Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia
Evergreen · Full Sun / Part Shade
Mature size: 1.5m–3m high × 1m–2m wide
- Evergreen
- Full Sun / Part Shade
- Mature height1.5m–3m
- Mature width1m–2m
- Frost Sensitive
- Flowers
Bright upright tropical flower bracts create outstanding resort-style colour and lush landscape impact.
- Current height guide
- Please enquire
- Pot size
- 30cm/33cm
Approximate only. Minimum height important? Confirm with us.
Height guide & disclaimer
Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you must confirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.
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Mature height & width
Mature height & width
- Mature height
- 1.5m to 3m
- Mature width
- 1m to 2m
Pot sizes & dimensions
Pot sizes & dimensions
| Pot / bag size | Width | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| 30cm Pot | 33cm | 30cm |
| 40cm/45L Pot | 44cm | 41.5cm |
| 50cm Pot / 70L Pot | 55cm | 41.8cm |
| 100L Bag | 50.6cm | 52.8cm |
| 150L Bag | 66cm | 55cm |
| 200L Bag | 71.5cm | 60.5cm |
| 300L Bag | 88cm | 63.8cm |
| 400L Bag | 99cm | 66cm |
| 500L Bag | 122cm | 66cm |
| 750L Bag | 134cm | 69cm |
| 1000L Bag | 146.3cm | 71.5cm |
| 2000L Bag | 176cm | 82.5cm |
General planting reference from our existing size guide. Actual containers can vary by supplier and batch; confirm exact dimensions if required.
Delivery & pickup
Delivery & pickup
Trade enquiries
Trade enquiries
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Final delivery cost is confirmed at checkout using your full address.
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About Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ is an evergreen clumping perennial with slim upright stems, narrow glossy leaves and orange-red bracts tipped in yellow. It is one of the smaller heliconias, so the clump reads as a dense leafy mass rather than a tall thicket, and it carries bracts over a long warm season.
Give it full sun to light shade, well drained soil enriched with compost, and water through summer. Growth is fast in tropical and subtropical zones, roughly 60 centimetres to 1.5 metres a year, and the clump thickens quickly. It is frost sensitive, so it needs a frost-free position sheltered from cold, drying wind.
It suits low tropical borders, poolside beds, courtyard planting and the front edge of larger rainforest schemes where a taller heliconia would swamp the space. It also holds up well in big containers. For landscapers after tropical colour at a manageable height, it fills the gap between groundcover and canopy.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Tropics Heliconia
What is Heliconia ‘Tropics’?
It is a hybrid heliconia between Heliconia psittacorum and Heliconia spathocircinata, grown as an evergreen clumping perennial. The stems are slender and upright, the leaves narrow and glossy, and the bracts a warm orange-red with yellow tips. It is smaller and tidier than most heliconias, which makes it much easier to place in a domestic garden.
How fast does Tropics Heliconia grow?
Quickly in warm conditions, putting on roughly 60 centimetres to 1.5 metres a year once the rhizome is established. A single plant will form a recognisable clump in one season and a solid mass by the second. Growth slows noticeably below about fifteen degrees, so most of the year's work happens between spring and autumn.
How big does it get?
Around 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide as a mature clump, and it keeps spreading slowly outwards from the rhizome unless it is contained. Plants grown in part shade tend to run slightly taller with looser stems. Cutting old stems out at ground level keeps the clump at the shorter end of that range.
Can it grow in pots?
Yes. It does well in a wide container of at least 50 to 60 centimetres with free-draining potting mix and regular feeding. Pots dry out fast in summer, so water often and stand the container out of hot afternoon wind. Repot or divide every couple of years, because a root bound clump flowers poorly.
Is it frost tolerant?
No, it is frost sensitive and even a light frost will scorch the foliage. Keep it in frost-free northern or coastal gardens, or in a protected courtyard where surrounding walls hold warmth overnight. If cold damage does occur, cut the burnt stems out at the base in early spring and the clump generally recovers.
How far apart should I plant it for a screen?
