Which psittacorum?

[gurugu]

    

Last year I bought this heliconia in a big pot with flowers. I splitted it into two plants, one in the same pot and the other in the ground in a greenhouse. Both have flowered this year.

Then early this year I bought three small pots with heliconias, I planted two in bigger pots and the third one in the ground in a greenhouse. The three have flowered and are the same as the first one: psittacorum. But which one , Viridi maybe?

The good thing is that they bloom easily when  young

[Looking Glass]

18 minutes ago, gurugu said:

    

Last year I bought this heliconia in a big pot with flowers. I splitted it into two plants, one in the same pot and the other in the ground in a greenhouse. Both have flowered this year.

 

Then early this year I bought three small pots with heliconias, I planted two in bigger pots and the third one in the ground in a greenhouse. The three have flowered and are the same as the first one: psittacorum. But which one , Viridi maybe?

 

The good thing is that they bloom easily when  young

 

Can’t help with the ID, but if it’s this one, I know they bloom at 8 inches, then grow tall and spread fast   Too fast in this planter box in the end.   

 

[gurugu]

10 minutes ago, Looking Glass said:

 

Can’t help with the ID, but if it’s this one, I know they bloom at 8 inches, then grow tall and spread fast   Too fast in this planter box in the end.   

 

Beautiful! They look just the same to me.

You are quite right, they bloom even when they are short. Mine have done in a small pot. One doesn´t have to wait for years for them to bloom like with many other heliconias. For example with Schiedeana, I had to wait three years to see flowers outdoors. I hope mine in the greenhouse looks like yours by next year.

Since I have four of them, I plan to plant some outdoors next spring in a sheltered spot.

[Looking Glass]

They spread like wildfire here, with the heat and humidity.   That planter box is 10 feet long.  I put 5 little pots in there I think.  They became that, after about 6 months. I’m glad they were contained.  They pop flowers like crazy though.  

[gurugu]

Thanks for the advice. Luckily those planted in the ground are also contained. But it must be hard material, otherwise, the plant breaks it when it outgrows the container. That's what happened with my schiedeana growing outdoors. 

[Dartolution]

Im fairly certain this cultivar is called "parakeet," or "pink blush."

Here is a link to the Heliconia Society of Puerto Rico HERE. 

I also have the identification guide to Heliconias that seems to agree. 

 

 

[gurugu]

6 hours ago, Dartolution said:

6 hours ago, Dartolution said:

Im fairly certain this cultivar is called "parakeet," or "pink blush."

Here is a link to the Heliconia Society of Puerto Rico HERE. 

I also have the identification guide to Heliconias that seems to agree. 

 

 

Thanks a lot. The link is very interesting too. I think you've nailed it. Much appreciated. 

1,8 feet is very tall. I guess it won't grow that much in my cool climate, though Schiedeana did reach almost 2 meters grown outdoors. 

[Dartolution]

In my limited experience Heliconia height seems to be related to a few factors in the growing environment like the amount of direct sun they receive, water, and nutrients. 

In shadier locations they seem to grow taller and more spread out. 

[gurugu]

3 hours ago, Dartolution said:

In my limited experience Heliconia height seems to be related to a few factors in the growing environment like the amount of direct sun they receive, water, and nutrients. 

In shadier locations they seem to grow taller and more spread out. 

It is also said that height depends on the species. There are heliconias that grow several meters tall, while others only reach over a meter. That is what I thought Psittacorum was in. Just about a meter. I thought they were more on the dwarf side. I guess it also depends on the climate. It is not the same a tropical climate like south Florida, or mine which is temperate. 

By the way. Do you grow them in your cool climate like mine? 

[Dartolution]

Relatively yes of course height depends on species, but if you look at the literature it shows a range for all species. What I meant was that they will grow accordingly and usually within that range.

All of the heliconias I have are grown in pots. I may experiment with a couple in the ground next year, but we are far too cold in the cool months to grow them freely outdoors. 

I have Heliconia "carmasita", Psittacorum varieties like Sassy, Lady Di, Choconiana, and the one above courtesy of @Looking Glass, Heliconia Rostrata, Heliconia "tropic", Heliconia Lingulata, and Heliconia hirsuta "peru."

 

[gurugu]

1 hour ago, Dartolution said:

Relatively yes of course height depends on species, but if you look at the literature it shows a range for all species. What I meant was that they will grow accordingly and usually within that range.

All of the heliconias I have are grown in pots. I may experiment with a couple in the ground next year, but we are far too cold in the cool months to grow them freely outdoors. 

I have Heliconia "carmasita", Psittacorum varieties like Sassy, Lady Di, Choconiana, and the one above courtesy of @Looking Glass, Heliconia Rostrata, Heliconia "tropic", Heliconia Lingulata, and Heliconia hirsuta "peru."

