I went to a private nursery this week (the guy sells tropicals out of his home) in search of Heliconias and Musas. He wanted to sell ne some very small seedlings from his greenhouse (about 2 inches tall) saying that's the best way to get Heliconias and also Bananas started....and that it normally takes about 3 years to see any flowering at all.
I didn't really buy that...does that sound right to you?
Starting Heliconias?
I don't know much about them, but usually when I see them for sale it's rhizomes or sometimes plants (for the Heliconias) and seeds or plants for the bananas. I have no idea how long a heliconia will take to bloom from seed, hopefully someone else will know (but taking 3 yrs from seed wouldn't surprise me). I also don't know the time to bloom from seed for bananas but again a couple years sounds reasonable. When you think about it, even a lot of plain old perennials wait until their 2nd year to bloom from seed, and some trees and other things like wisteria grown from seed can take as much as 10 yrs or so to bloom, so for these to take 3 years doesn't sound that bad. If you want blooms sooner, you'll have to spend more money and get a bigger plant.
Ecrane, you are probably right! Hopefully some of those lucky Floridans will chime in with their 2 cents!
I have a quick question too while we're on the subject of heliconias. Since it's too cold to grow them in the ground year round where I live, I've always kept mine in pots. But I'm starting to wonder if I could just put them in the ground in the spring and then dig them out again before the first frost each November. They'd get several months of good growth, and I likely could increase the pot size each fall to accommodate the larger clump. Just wondering if that'd work or if I'd have any adverse side affects from doing that. I'm thinking of doing the same thing with some non-hardy gingers like the Torch Ginger.
This message was edited Apr 15, 2008 3:39 PM
You would think it works the same way as for gingers...I know a lot of people do that with cannas. But...of course I don't know for sure as I am a total newbie to Heliconias myself!
Sounds like somebody wants to get rid of some very small seedlings.
I've traded a lot of banana plants, both sending and receiving. I mail them when pups are 2-3 feet tall, before they're too big to fit in a box.
They usually bear fruit the following year.
Pretty much the same with heliconias. I would definitely pass on 2 inch seedlings, when larger ones are available.
I have banana pups to trade, if anyone is interested.
I put a lot of my heliconias in the ground for the summer and then dig them up in the fall, pot them up and put them back in the grhouse. They don't die, but I always keep one of each kind in a pot all summer also.
I saw where you were going to do that with the torch and red ginger and I think I will do the same with my pink ginger-its huge and needs repotting anyway.
Thanks, I'm going to give the heliconias a try in the ground too then.
Sakz, thanks for the helpful info. He told me that "even if I bought a large plant somewhere else, no matter what it would still take 3 yrs to bloom". I thought that was kinda weird!
these were some babies some one dug up last year. when i planted them the ground was bare in about a year they are at least 5 feet and loaded with flowers. rob send me a dmail i have a few babies.
candela
if rob dont need all the babies of your heliconia is there any chance i could get a couple off of you? i have been wanting the one you have for a along time now,if not i understand and thxs
Wow that's a beautiful heliconia. You know, I had another thought for us out-of-zoners. Maybe instead of physically digging them back up, just sinking a very large pot into the ground with the plant in it. Would make pulling it up a bit easier and wouldn't damage the roots.
I may give it a shot with mine, see what happens. I'd love to see some blooms like that and I think we have the summers for it (good humidity and all). How heavy are those blooms?
moretz sure.
these are some more that someone threw in the garbage so i did a little recycling. these are around 15ft.
one more heliconia
OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i would love some but only after robs takes what he wants first ok? dont want to butt in line and plmk what you would want in exchange for a few thxs again and they are SOOOOOOOO GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my! Candela I would be thrilled to have some of those babies! The Rostrata makes me homesick, I'm from Brazil and there they grow everywhere...so gorgeous!!!
My bananas flowered in their second year, and I seem to remember h. Rostrata flowering it's first year.
Yep. Definitely this guy was trying to fool me! He did not know I have my DG's friends to protect me! : )
Skaz which bananas do you have? Are they in full sun? If there's anything from my list you'd like, I'd love to have a pup!
Rob
I have a Heliconia that is good for the San Diego area. It is cold tolerant. I believe that it is in a 5 gallon now. Call me. 760-848-2112.
robcorreia,
I have Manzanos. They're supposed to have a slight apple taste to them (Manzano is apple in Spanish), but I can't taste it.
I'm sure we can work something out, if you're interested.
Steve
I'd go with Rhizomes, not seeds for rapid flowering. All of mine went in that way, and all have flowered in their first year, like these
This message was edited Apr 22, 2008 10:46 PM
and these
Wow, how beautiful! Can you believe I almost gave up because of that guy. He said no matter what it would take 3yrs to see anything, and from what I see from you guys, that's not true at all!