Space plants about 60 centimetres to 1 metre apart for a continuous low screen or mass planting. Closer spacing closes the gaps faster but needs more water and feeding, while wider spacing lets each clump show its own form. For a full looking bed, plant in odd numbered groups of three or five rather than a single straight line.
How do I care for Tropics Heliconia?
Keep the soil moist and mulched through the warm months, and feed in spring and midsummer with a complete fertiliser. Remove flowered stems at ground level, since each stem produces bracts once only. Lift and divide congested clumps every three or four years in spring, and clear away frost or wind damaged leaves as they appear.
| Mature height | 1.5m to 3m |
|---|---|
| Mature width | 1m to 2m |
| Position | Full Sun / Part Shade |
| Growth per year | 60cm to 1.5m per year under suitable conditions |
| Frost | Frost Sensitive |
| Foliage | Evergreen (foliage year round) |
| Form | Upright |
| Uses | Screening or Privacy |
- Foliage
Evergreen (foliage year round)
- Position
- Form
- Use
- Mature height
- 1.5m to 3m
- Mature width
- 1m to 2m
Planting Information
Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia is expected to grow 60cm to 1.5m per year under suitable conditions.
Long Term Care For Your Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia
Planting Your Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia in Different Soil
Uses in my Garden
Uses in my Garden
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia works in an:
Is Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia Evergreen or Deciduous?
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree
Mature Height & Width
Mature Height: 1.5m to 3m
Mature Width: 1m to 2m
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia is expected to grow 60cm to 1.5m per year under suitable conditions.
Growth Rate of Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia is expected to grow 60cm to 1.5m per year under suitable conditions.
They are considered to have a:
Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia
Is Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia frost tolerant?
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia is Frost Sensitive – May suffer damage from frost, best in frost-free or protected spots.
Does Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia Flower?
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ produces striking upright flower bracts in vibrant tropical tones through the warmer months. The blooms rise prominently above the lush foliage, creating a bold exotic display that brings strong colour and architectural impact to tropical garden spaces.
Does Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia flower?
Flowering Period:
Flower Type:
Flower Colour:
Red
Is Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia an Australian Native Tree?
No
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia is Native to
What is the Wildlife Value of Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia ?
Its vibrant flowers attract bees and nectar-feeding birds throughout the flowering season, supporting biodiversity within tropical and subtropical landscapes. The dense lush foliage also provides sheltered habitat for beneficial insects and small wildlife in humid garden settings.
How much Sunlight does Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia need?
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia will thrive best in:
Preferred Soil?
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ performs best in rich, well-drained loam soils with high organic content and an acidic to neutral pH. It will also tolerate heavier soils if improved with compost and organic matter to support drainage and moisture retention. Avoid dry sandy soils or persistently waterlogged conditions, as both extremes can reduce vigour and flowering quality. Keep soil consistently moist during active growth for best performance and appearance.
Is Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia Drought Tolerant?
Is Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia Drought tolerant?
As a young plant it requires regular watering to establish healthy vigorous growth, particularly during warmer weather. Once established, ‘Tropics’ shows moderate drought tolerance for short periods but performs best with consistent moisture to maintain lush foliage and strong flowering performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Compare sizes side by side
30cm/33cm
Enquire for current heights
Heights are approximate and vary between individual trees.
Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ is loved for its Bright upright tropical flower bracts create outstanding resort-style colour and lush landscape impact.
We take pride in supplying A+ grade advanced trees. When stock at our farm is not yet ready, we work with our trusted trade suppliers to source the best available trees for your garden.
Plant Your Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia With:
Trachelospermum jasminoides Balls – Star Jasmine Balls
Trachelospermum jasminoides Balls – Star Jasmine Balls
Trachelospermum jasminoides 'Balls' is Star Jasmine grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere. The small glossy leaves sit tight on a woody framework, holding a clean rounded outline year round. White pinwheel flowers open in spring and carry a strong sweet scent right across a courtyard.
Ball specimens hold at about 1 to 1.5 metres tall and wide with light clipping. Full sun to part shade suits them, in any free draining soil. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year. They handle coastal exposure, light frost and dry spells once the roots are down.
