Parrot's flower

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; light afternoon shade is helpful in very hot, dry conditions.

Water

Keep evenly moist during active growth, without leaving the roots waterlogged. Water less in winter if growth slows, but do not let the root ball dry out completely.

Soil

Fertile, humus-rich soil that holds moisture but drains freely; use a rich, free-draining potting mix in containers.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Spread

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m), spreading farther over time through rhizomes

Flowers

Mainly late spring through autumn, potentially year-round in tropical conditions. Upright orange, red or yellow bracts surround small, tubular yellow to orange flowers, often with dark tips.

Foliage

Evergreen. Upright, narrow, paddle-shaped green leaves on slender, reed-like shoots.

Growth

Fast in warm, humid conditions; slow in cool weather.

Care needed

Medium

• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1 ft (0.3 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.6 m)

3. After 2 years

   3 ft (0.9 m)

4. After 3 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply whenever the soil surface begins to dry during active growth.
• Apply a balanced fertiliser at the label rate during spring and summer; stop feeding when growth slows.
• Mulch outdoor clumps with composted organic matter, keeping it clear of the shoot bases.
• Shelter from strong winds, which tear leaves and damage flowering stems.
• Bring containers under cover before nights become cool; aim for winter temperatures above 59°F (15°C).
• Divide crowded clumps in spring or early summer, once warm growth has started.

Pruning. Cut each finished flowering stem down to soil level, because that shoot will not flower again. Remove dead or damaged leaves as needed, leaving healthy new shoots intact.

Spring

Repot or divide crowded plants as temperatures rise and fresh shoots appear.

Late spring

Move container plants outdoors only when nights are consistently warm, acclimatising them gradually to stronger light.

Summer

Water regularly and feed during active growth; check containers frequently in hot weather.

Summer

Cut spent flowering stems to ground level and check leaf undersides for pests.

Autumn

Move containers into a warm, bright protected space before cold nights arrive.

Winter

Reduce watering to match slower growth, keeping the roots lightly moist and the plant warm.

• Plant in groups in a sheltered tropical border, with broad-leaved plants behind it to contrast with the slender stems.
• Use in large courtyard containers where the upright flowers can be seen at close range.
• Combine with gingers and cannas around a warm patio for layered foliage and strong summer colour.
• Use repeated clumps beside paths or walls in frost-free gardens, allowing room for rhizomes to spread.

Garden styles it suits: Modern tropical, Tropical, Luxury resort, Modern courtyard, Balinese and Caribbean.

Plant it with: Cannas, Shell ginger, Ti plant, Elephant's ears, Bird of paradise and Bromeliads.

Wildlife: The tubular flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds where these birds occur. Other nectar-feeding animals may visit, but it is not a dependable general-purpose pollinator plant in cooler gardens.

• Spider mites in dry indoor air: inspect for fine webbing and pale stippling, rinse leaf undersides and use insecticidal soap if needed.
• Mealybugs and scale: isolate affected containers, remove small infestations by hand and treat with a labelled horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.
• Root and rhizome rot in cold, saturated soil: improve drainage, reduce winter watering and remove soft, rotting material.
• Few flowers in cool conditions or deep shade: provide more warmth and brighter light, and avoid repeatedly dividing young clumps.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses. Species-specific information is limited, especially for horses; no particular plant part is established as poisonous, but it should not be treated as edible.

Where it spreads. Rhizomes can spread aggressively in warm, wet tropical gardens, including northern Australia and Hawaii. Keep clumps away from natural vegetation, contain their spread and do not dump unwanted rhizomes in bushland or waterways.

• Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

  Has stiff, grey-green leaves in fans and a single boat-shaped horizontal bract supporting orange and blue flowers, rather than several upright colourful bracts.

• Hanging lobster claw (Heliconia rostrata)

  Usually grows much larger and carries long, hanging chains of broad red bracts edged in yellow and green; parrot's flower has small, upright flower heads.

• Canna lily (Canna indica)

  Has broader leaves and conspicuous, soft, petal-like flowers rather than the narrow, firm, pointed bracts of parrot's flower.

The species name psittacorum means 'of parrots', referring to the resemblance of the colourful flower heads to parrots' beaks.

Propagation. Divide rhizomes in spring or early summer during warm, active growth. Give each division healthy roots and at least one strong shoot or growing bud; pot into a moist, free-draining mix and keep warm until established.

Accepted botanical name

Heliconia psittacorum

In the US and Canada

Introduced in Puerto Rico.

Native range

Bolivia, Brazil North, Brazil Northeast, Brazil Southeast, Brazil West-Central, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panamá, Paraguay, Suriname and Trinidad-Tobago.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.