Heliconia psittacorum 'Lady Di'

Lady Di Heliconia (Heliconia psittacorum 'Lady Di') is the compact heliconia for gardens that do not have room for the giants. It clumps to about 1.8m tall and 1.5m across, throwing narrow red bracts tipped in yellow almost continuously in the tropics. The flowers last a fortnight in a vase, and honeyeaters work them all season.

Why you'll love it

• It flowers for months, not weeks. In tropical gardens it is rarely without a bract, and subtropical plants flower from spring right through to late autumn.
• Compact for a heliconia. At 1.8m it fits a suburban bed, where the larger species need 4m and a lot of forgiveness.
• Fast to fill a space. The rhizomes run and new canes push up quickly, so a bed closes over in one or two warm seasons.
• A cut flower worth growing. Stems hold their colour for two weeks in water, and cutting them only encourages more.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a lush block of foliage and colour. Because it spreads by rhizome the gaps close from below, so there is no need to crowd the initial planting.

Poolside. The leaves are broad and clean, and it drops far less litter than a palm, which makes it one of the tidier tropical plants near water.

Feature planting and pots. A single clump works as a colour accent against a wall. In a 500mm pot it stays smaller and the rhizomes cannot travel.

Growing Lady Di Heliconia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to partial shade, with the heaviest flowering in sun and better leaf condition in filtered light. This is a tropical and subtropical plant and it is frost tender: a single cold snap burns the foliage to the ground. In cooler southern gardens grow it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.

Soil. Rich, free draining and heavily composted. Heliconias are hungry, so dig plenty of organic matter through the bed and mulch 75mm deep to keep the rhizomes cool.

Water and feed. Keep the water up through the growing season, especially in a pot. It is not drought tolerant, and dry roots show as brown leaf edges within days. Feed a controlled release fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer.

Pruning. Cut spent canes off at ground level once the bract has finished, since each cane flowers only once. That also keeps light into the centre for the next shoots.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: 175mm and 200mm in packs of six, and a single 300mm plant. The packs are the practical choice for a mass planting, and the 300mm gives an established clump for a feature position. All arrive as young canes rather than in flower.

Heliconias travel with the leaves tied and can look creased on arrival. Cut back torn foliage and new canes follow within weeks in warm weather, with flowering in the first or second season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a tropical garden that stays lush
• Choosing tropical plants for a pool surround
• Compare varieties in the heliconia collection
• See more options for poolside gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

One metre apart for a mass planting. The clumps spread outwards by rhizome and knit together within a season or two, so wider spacing simply takes longer.

Will it take over the garden?

It spreads steadily rather than aggressively, but it does spread. Give it a defined bed, a root barrier or a large pot if you want it to stay put.

Can I grow it south of the subtropics?

Only with protection. It is frost tender, so in cool temperate gardens it needs a pot that can be moved under cover, or a warm sheltered courtyard that never frosts.