Every country has it proud myriad of culture, arts, dances, traditional attire, not forgetting the flowers. In Malaysia, one of the most popular flower is Heliconia.
Heliconia is originating from the jungle of Malaysia and some other tropical countries. They are grown for their beautiful, brilliant colorful flowering bracts. Breathtaking and unusual flowers (bracts) rise from clumps of banana like leaves, sometimes very large or slender.
Their height may on some species vary from as small as 2 feet to 5 feet depending on variety. Heliconias are actually highly modified leaves and bracts, their colorful bracts may be erect, pendulous or spiraling with bracks in the shape of bird’s beaks, lobster claws or fan shaped and colors of red, pink, gold, orange and splashes of a mixture of colors.
The species grown in PAP is known as Heliconia Lathispatha (Red/Yellow Gyro). It is a very hardy and, it can stand up to any temperatures. Its exotic gyro pattern bracts are red on upper half and orange to yellow on the lower half, its ovary are greenish yellow. Older foliage has a thin maroon margin and one of the hardiest and easiest to grow.
Another species which grown at the writer’s house is Heliconia Orthorica (Macus Pink). It is beautiful pinkish/red upright spiraling bract with green to black strip on the upper distal keel. It is blooming anytime of the year.
