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Lilith · 02-26-2007, 04:31 PM

well, Bob, I have to say that after almost 15 years of growing heliconia in containers, its kind of eventually an exercise in futility.

But, I also have to qualify that with...it depends on which type you want to grow.

Yes, you can plant the SMALL GROWING heliconias (like the dwarf orange Choconiana, aka False Bird of Paradise and the slightly larger but still considered dwarf Psitticorums like Lady Di, Andromeda, etc, into the ground then dig them back up. But, you may not get a whole lot of bloom time on them that way in MO. Typically these start to bloom in late summer, which is why they always show up at Home Depot and Lowes starting about August. Depending on how early it gets to be consistently below 55 at night in your location, you may be planting it and digging it really soon after.

I would hesitate to tell you to try to grow any of the large growing heliconias in containers. You could probably bloom Rostrata, many people have as it readily blooms in containers, but again, you keep having to go up on the container size as the rhizome mass can really expand quickly and start busting out of the pot. Once you get to the 30 gallon size they get extremely heavy to pull around too.

Any of the Bihai, Caribaea, Stricta, Champneiana species etc simply get too big to handle in pots eventually and don't lend themselves to being planted and dug every year. We are talking 8-20 ft tall plants here.

If you can locate some Heliconia angustas (Red Holiday, Yellow Christmas) those can stay potted, as can some of the Psitticorum x spathocircinatas like Golden Torch, Guyana, Alan Carle etc.

Both the orange and white birds of paradise (strelitzia) can be container grown easily.

02-26-2007, 04:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
Lilith Senior Member Lilith's Photo Gallery Location: sunny Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Gina Anne Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 341 BananaBucks : 140,078 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 20 Times Was Thanked 136 Times in 52 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Kmart Alocasia well, Bob, I have to say that after almost 15 years of growing heliconia in containers, its kind of eventually an exercise in futility. But, I also have to qualify that with...it depends on which type you want to grow. Yes, you can plant the SMALL GROWING heliconias (like the dwarf orange Choconiana, aka False Bird of Paradise and the slightly larger but still considered dwarf Psitticorums like Lady Di, Andromeda, etc, into the ground then dig them back up. But, you may not get a whole lot of bloom time on them that way in MO. Typically these start to bloom in late summer, which is why they always show up at Home Depot and Lowes starting about August. Depending on how early it gets to be consistently below 55 at night in your location, you may be planting it and digging it really soon after. I would hesitate to tell you to try to grow any of the large growing heliconias in containers. You could probably bloom Rostrata, many people have as it readily blooms in containers, but again, you keep having to go up on the container size as the rhizome mass can really expand quickly and start busting out of the pot. Once you get to the 30 gallon size they get extremely heavy to pull around too. Any of the Bihai, Caribaea, Stricta, Champneiana species etc simply get too big to handle in pots eventually and don't lend themselves to being planted and dug every year. We are talking 8-20 ft tall plants here. If you can locate some Heliconia angustas (Red Holiday, Yellow Christmas) those can stay potted, as can some of the Psitticorum x spathocircinatas like Golden Torch, Guyana, Alan Carle etc. Both the orange and white birds of paradise (strelitzia) can be container grown easily. __________________ 11/2008 Outer Banks Marathon 26.2, Kitty Hawk NC--3:50 2/2009 5 Points of Life Marathon, 26.2, Gainesville FL--4:00 4/2009 Boston Marathon, 26.2-- 4:38 10/2009 Marine Corps Marathon, DC, 26.2--457 1/2010 Houston Marathon, 26.2--3:55:09 2/2010 5 Points of Life Marathon, Gainesville--415 Halloween Day 2010 Marine Corps Marathon, DC-- 2/2011--Austin TX Marathon--