Growing Heliconia Collection

After about a year plus of actively adding to my collection of heliconias at my Bintulu and Kuching gardens, I realise that for the purpose my 2nd Solo Art Exhibition there would be enough quantities for use as displays or floral arrangement during the occasion. Of course one of the highlights of the show would be a live demonstration by me on the different styles of daily cut flowers based on heliconias among other plants.
Heliconias have a unique tropical aura and exotic look to them since they are native to the deep rainforests of Amazon and Borneo. Commonly called 'Bird of Paradise ' or 'Parrot Flower', they are indeed long lasting as cut flowers mostly about 2-3 weeks with cut tips in water. The duration speaks volumes of its economics. I grow them for their very colourful bracts ( false flowers). My latest collection is the Rainbow Heliconia (Heliconia wagneriana ) as seen below. Other ideas I have for the show are; sketches, paintings, batik and abstract, photography, binders, post cards all based on the subject of heliconias.

Rainbow Heliconia ( Heliconia wagneriana )

Heliconia latispatha

Parrot Flower (Heliconia psittacorum)

Lobster Claw ( Heliconia spp)

Heliconia psittacorum spp.

Parrot Flower ( Heliconia psittacorum)

Parrot Flower ( Heliconia psittacorum spp)

Fire Crackers ( Heliconia rostrata)

Lobster Claw ( Heliconis stricta )

Heliconia 'Sassy Pink'

Flashy Sassy

I have not done any posts since I arrived Bintulu for a good reason. There's so much to do here that blogging will have to take the back seat. The schedule seems further crammed because tomorrow we'll be on the road again to Kuching. However I was inspired to face my notebook this morning when I encountered this clump of heliconia sassy pink at the back of our chalet. The long pendulous stalk on the left has 24 bracts. At the spur of the moment I decided to make a quick compostion for the morning. However I ended making more than 10. Why not?
The rest will be posted when I'll be in Kuching in my other blog here.


I prefer to just plunge the whole inflorescence inside a round glass vase to exhibit the colours through the looking glass. Devoid of any other materials, the above can become a stand alone display. Maybe call it.... Sassy Senoritas.

However since we'll be going to Kuching tomorrow why not make more cuttings of heliconias to make a riotous crowd. In goes the other varieties of heliconias with familiar names like golden torch , parrot flower and lobster's claws. What an exuberant show of colours! I therefore would call the composition...Flashy Sassy.

Hemigraphis colorata at Sassy Pink footpath

Just below the fallen log are planted recently the metal plant ( Hemigraphis colorata).  This is to provide cover for the jungle soil at the Sassy Pink footpath section of the Heliconia Valley. The front pendulous inflorescence
has 24 bracts according to my count this morning. Below is a CU view of the metal plant(looking east)

Heliconia collection

As part of the landscaping plan for my eco-farm, I have included a section for my collection of heliconias. It is envisaged that the area will ultimately develop into a 'heliconia valley' where one can enjoy the the stark beauty of heliconia colourful bracts.

Today I cleared the footsteps of a path in the valley area and trimmed the heliconia clumps along the way. Below is the scene of my morning workout. Despite being a Sunday, I enjoyed the morning hours clearing the undergrowth and overgrown grasses and sweeping off the fallen leaves.

The long string of pinkish bracts of heliconia 'sassy pink' below are a real treat. Some can be more than a meter long.

The deep red lipstick colours of the heliconia stricta below is very attractive. It is for their colourful bracts ( 'false flowers') that heliconias are better known.

And finally, before the day is done, I displayed four varieties of heliconias into this glass fish bowl.