Re: heliconias
 

Jack, I still like them except I won't grow them cos I need the space! They run like crazy in the weather here. The trouble comes after a year in the ground and all goes to hell! :ha:

The only ones I have now at my nursery are a clump of the Variegated Psittacorum, Heliconia chartaceae and the leafless Strelitzia juncea. The S juncea is real cool, just long leafless petioles looking like spears, you guys keep it?

Re: heliconias
 

i have seen them but dont have one they are super cool looking i will have to pick one up some day to add to my collection i got all the other birds

Re: heliconias
 

Hey, that would be a great project for you and me to work on, Steve! :nanadrink:

Re: heliconias
 

Brent, I'd have no idea where to start.

Re: heliconias
 

Steve, just saw this and wanted to let you know that I took a piece of my scheideana, potted it up and overwintered it in greenhouse for this summer. The rest I left with only 4" cypress mulch and it has returned!!! Must be a bit hardier than first thought. I know I will not get bloom, but just the fact that the rhizome overwintered here in SE TN (Z7) winter is amazing to me!!! Just thought I would let you know...:woohoonaner:

Re: heliconias
 

Hey Randy,

Good to hear from you. Interesting about the Scheideana. I wouldn't have given it much of a chance and if I remember correctly, you had a pretty rugged zone 7 winter this past year. Did you cut the stalks and mulch or leave the stalks and mulch around it? What about the other heliconia I sent you last summer?

Steve

Re: heliconias
 

Steve,
I cut the stalks and pulled the mulch over them. We did have the coldest, wettest winter we have experienced in over 5 years. The others were potted and spent the winter in my friends greenhouse. Lost the Pedro Ortiz and I AIN"T happy about it either!!!! I planted the schei outside and have a small one still potted that I am trying to figure the best place to put it.... I will have to take some pics of the backyard in another week or so as things are finally starting to shoot up... Way behind this year from previous growing seasons...
Take care my friend...

Re: heliconias
 

Heliconia are very problematic outside of zone 10. They really disappoint me from time to time but I keep coming back for another "right cross"

Re: heliconias
 

Me neither! I was only kidding.:ha:

Re: heliconias
 

My 'Pedro Ortiz' overwintered in the ground, as did my H. angusta 'Red Christmas' or 'Holiday', whichever you prefer to call it. I also have two other unidentified Heliconias that overwintered in the ground without dying back completely. I'll post photos eventually if they bloom.

I overwintered my H. scheidiana and my H. rostrata inside, so I'm really hoping for blooms on those. My H. psitticorum is having a rough go of it but is coming back (it was in a pot inside as well). My variegated Heliconia is actually the most robust grower, hardly ever missing a beat all winter and going strong in a pot now.

Re: heliconias
 

That's a real good report Brent. How tall is the tallest stalk on your rostrata?

My variegated Psittacorum you gave me did quite well also, which is unusual for the Psitts. It's a pretty tough one.

Re: heliconias
 

My rostrata was hit hard, but really starting to recover now that it is out and the temps are starting to rise. My psitta about bit the dust this winter, MITES!!!, kill them little buggars!!! Anyway, when I was finally able to get it outside, it had died back to the rhizome, but is starting to show some signs of life. I have really enjoyed it as I have had nice blooms on it for the past two years, but afraid not this year.
I also have some sort of heliconia that I received two years ago from another member here, but not sure what it is. It is only about (maybe) two feet tall and has not seemed fazed with growing indoors. I leave it out all summer, wash it down and bring it in during the winter. Have never seen a sign of it trying to bloom, but would love to know what it is... I think I even posted a pic of it on here last summer, but can't remember for sure, since I have slept since then... Oh well....

Re: heliconias
 

anyone growing an orthotrichas

Re: heliconias
 

u know steve u were right when i talked with you on the phone mine are growing really good in the house but i can mist them 10 times a day to try and keep the humidity up but that does nothing if i touch the leaves with my fingers they will turn brown in that spot and if i dont mist them alot the leaves have a hard time opening up and some will curl backwards a very hard plant to make look nice in the house but im still trying im never given up on them i will build a glass dome in my back yard if i cant get them to grow good in the house im determaned to get a few of the st. lucias and orthortrichas to flower i dont care what anyone says if theres a will theres a way even if it cost me a few grand lol

Re: heliconias
 

Randy, there's a good chance your psittacorum will bloom this year. It's one of the very few that will bloom on first year growth. Just don't over water it until you see a few new stalks with leaves.

Just j, I'm growing one orthotricha, Eden Pink. Nice blooms. Not one of the more difficult ones to grow.


Steve

Re: heliconias
 

Probably between 2'-3'. I'm going to give it some bloom-booster fertilizer this weekend.

Re: heliconias
 

just un update on my Heliconia Scheideana 'Fire and Ice'......putting out nice new green leaves now and new shoots coming out of the ground....will post a pic soon......

Re: heliconias
 

Just found this thread - can't think how I missed it! Apart from Rostrata, I grow all the rest in walled beds to keep them in check - pity nothing comes with a name label!

Re: heliconias
 

Everything Heliconia and Strelizia here in walled and bamboo-barriered beds to keep it in check - they're considered weeds, and my friends can't fathom why I might want to grow them.

Re: heliconias
 

ITs funny that this thread resurfaced Because I'm considering getting a heliconia. so some of them grow up to 9ft? that interesting from what I can see they look similar to Birds of paradise.

Brent how well do they grow here in houston?