Repeat them along a driveway, either side of an entry, or in pots on a terrace where a formal shape is wanted straight away. They read as structure in a planting scheme without the height of a hedge, and because the form is already trained, a new garden looks settled from the day it goes in.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Star Jasmine Balls
What are Star Jasmine Balls?
They are Trachelospermum jasminoides, the common Star Jasmine, grown and clipped into a dense evergreen sphere on a woody framework. Instead of climbing, the plant is trained into a self supporting rounded shape. The foliage is small, glossy and dark green, and the plant carries scented white flowers through spring.
How big do Star Jasmine Balls grow?
They hold at roughly 1 to 1.5 metres tall and 1 to 1.5 metres wide. Growth is slow to moderate at 30 to 50 centimetres a year, so a light clip once or twice a year keeps the ball tight at whatever size within that range suits the setting.
Do Star Jasmine Balls need sun or shade?
Full sun to part shade both work. Full sun gives the densest foliage and the heaviest flowering, while part shade produces slightly softer, more open growth and fewer flowers. Avoid deep shade, where the ball thins out and loses its outline. Morning sun with afternoon protection suits hot inland gardens.
Can Star Jasmine Balls be grown in pots?
Yes, and pots are one of the main uses. A container 50 to 60 centimetres wide with a quality free draining mix will hold a ball for years. Water more often than you would in the ground, especially in summer, and feed in spring and again in late summer. Refresh the mix every few years.
Are Star Jasmine Balls evergreen?
Yes, the foliage is held year round. The glossy dark green leaves take on a bronze tinge in cold weather and green up again in spring, but the plant never goes bare. That is what makes it useful as permanent structure in a scheme, particularly in winter once perennials have died back.
When do Star Jasmine Balls flower?
Flowering runs through spring, roughly September to November, and often carries into early summer in warmer districts. The white pinwheel flowers are small but produced in quantity, and the scent is strong on still evenings. Flowering is heaviest on plants in full sun that were not clipped hard just before bud set.
How do I prune and care for Star Jasmine Balls?
Clip lightly with hedging shears once after flowering and again in late summer if needed, taking only the new growth to keep the outline crisp. Water deeply in dry weather, mulch the base, and feed in early spring. The sap is milky and can irritate skin, so wear gloves when trimming.
Trachelospermum jasminoides Balls – Star Jasmine Balls

Westringia fruticosa – Coastal Rosemary
Westringia fruticosa – Coastal Rosemary
Westringia fruticosa, Coastal Rosemary, is an Australian native evergreen shrub from the headlands and dunes of the east coast. It builds a dense rounded bush of fine grey green leaves held in whorls, with small white to pale lilac flowers. Despite the common name it is not the culinary herb.
Mature plants sit at 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide, growing 30 to 60 centimetres a year, and they clip smaller without complaint. Full sun to part shade and sharp drainage are the requirements. Salt wind, sandy soil, drought and light to moderate frost are all handled.
It is a standard on coastal projects, road verges, council garden beds and exposed banks that need erosion cover. Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for an informal screen, or 80 centimetres for a clipped hedge. A single plant fills a 40 to 50 centimetre pot on a courtyard or balcony.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Coastal Rosemary
What is Coastal Rosemary?
Westringia fruticosa is an Australian native evergreen shrub from the headlands and dunes of the east coast. It forms a dense rounded bush of fine grey green leaves held in whorls, with small white to pale lilac flowers. Despite the common name it is not culinary rosemary and is not used in cooking.
How big does Coastal Rosemary grow?
Mature plants reach 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide. It clips readily to smaller dimensions and is often maintained at around a metre as a hedge or a low mound. Growth is moderate, roughly 30 to 60 centimetres a year, so it holds a trimmed shape well.
Is Coastal Rosemary suitable for coastal positions?
It is one of the best shrubs available for exposed coastal work. It grows naturally on sea cliffs and copes with salt laden wind, sand and reflected heat. It is used constantly on beachfront reserves, dune stabilisation projects and seaside gardens where little else holds a tidy shape.
When does Coastal Rosemary flower?
