Heliconia Species, Crab Claws, False Bird of Paradise, Hanging Claw

I have about 10 Heliconia rostrata that are doing great in zone 11 South Florida, Miami area. They do best in partial shade but seem to t...Read Morehrive in any type of soil. They are planted about 800 feet away from the Atlantic Ocean on a salt water canal. They have no problem with salt tolerance or pests. They love to be watered frequently. They cannot tolerate wind and the shoots will easily break in high winds so plant them in a protected location. The ants seem to love the sap that comes out of the lobster claw flowers. The ants do not harm these plants and in fact the ants seem to keep other insects off my Heliconia rostrata. I have several plants that are 9 feet in height. My only problem is wind damage to the plants. The Heliconia rostrata gives your garden a real tropical feel. By Gregg L. Friedman MD

A stunning tropical with fantastic inflorescence, but not suitable for outdoor growing even in the mildest parts of my country, because o...Read Moref the cool winter.
Even dying back simply means no flowering, so a warm greenhouse for overwintering is necessary for blooming. The dwarf - mini variety is more manageable for overwintering indoors and may be tried in a south facing window, with some direct sun. The standard variety is far too large for indoor growing. This spring (2015) i managed to flower it indoors, so i will write some tips for indoor growing. 1) Prefer a medium sized pot (12-14inch/ 30-35 cm diameter is best) , as in large pots even 'mini' H. rostrata becomes huge. Also, i have noticed that in medium sized pots they flower easier. 2) Avoid moving the pot outdoors too early. I did this mistake for several years and saw no blooms. It is better to leave the pot indoors until you see the flowering bud in late spring. 3) Spider mites can be a serious problem indoors and it is quite hard to get rid of it. This was the cause that i moved the pots outdoors too early. This spring i just cut some infected leaves and there was no damage to blooming.

My potted lobster claw died back during the winter months in Tampa due to lack of care but actually rooted in the ground around the pot a...Read Morend came back the following Spring. I then dug it up and re-potted them into 2 pots and they are doing beautifully in full sun to partial shade depending on the time of day.

Despite tattered leaves from Hurricane Wilma and a Spring long drought, I resisted cutting the pitiful looking canes to the ground.
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My Heliconia rostrata has rewarded me with multiple blooms on last years canes.

Things that worked for me.
1) Plant in a wind protected eastern exposure for morning sun only.
2) Fertilize frequently with a slow realease granular fertilizer.
3) Monthly fertilize with a balanced water soluable fertilizer.
4) Keep evenly moist with frequent waterings.