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mnorell · 11-28-2007, 07:07 PM

Steve--

I didn't realize jacquinii got quite that big! I thought it was smaller than most caribaeas, and it is supposedly much hardier (caribaea supposedly will collapse in a cool climate). I bought a jacquinii a couple of months ago and it's sitting outside in a container, doesn't seem too bothered by the cold weather so far...but I'll keep it in my new greenhouse this winter (I'm frantically trying to finish glazing the thing in my spare time, it SHOULD be completed in the next couple of days if I can get my act together).

I think Heliconia rhizomes just can't get enough warmth while rooting, and I thought surely I would kill mine last spring by placing them on the hot concrete in black nursery-cans. But instead I got 100% rooting. I was also told by a Heliconia dealer in Florida that putting Heliconia in water will stimulate rooting on many types, especially the semi-aquatic types like marginata. But of course it would have to be 80-degree water. The aquarium-heater angle sounds particularly good.

By the way, not only is my angusta 'Red Xmas' (in the ground, in heavy shade under Tetrapanax trees) starting to bloom right now, but my lingulata 'spiral'--which was a seedling in a 5.5" pot in March planted in full sun and now a 6' monster with huge beautiful leaves and several thick stalks, has thrown a flag-leaf! The yellow bulge is now showing just below the flag in the stem. Very exciting for me to see this happening here, and I am hoping we don't get a freeze before it emerges. (Eric Schmidt at Leu Gardens in Orlando says lingulata can flower by June if cut back by a freeze in winter...we'll see if this one can survive the cold, soggy soil to emerge next spring...)

11-28-2007, 07:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
mnorell Location: Rancho Mirage, CA (formerly Big Pine Key, FL & Natchez, MS) Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Michael Norell Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 21 BananaBucks : 13,075 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 13 Times in 5 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Heliconia Caribea Steve-- I didn't realize jacquinii got quite that big! I thought it was smaller than most caribaeas, and it is supposedly much hardier (caribaea supposedly will collapse in a cool climate). I bought a jacquinii a couple of months ago and it's sitting outside in a container, doesn't seem too bothered by the cold weather so far...but I'll keep it in my new greenhouse this winter (I'm frantically trying to finish glazing the thing in my spare time, it SHOULD be completed in the next couple of days if I can get my act together). I think Heliconia rhizomes just can't get enough warmth while rooting, and I thought surely I would kill mine last spring by placing them on the hot concrete in black nursery-cans. But instead I got 100% rooting. I was also told by a Heliconia dealer in Florida that putting Heliconia in water will stimulate rooting on many types, especially the semi-aquatic types like marginata. But of course it would have to be 80-degree water. The aquarium-heater angle sounds particularly good. By the way, not only is my angusta 'Red Xmas' (in the ground, in heavy shade under Tetrapanax trees) starting to bloom right now, but my lingulata 'spiral'--which was a seedling in a 5.5" pot in March planted in full sun and now a 6' monster with huge beautiful leaves and several thick stalks, has thrown a flag-leaf! The yellow bulge is now showing just below the flag in the stem. Very exciting for me to see this happening here, and I am hoping we don't get a freeze before it emerges. (Eric Schmidt at Leu Gardens in Orlando says lingulata can flower by June if cut back by a freeze in winter...we'll see if this one can survive the cold, soggy soil to emerge next spring...)