Heliconia psittacorum 'Petra'

Heliconia 'Petra' (Heliconia psittacorum 'Petra') makes a warm climate garden look tropical faster than almost anything else. It forms a clump about 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, with upright paddle leaves and orange and red bracts held clear of the foliage for months at a time. It grows quickly and spreads by underground rhizome, so a handful of plants becomes a stand.

Why you'll love it

• Flower bracts that last. The orange and red bracts hold their colour for weeks and cut well for the house, which few tropical plants manage.
• It fills space fast. A fast grower that spreads by rhizome, so a bare bed reads as an established tropical planting within a season or two.
• Manageable height. At 1.5m it gives the tropical look without the scale of a full sized heliconia, so it fits a suburban bed or a poolside border.
• Birds work the flowers. The bracts hold nectar and bring honeyeaters through the garden while they are in colour.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a full tropical mass planting. At that spacing the clumps merge into a continuous stand within two seasons and the ground beneath stays shaded and weed free.

Poolside. Broad leaves and a clumping habit suit a pool surround, and the litter is large and easy to rake rather than fine enough to block a filter.

Feature planting and pots. A single clump works against a plain wall where the bract colour has something to read against. In a large pot it stays more compact.

Growing heliconia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the heaviest flowering in sun and better leaf quality with afternoon protection inland. This is a tropical and subtropical plant and it is frost tender, so gardeners in cool or frost prone districts need a pot that can move under cover for winter.

Soil. Rich, moisture retentive and well drained, with generous compost or aged manure worked through before planting. It is a hungry plant and thin sandy soil holds it back.

Water and feed. Water regularly and generously through the warm months, since dry spells stop flowering quickly. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in mid summer, and mulch heavily to keep the rhizomes cool.

Pruning and control. Cut spent flowering stems right down to ground level, because each stem flowers only once. To keep the clump in bounds, dig out spreading rhizomes at the edges each spring or plant it inside a root barrier.

What to expect when it arrives

We supply this heliconia in 180mm pots in packs of six, 200mm pots in packs of six, and single 300mm pots. The packs are the sensible way to buy for a mass planting, while a 300mm plant is a larger established clump for a feature position or a pot.

Heliconias ship with the foliage tied and a few leaves may arrive creased or torn. That is transit damage rather than a fault, and new leaves replace them quickly. Expect flowering in the first warm season after planting. 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 the full heliconia range
• Designing a tropical garden that stays lush
• Browse tropical plants
• Plants for poolside gardens

Common questions

Will it grow in a cool or frost prone garden?

Not in the ground. It is frost tender and needs consistent warmth to flower. In cooler districts, grow it in a large pot and move it under cover before the first cold nights.

How invasive is the spread?

It spreads steadily by rhizome rather than aggressively, and it is easy to contain. Dig out the outer rhizomes each spring, or use a root barrier if it sits next to a lawn.

Why has my clump stopped flowering?

Usually not enough water, food or light. Heliconias flower on strong new stems, so a plant that is dry, hungry or shaded will put up thin canes and few bracts.