the base as new canes push up. Planted a metre apart it gives fast, lush cover in a warm garden, and the flower bracts hold their colour for weeks.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that lasts. The red and orange bracts stay presentable for weeks on the plant and cut well for the house.
• Quick, dense cover. A fast grower in warm weather, filling a bed or screen line in a couple of seasons.
• Birds come to it. The bracts hold nectar, so honeyeaters work a clump through the warmer months.
• It handles damp ground. Wet feet tolerant, which makes it useful in the low, soggy corner where most plants sulk.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1m apart for a dense tropical screen. The canes are soft rather than woody, so treat it as a lush seasonal screen rather than a permanent hedge.

Mass planting. The same 1m spacing works in a drift under taller palms, where the leaf texture reads well from a distance.

Feature clumps and pots. A single clump anchors a tropical bed, and a wide pot on a warm patio suits it, provided you keep the water up.

Growing heliconia in Australia

Position and climate. This is a plant for tropical and subtropical gardens. It is frost tender and will not survive a cold winter in the open ground, so cooler regions need a large pot that moves into a warm, sheltered spot. Full sun works where humidity is high; in drier subtropical gardens give it morning sun and afternoon shade.

Soil. Rich, moisture holding soil with plenty of compost dug through. It tolerates ground that stays damp, which is unusual, though it still resents cold, airless clay.

Water and feed. Water generously through spring and summer and never let a young clump dry out. Heliconias are hungry: use a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer, and mulch heavily to keep the roots cool.

Pruning. Each cane flowers once, then it is finished. Cut spent canes off at ground level to keep the clump open and let new growth through, and remove any leaves torn by wind.

What to expect when it arrives

This heliconia is supplied in 175mm pots as a pack of six, and generally runs on backorder while stock is grown on. Six plants cover a bed roughly 2m by 3m at the recommended spacing, or make a short screen along a fence.

Plants arrive as young divisions with a few leaves, not flowering size. Large soft leaves can tear in transit, which looks worse than it is. In warm weather expect new canes within six to eight weeks and a substantial clump by the end of the second summer. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full heliconia range
• Designing a tropical garden that stays lush
• Compare other tropical garden plants
• Plants that suit mass planting

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

One metre apart for a screen or a mass planting. Closer spacing wastes plants, because each clump widens on its own within two seasons.

Will it survive frost?

No. It is frost tender, and even a light frost damages the foliage badly. Outside the tropics and subtropics, grow it in a pot you can move under cover for winter.

Does it go backwards in winter?

In the subtropics growth stops over the cool months and older leaves look tired. Hold off on water and feed until spring, then cut the worst canes out as the clump moves again.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes, in a wide pot of at least 500mm with rich mix. Potted plants stay shorter and need water almost daily in summer heat.