Heliconia rostrata is a rhizomatous, tropical plant with striking, pendulant, waxy bracts of red with yellow and green tips. The flowers are in fact quite tiny and inconsequential.
Leaves are oval, glossy green and paddle shaped. The plant grows in an upright habit with the flower bracts arranged in terminal pendant racemes.
Leaf stalks may reach up to 4m in shade but less in full sun.
It has a dense habit when less than three years old, but can spread fast in the tropics and produces flower bracts throughout summer.
Flower bracts are produced on pseudostems which developed the previous year but do not appear until the plant is two years old. They are useful in attractive hummingbirds which help pollinate the flowers.
Heliconia rostrata is sumptuous and exotic making an excellent addition to any tropical garden and can be grown indoors providing there is adequate humidity.
These are spectacular as cut flowers and will last for many weeks.