The main flush is spring and summer, roughly September through February, with scattered flowering at other times of the year in mild districts. The flowers are small, white to pale lilac and sit among the foliage rather than above it. Clipped hedges flower less than plants left to grow informally.
How far apart should I plant Coastal Rosemary for a hedge?
Space plants 80 centimetres apart for a tight formal hedge, or 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen. On banks and batters used for erosion cover, 1 metre in a staggered grid gives full ground coverage within about two growing seasons.
Can Coastal Rosemary grow in pots?
Yes. A pot 40 to 50 centimetres wide suits a single plant for a courtyard, entry or balcony. Use a free draining mix, because the roots will not tolerate sitting wet. Container plants need watering more often than those in the ground, plus a light trim to hold their shape.
How do I prune and care for Coastal Rosemary?
Trim lightly two or three times a year, taking the soft new growth and avoiding cuts into bare old wood, which reshoots poorly. Water through the first summer, then only in extended dry spells. On most soils it needs no feeding at all, and it resents heavy watering and poor drainage.
Westringia fruticosa – Coastal Rosemary

Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Blue’ – Wynyabbie Blue Coastal Rosemary
Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Blue’ – Wynyabbie Blue Coastal Rosemary
Westringia 'Wynyabbie Blue' is a hardy Australian native shrub grown for its lilac blue flowers, which are larger and more freely carried than those of the common white forms. Narrow grey green leaves sit in neat whorls on a dense rounded frame that holds its shape through the year.
Expect 1.5 to 2 metres in height and width at maturity, at 30 to 60 centimetres a year. Full sun brings the heaviest flowering, though part shade is accepted. Drainage matters above everything else, after which it takes salt wind, sandy or gravelly ground, drought and light to moderate frost.
Mass plantings on batters, median strips and coastal frontages are where it earns its keep, and it clips into a low hedge of about a metre without losing its flowering. Plant 1 to 1.5 metres apart for an informal screen. One plant fills a 40 to 50 centimetre pot neatly.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Wynyabbie Blue Coastal Rosemary
What is Westringia Wynyabbie Blue?
Westringia 'Wynyabbie Blue' is a hardy Australian native shrub grown for its lilac blue flowers, which are larger and more freely carried than those of the common white forms. Narrow grey green leaves sit in neat whorls on a dense rounded frame. It is evergreen and holds its structure all year.
How big does Wynyabbie Blue grow?
It reaches 1.5 to 2 metres tall and 1.5 to 2 metres wide at maturity, growing 30 to 60 centimetres a year. It clips comfortably to around a metre if you want a lower hedge, and it will hold that height indefinitely given two or three light trims a year.
When does Wynyabbie Blue flower?
From spring right through autumn, roughly September to May, with sporadic flowers in winter in mild districts. The lilac blue flowers open in flushes rather than all at once, so there is usually some colour on the plant. Flowering is heaviest in full sun on lean, well drained soil.
Is Wynyabbie Blue drought tolerant?
Yes. Once the roots are established it needs very little water and copes with extended dry periods, which is why it is used on unirrigated median strips and road verges. Drainage matters more than watering, since the plant will die in soggy ground long before it dies of thirst.
Is Wynyabbie Blue suitable for coastal positions?
It is. Salt laden wind, sandy soils and reflected heat are all handled, and it is planted routinely on foreshore reserves and beachside gardens. In very exposed frontal positions the plant stays lower and denser than it would inland, which generally suits the situation anyway.
How far apart should I plant Wynyabbie Blue for a hedge?
Use 80 centimetres between plants for a clipped formal hedge, or 1 to 1.5 metres for a dense informal screen. For mass planting on banks and median strips, 1 metre in a staggered pattern gives full coverage within about two growing seasons and shades out most weeds.
How do I prune and care for Wynyabbie Blue?
Trim lightly after each flowering flush, taking soft growth only. Cutting back into bare old wood leaves gaps that will not fill in, so stay on top of it rather than letting it get away. Water through the first summer, then rarely. Avoid rich soils and heavy fertiliser.
Westringia ‘Wynyabbie Blue’ – Wynyabbie Blue Coastal Rosemary

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