Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Hi,

I am new to the Banana forum and living in UK. The weather is awful right now so have treated myself to something exotic to cheer myself up. Have just brought on Thai EBay a variagated Musa called "Heliconia" which claims to be a very new variety. See the EBay listing photo in my profile picture for ideas.

Does anyone know about this particular variety please?

Thanks Ian

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Welcome!

The plant you have is not a Musa unfortunately, but a Heliconia. I don't know what variety of Heliconia it is, but its not a banana.

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

I have a varigated heliconia just like this. I'm pretty sure it is just a variegated Heliconia psitticorum, but I'm not 100% certian. At any rate, I've had it for about three years or so now and it is very easy to grow for me here on the Gulf Coast. I keep mine in about a 3 gallon pot and it is outside getting about half a day of sun. It has never bloomed. Good luck with yours!

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

I forget which kind of heliconia I have but it does look like a pleated banana plant. They had a rough winter. The strangest thing is they look nothing like they did last year.

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Here's a link to a USA vendor who has a website with a large variety of Heliconias you can view and compare:

Tropical Plants and Palm Trees by The Banana Tree, Tropical Seeds, Banana trees, Banana Plant

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Thanks everyone for pointing me it the right direction. Initially I was not "amusaed" to learn it is not a Banana cultivar and can see why discribed on EBay as "Musa Heliconia". Maybe it is a new variagated variety of Helicoana?

On reflection am happy to have broadened out my plant collection and the foliage is very striking. Any other pointers welcome.

Ian

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Hey Bananaman!!!!! I did not realize you had one of these!!! Is it as easy to care for as a regular psitticorum with the exception of amount of sun to expose it to??? If you have any small divisions you are willing to part with and would like to work up a trade or sell a piece, YOU HAVE MY EMAIL!!!! Would love to get my hands on one of these!!!

IAN, I love the plant, even though it is not a musa!!! Hey, if it is a variegated variety of psitticorum, that is easier to handle in the winter than any of my bananas, anyway!!! Take good care of it and keep us updated to its progress!!!

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Randy,

Good to hear it is easy to grown as it will need to be even in a UK summer. Have Goggled the species and am guessing it is Heliconia psittacorum variety 'El Tigre' - Does anyone who regularly grow these know for sure?

Thanks, Ian

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

It is Heliconia Psittacorum "El Tigre".

Steve

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Steve,

Thanks for the positive ID. Does anyone have any tips how to cheerish it in the UK (I have a cool greenhouse (min 40F).

Thanks, Ian

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

I have grown this in my greenhouse which dropped below 40F some of last winter and it has grown fine. I divided it into 4 potted plants about 4-6 weeks ago and it's sending up many new shoots.

I don't know much about heliconia but once asked my friend (a PhD and nurseryman expert in heliconia fromer Puerto Rico) and, if I recall correctly, he said they are somewhat related to bananas and the use of the musa name was common in some areas. That's been about a year or so and I probably got some of that wrong, but he wasn't concerned about the use of the name.

I should plant one of these outside just to see how it does, though it would probably die. At least I've got some extras for backups.

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

This one has been pretty much trouble-free for me. It grow it outside in a pot every year and it takes as much sun as I give it. I'd say it gets a half day of sun easily with no instances of burning. I keep it inside during the winter and this is really the only one I've never had issues with spider mites on. It's leaves are pretty waxy and sturdy as compared to say, H. rostrata.

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Heliconia prefer temps above 50 but can handle occasional lower temps. Be sure to cut way back on the watering when your temps are below 50. The bloom will be solid orange. This one seems to be a more shy bloomer than most psittacorums. I got mine from Bananaman88 last year and it still hasn't bloomed. It is definitely more resistant to spider mites than most.

Steve

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

How large of a pot is needed? I've been growing mine in "5 gallon" pots and they crowd them pretty fast. I don't think I'm going to be dedicated to this enough to break my back moving a huge pot. Would half of a 30 gallon barrel be big enough?

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Harvey,

A 5 gallon pot should be large enough. If it overgrows the pot, divide it up and trial it in the ground. "El Tigre" appears to be a little more hardy than other psittacorums. Amen on the lack of dedication moving big pots around. I save this effort for my most favorite plants.

Steve

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Thanks, Steve. It's appeared that it might get too root bound in a 5 gallon pot to ever reach the size required for flowering. This is my first and only heliconia and I had back luck with the first one I received as it was not rooted well but they replacement finally got going and it has been an easy plant to grow. My only disappointment, I guess, is that the level of variegation isn't quite as much as some of the photos I've seen.

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

I agree w/Steve about pot size; 5 gallons should be plenty big. My plant varies as to the amt. of variegation it exhibits.

Randy, send me a PM and we'll work something out.

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

I have had this heliconia for 2 years , growing in a 7 g pot. It has bloomed once(very nice flower) It has taken 26 d without harm. I have them planted all over the yard this year. Very easy plant to care for
Brian

Re: Musa "Heliconia" Variagated - Info please?
 

Briancoconut,

Where do you live? Must be in zone 9b or 10a. Zone 9 is too cold for these heliconia to come back from a freeze. Even if they make it back the following spring, they never show as much vigor and eventually just fade away.

Steve