{"product_id":"heliconia-psittacorum-tropics-heliconia","title":"Heliconia psittacorum × spathocircinata ‘Tropics’ – Tropics Heliconia","description":"\u003cp\u003eHeliconia 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGive 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin:44px 0 16px;\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:14px;font-weight:500;letter-spacing:1.5px;margin:0 0 8px;padding-top:32px;border-top:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);text-transform:uppercase;color:currentColor;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 24px;color:currentColor;opacity:0.65;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;\"\u003eAbout Tropics Heliconia\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eWhat is Heliconia ‘Tropics’?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eIt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow fast does Tropics Heliconia grow?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eQuickly 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow big does it get?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eAround 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eCan it grow in pots?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eYes. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eIs it frost tolerant?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eNo, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow far apart should I plant it for a screen?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eSpace 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails style=\"border-bottom:1px solid rgba(128,128,128,0.25);padding:18px 0;\"\u003e\u003csummary style=\"font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4;padding-right:12px;font-size:16px;color:currentColor;\"\u003eHow do I care for Tropics Heliconia?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp style=\"margin:14px 0 0;line-height:1.7;color:currentColor;opacity:0.85;\"\u003eKeep 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Evergreen Trees Direct","offers":[{"title":"30cm\/33cm","offer_id":46566080053447,"sku":null,"price":120.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.evergreentrees.com.au\/products\/heliconia-psittacorum-tropics-heliconia","provider":"Evergreen Trees Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}