Heliconias are tropical perennial plants related to bananas and gingers, with broad, banana-like leaves and striking flower clusters. Much of the display comes from colorful, overlapping bracts; the smaller flowers emerge from between them. Depending on the species, clusters may stand upright or hang down, and their bracts can be red, orange, yellow, or combinations of these colors. These differences are reflected in the collection's references to red and yellow-orange forms as well as hanging and upright heliconias. Native mainly to the tropical Americas, heliconias grow in warm, humid habitats, including forest clearings and edges. Many are adapted to hummingbird pollination: their sturdy, often downward-pointing flowers provide nectar, while visiting birds transfer pollen. Together, the varied bract colors and flower-cluster shapes make heliconias distinctive among tropical flowering plants.
9 images tagged with Heliconia:
Yellow Heliconia
Yellow and Orange Heliconia
Scarlett Red Hanging Heliconia
Red Heliconia
Potted Heliconia
Heliconia
Heliconia Flower
Heliconia Composition
