Heliconia Caribaea Wild Plantain

About the Heliconia Caribaea Wild Plantain

Heliconia caribaea is one of the giants of the family, a Caribbean species that forms tall, banana-like clumps with broad, waxy leaves. Its upright inflorescences are big and heavy, stacked with thick, boat-shaped bracts, usually in bold red and in some forms golden yellow or red with yellow edges. A mature clump is a living sculpture, ideal as a backdrop, screen or focal point in a large tropical garden, and its stems are spectacular in grand floral arrangements. Sold as a rhizome, potted young plant or flowering-size clump.

How to Care for It

To plant a rhizome, lay it horizontally 5–10 cm deep in rich, well-drained soil with any shoot pointing up, water well and keep the soil just moist until new growth appears. It needs space, full sun to light shade, rich soil and abundant water. Feed monthly in the rainy season with a balanced fertiliser, mulch generously and cut each stem at the base after its flowers fade.

Nothing says tropical like a heliconia in flower. Choose from the ten most popular varieties, including hanging lobster claw, Lady Di, Golden Torch, wagneriana and Sexy Pink. Start from a rhizome, or buy a potted young plant or a flowering-size clump.

Growing Profile

Botanical name

Heliconia caribaea

Family

Heliconiaceae

Native to

The Greater and Lesser Antilles (Caribbean)

Mature height

3–5 m

Plant spacing

2.5 m

Time to first flowers

2–3 years

Light

Full sun

Water

High, keep moist

Cold tolerance

down to 8 °C

Best climates

Humid tropics

Grows in a pot

Best in the ground

Ships from

Our farms in Yucatán & Chiapas