Overview
Heliconia 'Guyana' is a columnar upright conservatory greenhouse in the genus Heliconia, part of the Heliconiaceae family, with evergreen foliage. Heliconia 'Guyana' grows best in full sun and partial shade, and tolerates loam soils and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H1a. Suggested uses include patio and container plants and flower borders and beds.
About
Heliconia 'Guyana' is a cultivar of the Heliconia genus, a group of herbaceous plants known for their columnar upright habit and evergreen foliage. These plants develop long clustered leaves and produce pendulous panicles with vibrant, waxy bracts in various colours. 'Guyana' thrives in fertile, moist but well-drained loam soil with a neutral pH, preferring full sun to partial shade in sheltered, south, west, or east-facing aspects. It is suitable for patios, containers, and flower borders, offering interest in spring and summer. This cultivar requires protection in the UK, with a hardiness rating of H1a.
About the genus
Heliconia is a genus of flowering plants in the monotypic family Heliconiaceae. Most of the 194 known species are native to the tropical Americas, but a few are indigenous to certain islands of the western Pacific and Maluku in Indonesia.
Growing conditions
Best soil and position for Heliconia
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Loam
- Soil pH
- Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1a
Plant details
Heliconia 'Guyana' size, habit and characteristics
- Plant type
- Conservatory Greenhouse
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants, Flower borders and beds
Care notes
Pruning and caring for Heliconia 'Guyana'
- Propagation
- Seed sown in heat in spring, Division in spring
- Pest resistance
- Susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, mealybugs, snails
- Disease resistance
- Phytophthora root rot, Pythium stem rot
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to plant Heliconia 'Guyana'?
Heliconia 'Guyana' prefers full sun and partial shade. It suits sheltered positions.
What soil does Heliconia 'Guyana' need?
Heliconia 'Guyana' grows best in loam soil. It prefers neutral soil. Aim for soil that stays moist but well-drained.
Is Heliconia 'Guyana' hardy in the UK?
Heliconia 'Guyana' has an RHS hardiness rating of H1a, meaning it needs tropical warmth above 15°C and must be grown under glass in the UK.
How do I propagate Heliconia 'Guyana'?
Seed sown in heat in spring, Division in spring.
More in the Heliconia genus
- Heliconia 'Golden Torch'
- Heliconia angusta 'Holiday'
- Heliconia angusta 'Yellow Christmas'
- Heliconia bourgaeana
- Heliconia caribaea
- Heliconia caribaea 'Dominican Yellow'
- Heliconia caribaea 'Prince of Darkness'
- Heliconia caribaea 'Purpurea'