 

That's a good collection of heliconias! 

Here in Spain it is difficult to find them. I've only got schiedeana, which has proved to be the hardiest of all, this psittacorum, angusta yellow and what I think ( but I'm not sure) is a rostrata which I had growing outdoors for several years among some alpinia zerumbet until I realized it was there! 

I would like to lay my hands on those mexican heliconias from the high plateau which are said to be hardy, but it is impossible to import them here. 

Is lingulata as hardy as schiedeana? 

[Looking Glass]

4 hours ago, Dartolution said:

I have Heliconia "carmasita", Psittacorum varieties like Sassy, Lady Di, Choconiana, and the one above courtesy of @Looking Glass, Heliconia Rostrata, Heliconia "tropic", Heliconia Lingulata, and Heliconia hirsuta "peru."

Did those grow for ya?   They got 5+ feet tall in open half day sun (til about 1-2pm) here.  I think they would look better, darker green, in less sun than I had them.  I think they would be ideal for big pots.  Great growers and bloomers, but man, keep them corralled.  

[Dartolution]

18 hours ago, gurugu said:

That's a good collection of heliconias! 

Here in Spain it is difficult to find them. I've only got schiedeana, which has proved to be the hardiest of all, this psittacorum, angusta yellow and what I think ( but I'm not sure) is a rostrata which I had growing outdoors for several years among some alpinia zerumbet until I realized it was there! 

I would like to lay my hands on those mexican heliconias from the high plateau which are said to be hardy, but it is impossible to import them here. 

Is lingulata as hardy as schiedeana? 

@gurugu Schiedeana is definitely the most cold hardy heliconia, it does however still require a full 12 months of uninterrupted growth to bloom I believe. That is usually the issue with species like this one, rostrata, Bihai, caribaea, and chartacea. 

OH! Bihai! I have a Heliconia bahai 'aurea' (started rhizome) as well as one that was labeled as "Brazilian firefly' but does not match what the literature is calling a Brazilian firefly so who knows... 

I forget who told me about the mexican golds... they are on my heliconia thread in this subforum somewhere. I have yet to find them as well. 

 

Lingulata is purportedly cold hardy and will bloom in a single growing season in full sun in the deep south. I've had my struggles with this species more than any other. It appears to be incredibly intolerant of pot culture and will crisp and yellow at the drop of a hat if not given enough humidity. I have tried for several years to grow this one and still only have a small rhizome that will inevitably die back to the ground over winter. This year I had the most success planting it in the ground. I have since dug it up and potted it in the smallest pot I could feasibly fit it in to attempt to overwinter it indoors once again. Next year it is being planted (assuming it survives) and left alone. 

I am not sure if this is a trait of lingulata or I just have a bad start, but considering its native habitat I believe it to be a trait of the species. 

 

 

@Looking Glass Yes indeed! Nearly all the starts survived and are producing offshoots now. One even began to show some variegation in the leaves which I found strange!?!?!? 

[gurugu]

3 hours ago, Dartolution said:

@gurugu Schiedeana is definitely the most cold hardy heliconia, it does however still require a full 12 months of uninterrupted growth to bloom I believe. That is usually the issue with species like this one, rostrata, Bihai, caribaea, and chartacea. 

OH! Bihai! I have a Heliconia bahai 'aurea' (started rhizome) as well as one that was labeled as "Brazilian firefly' but does not match what the literature is calling a Brazilian firefly so who knows... 

I forget who told me about the mexican golds... they are on my heliconia thread in this subforum somewhere. I have yet to find them as well. 

 

Lingulata is purportedly cold hardy and will bloom in a single growing season in full sun in the deep south. I've had my struggles with this species more than any other. It appears to be incredibly intolerant of pot culture and will crisp and yellow at the drop of a hat if not given enough humidity. I have tried for several years to grow this one and still only have a small rhizome that will inevitably die back to the ground over winter. This year I had the most success planting it in the ground. I have since dug it up and potted it in the smallest pot I could feasibly fit it in to attempt to overwinter it indoors once again. Next year it is being planted (assuming it survives) and left alone. 

I am not sure if this is a trait of lingulata or I just have a bad start, but considering its native habitat I believe it to be a trait of the species. 

 

 

@Looking Glass Yes indeed! Nearly all the starts survived and are producing offshoots now. One even began to show some variegation in the leaves which I found strange!?!?!? 

My schiedeana took 3/4 years to flower, since then it blooms every year. I had some Bihais brought from the Canary Islands a few years ago, but they died that vey winter, even though they were sheltered. They are very tender for here. A pity because they are very pretty, with big leaves.

Interesting to know that Lingulata is hardy. If I could find it, I would give it a try. Lots of humidity here that would fit it well.

By the way, everytime I have tried to grow heliconias by seed, I have failed. ????

Thanks for the info.