Clinton3666

Hi members,
I lives in Thames, New Zealand and Thames is in zone 10.

Thames wintertime average lowest temperature is 3oC (48oF), above freezing point, but sometimes go down to -1oC (30oF) below freezing point.

Wintertime in Thames, New Zealand, were cold & wet, on June, July, August, with 20 to 28 rainy (wet) days per month of June to August, with 5 frosts on June and 5 frosts on July and 3 frosts on August.,= 10 frosts a year.

I were planning to plant the heliconias in my outdoor backyard gardens at my place in Thames in springtime (Sept)...

HELICONIAS:

pendula
rostrata
penduloides
subulata
spissa
velloziana
dielsiana
lankesterii
secunda
griggsianas
latispatha
angusta
bihai
wagneriana
lingulata
schiedeana
librata
stricta
rostrata
tortuosa
"Golden Torch"
bourgeana
impudica
nutans
carlei
vaginalis
virginalis
mathiasiae
mutisiana
hirsula
pseudoaemygdiana
aurantiaca
farinosa
fernandezii
willisiana
aristeguitae
champneiana
beckneri
burleana
clinophila
combinata
monteverdensis
schumaniana

Which of heliconias are suited for growing in between zone 9 and zone 10 and for up to 3 to 7 cold days at nightime -1oC below freezing point ???

Your advices & help will be appreciated.

Cheers

Clinton.

Magilla Gorilla

Hello Clinton,

I have experimented with many heliconias and I'm in zone 10. Most don't like to be cold! It does not get real warm here in Santa Barbara. We don't have air conditioning which is very common here. I have had the best luck with Schiendeana Fire and Ice. It does go down to the mid to high 30's here in the winter. My fire and ice flower every year and pup like crazy! Here is a picture of my two clumps. I am always thinning them out and potting them up. Sun and water and they do well. Good luck.

__________________
Andrew

Steve L

Clinton,

That's quite a list of heliconia. The fact that you do get below freezing and that your winters are wet and cold knocks out 90% of your list. Without protection, and with the occasional freeze, none on those heliconia will flower if damaged by the cold. All of those heliconia with the exception of Golden Torch flower on second year growth. In a mild winter, with no frosts or freezes, you could POSSIBLY see flowers on Rostrata, Subulata, Spissa, Scheideana, Latispatha, Angusta, Tortuosa, Hirsuta, and Fernandezii. I know these heliconia and have grown them in the past in containers and gotten them to flower. The others I have not tried.

Steve