Heliconias, tropical plants grown outside in zones 9 and higher, make good houseplants for everyone else.
Sometimes called lobster-claws or counterfeit bird-of-paradise. Rare flowers have led to widespread cultivation, and several species have naturalized in Florida.
Selecting the proper heliconia for your environment is crucial to indoor growth. In ideal conditions, some heliconia species reach 15 feet.
Learn how big a species will get before taking it home. This dwarf Heliconia psittacorum is a great houseplant at 1.5 feet.
If you buy a heliconia plant online or from a catalog, you will likely receive a rhizome. Place your rhizome in a medium pot of well-draining soil without planting it too deep.
Provide bright light and water your heliconia regularly, but don't overwater. Avoid soaking heliconias and let the soil almost dry out between waterings.
Heliconias thrive at 70 degrees F or more and should never be below 50. Regular fertilization improves growth and flowering.