Hey Lisa, anytime you are ready? ;o) My variegated heliconia from you is doing just great and flowered too. If ever you have a problem with yours I'll gladly give you some of what I have back. ;o)

Mine is in a terra cotta pot that was on the north side of the garden in the first cold wave. It's now deep in the garden, still in the pot, but it has lots of new growth. I'll move it back out in the spring.

Enid at Natural Selections sells Heliconia Psittacorum "El Tigre" for $29.99 and used to sell the Lemaii for $50 or $60. I saw that $110 version on eBay as well. Remarkable.

Steve

Oh good! I'm glad they are doing well.

Katkin, I'll email you about a "chopping" date(G). I went outside with clippers and handsaw, but chickened out. Too many corms/chances to mess up(G).

Steve, yes, I bought both of my original plants from Enid. But the Lemaii was as expensive as the Ae Ae Banana (if I'm remembering correctly).

I think these Heliconias are nearly as beautiful as Ae Ae, and so much easier to grow!

Lisa

Wow!!! What a stunning plant.!!!
Here I go adding one more plant to my never ending want list!!!

Ariel

Please let me know the date of the chopping party.
I'll bring machetes, root saw and clippers.
Now that I've (hopefully) got the pittascorums under control, I may even have room for one itsy bitsy piece of a corm.
Pretty please Lisa?
Glad to hear they're doing well for everybody.

Lisa,

You could be right on the price of the Lemaii; my memory just isn't what it used to be. Since I'm in zone 9, I have to container grow all of my heliconia and put them in the greenhouse this time of year. Psittacorums have been particularly difficult to grow for me; I've had better luck over wintering Sexy Pink than the Psitts. That's why I've avoided "El Tigre" but everytime I see it for sale, the variegated attraction sets in. On the other hand, I've been growing Ae Ae in the ground for 5 years and only lost one (Hurricane Rita) which was scheduled to bloom the following summer (based on age and height). I do wrap the pseudostem when night time temps are predicted to get below 30 but it is more cold hardy than people think. Survived 24 two winters in a row.

Steve

Steve, "El Tigre" is incredibly easy to grow. Want one? I totally ignore them, just plunk the pots down on the hot patio or tucked into the palmettos, and I forget they are there. This is how they look with such terrible treatment!

I lost my Ae Ae to some kind of boring pest that tunneled through the corm. I still miss it!

Ariel, I will hold one for you, and Treefrog, you didn't get one? How did that happen? You can pick what you want from the chopping party!

They are fast growers and do best in light shade.

Lisa

Here is a flower. But the foliage is the main attraction.

Lisa

Lisa, thanks for the offer. It's a beautiful plant; the bloom looks a little like Heliconia Golden Torch. Maybe we can do a trade in the spring when it warms up here on the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Steve

I want to come to the party too! I'll bring cookies.

Lisa,
That is stunning. I do not think I've seen it before.
I'm glad you posted a picture.
Felix

gcmastiffs, do you still have the variegated heliconia or any other heliconia for trade? I live in Homestead. The plants wouldn't have to travel that far. I have Pedro Ortiz, rostrata, prince of darkness, and I think wagneriana. I am trying to collect as many different kinds as I can. Only the rostrata is ready for trade, because the others were just planted from rhizome. They're just starting to sprout. I also have angel mist, tropical black, and phyllostachys nigra bamboo. You would have to pick these up, though because they are large. I also have psilotum nudum. You can see what that looks like on eBay. I'm the only one selling it. If you are interested in anything I have, let me know.

Hi Lisa, please contact me back when you have a chance, thanks! Mike