These are Heliconia species, spikes are erect, brilliantly colored, the form always associated to an animal form.
There are also H. species which have different inflorescence habits. Because of the length of their spikes, this Heliconia species tend to droop (another drooping Heliconia is the sexy pink shown in Autumn Belle's older post). The longer and bigger the droop, the prettier will be the show. They are beautiful in whatever size, purpose and arrangement you would like them to be. This is Heliconia rostrata.
it is like a crab claw when still young
newly formed inflorescence against their natural green stems and leaves
strongly shaded lanky plants producing short inflorescence against a rock wall
as hedge to cover a wall of interlinked wire fence
with other free growing species in an otherwise untended green patch
...and as a central flower arrangement highlighting an important pedestal
Whatever form, use, purpose, state of plant quality, and arrangements; Heliconia rostrata will always be standing out, even in its drooping form.
This is posted in Todays Flowers
For beautiful photos please visit Autumn Belle's My Nice Garden.
To see a lot of Heliconia species and cultivars (about 44)
with photos, and a thorough discussion on propagation,
growth and care requirements, please visit: http://www.heliconiasocietypr.org/heliconia_cultivars1.htm
I just posted it hurriedly as a heliconia because it was next to the heliconia files. My apologies for my carelessness and insensitivity,and my gratitude for Rainforest Gardener for pointing it out.
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They are very striking. I love them in an arrangement...as in your photo.
ReplyDeleteThey look like flamingos standing on top of each other, to me.
Hi Andrea,
ReplyDeleteThose are amazingly beautiful flowers! I have never seen such a plant in my life, so unusual.'
Thanks for visiting my blog and for the comment.
Hugs, Cindy
Utterly gorgeous, my friend. Thanks for sharing and for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteA very beautiful flower, we do occasionally see them here in bouquets.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, you had asked about the photo from Dart's Hill photography contest.
I used my 55-250 telephoto lens, and I don't know the exact settings, but I will try to find them for you.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Its a lovely plant but tend to be bushy and dense which may cause unwanted problems with mosquito's and may attract snakes.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, its a beautiful colourful plant with exotic feature.
So very beautiful!!! Thanks for your comment on my blog. On removing the power lines and pole, I did it in Picasa3. That is a free download and is so so sweet to use for pictures. Google it and check it out. I just used the remove button.
ReplyDeleteIt is a strikingly beautiful flower, but it tends to become invasive in tropical gardens.
ReplyDeleteAmy - yes they look like flamingos as other cultivars are called bird-of-paradise. thanks for your visit.
ReplyDeleteCindy - you are in temperate zones so this is unusual for you, it thrives in the dry humid tropics like Asia and Latin America. thanks for dropping by.
SandyCarlson - you are so generous with your comment, please drop by again.
Jen @Muddy Boot Dreams - thanks for your visit and reply about the camera. We also use them in big flower arrangements.
James and Lotusleaf - you are very right it is invasive in tropical gardens and snakes and mosquitos tend to stay there, haha. That is actually the reason why i removed them in my garden and planted it in marginal area of the property. James i read your comment also in AB's and you're right because we have the same climate.
Dorothy - thank you so much for the nice words and your advise about removing power lines. Nobody ever told me that before yet, i am very grateful.
Andrea, I linked to you today. Thank you very much for linking to me. Now, we are intertwined line vines, hehehe!
ReplyDeleteI really like the centrepiece. The lamp seem to accentuate the ambience.
Hey! I was typing the comment the same time you are replying the comments. Serendipity?
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures Andrea. I have a soft corner for these drooping beauties. Magnificent ... aren't they?
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have such stunning tropical blooms growing with wild abandon! I love the lobster's claws, but they can't be found in my piece of Florida, I guess because they are more cold-tender than the parrot's beaks.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, Do you know that these plants are planted at the side of my house in abundance by the developer here? Heliconias are beautiful. The problem is with maintenance since they grow too fast. I am very fortunate...
ReplyDeletehttp://onenezz.blogspot.com/2010/09/heliconia.html
Autumn Belle - i've replied at your post earlier, i said i've been looking for my nice photos but can't locate them so made do with these 2nd rate photos. Yes we have serendipity, we are entertwined and we are ONE. And One is one with us too, haha!
ReplyDeleteEver Green Tree - i still envy your post, i cannot forget the beauty how the story unfolds and emerged as beautiful as the butterfly!
Floridagirl - don't bother with this heliconia, you have other plants there which are of equal if not more beauty.
One - you should have waited for us to post so we can have more effective twines and tendrils. Maybe that time you posted we are not yet very much related unlike AB and I. Now we can post at the same time coz we are now ONE!
A great post on my fave inflorescences. By the way, are you sure the fourth photo is of a heliconia spike? It looks a lot like a bromeliad flowerspike to me...
ReplyDeleteRainforest Gardener - oh yes, i am very sorry everyone for this mistake. I was in a hurry posting this and since that photo is next to the file, i just assumed it is also a Heliconia spp. It was also not a very common flower to me so it slipped my sensitivity. Thank you very much for pointing that out and i will rectify it with a Postscript. My apologies.
ReplyDeleteOh, I do love flowers that have more then one color. What a beautiful contrast :-)
ReplyDeletei saw lots of this flower growing in Davao.
ReplyDeleteRe Kublai Millan, yes, he's Filipino from Davao. his works are all over Mindanao.
Stunning colors! Especially love that Heliconia rostrata! Only I am afraid Heliconia is a little bit too big for my my tiny garden. I currently grow a baby one in the pot.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful plants, Andrea!
ReplyDeleteI love these Andrea and they do look like animals....Michelle
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful and so unique looking. What tremendously rich coloring. Thanks for all the info as well.
ReplyDeletealoha andrea,
ReplyDeletebeautiful photos, love the display one at the end, looks like a nice restaurant, i bet the dinner was great?
Very beautiful, Andrea!
ReplyDeleteFlowers are always beautiful, but you present them in way in which they look even more beautiful. If I continue visiting your blog then one day I will start a flowers garden.
ReplyDeleteAfter your crab claw caption I couldn't see them any other way! Well, maybe they remind me of parrot beaks, too. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteNoelle, Luna Miranda, Amy, Michelle of Rambling Woods, Poetic Shutterbug, Noel, EG Wow
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your inspiring words and very kind comments.
Bom - yes you can link with my post, and thank you.
Birdy - you are very kind and it is a pleasure if i can in a way inspire you to have your own garden.
Eliza - haha, yes they look like parrot beaks too. Beauty is really in the eye of the beholder. Maybe i love crab better than parrots though. thanks for visiting.
Very beautiful! The first kind, I have not see. The H. rostrata is most common around these parts. Loved your series of photographs.
ReplyDeleteThose blooms are beautiful and exotic! I never would have caught the mistake that you made in one of the photos.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful plants, so exotic and strange. Thank you for sharing them with us. Christina
ReplyDelete