Heliconia psittacorum 'Parakeet'

Heliconia 'Parakeet' (Heliconia psittacorum) is the small, free flowering heliconia that suits a home garden rather than a botanic garden. Clumps reach about 1.8m tall and 1.5m wide, and the slim orange bracts tipped in yellow are held clear of the foliage for months at a time. It grows fast, it flowers young, and honeyeaters find it within days.

Why you'll love it

• Long flowering, at a usable size. Bright orange and yellow bracts appear through the warm months on a clump under 2m, so it fits a suburban bed.
• Fast to fill a space. New canes come up steadily from the rhizome, and a small planting reads as an established stand within a couple of seasons.
• Birds work it hard. The flowers hold nectar, so honeyeaters visit daily once the clump is established.
• Built for heat and humidity. A wet northern summer is exactly the weather it wants, when many flowering plants sulk.

Where it works best

Poolside and courtyard planting. The leaves are broad and clean, with no thorns or heavy litter, so it works close to paving and pool fencing where you want colour at eye level.

Mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a lush massed display. That spacing lets the rhizomes knit into one continuous stand while each clump still throws flowers.

Pots and containers. A pot 400mm or wider suits it well, and a container is the practical way to hold the spread in check or to shift plants under cover in cooler gardens.

Growing heliconia in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade to filtered sun, with morning sun ideal. This is a tropical and subtropical plant. It is frost tender, so gardens that get frost need it in a pot under a verandah or in a heated glasshouse rather than in the ground.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil loaded with compost. Mulch 50mm deep over the rhizomes, kept a little clear of the emerging canes.

Water and feed. Moderate but steady water through the growing season, as the clump wilts fast when dry. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer for the strongest flowering.

Pruning. Cut spent canes to the ground once the flower has finished, since each cane flowers only once. Tidy old leaves in early spring and lift and divide the clump every three or four years.

What to expect when it arrives

You can buy it as a 180mm pack of six, a 200mm pack of six, or a single 300mm plant. The packs are the sensible option for a massed bed and usually arrive as young canes with a season of growing ahead. A 300mm plant is bigger and closer to flowering size.

Heliconias travel with their leaves folded and often arrive with split leaf edges. That is cosmetic, and the next flush comes up clean. Expect new canes within four to six weeks in warm weather, and flowers in the first or second summer. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, backed by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare varieties in the heliconia collection
• Designing a tropical garden that looks lush year round
• Choosing low maintenance poolside plants
• Browse more plants for poolside gardens

Common questions

Will it take over the garden?

It spreads steadily by rhizome rather than by seed, so it widens the clump rather than jumping across the garden. Give it room, edge the bed, or grow it in a pot if space is tight.

How far apart should I plant it?

One metre apart for a massed display. Closer planting crowds the canes and gives you fewer flowers for the same number of plants.

Can I grow it in a cool climate?

Not in the ground. It is frost tender and needs tropical or subtropical warmth, so in cooler districts it is a potted plant that overwinters somewhere sheltered and bright.

When does it flower?

Mainly through the warm months, and close to year round in the tropics where the growth never stops. Each cane carries one flower, so a bigger clump means a longer show.