What was your low temperature that brought on the yellowing? H. Rostrata can take temps briefly into the upper 20's. H. Angusta is a little less cold tolerant taking temps in the middle 30's. But any frosty weather will pretty much set them back, turn them yellow and generally give them a sick looking appearance. Cutting and mulching is a good idea but remember that both of these heliconia bloom on second year growth. Hopefully, some of the shorter stalks are still green and your temps will stay moderate for the rest of the winter. I wouldn't cut those stalks, just the ones that are finished blooming. Steve

Where in south Louisiana are you? I'm in Lake Charles, same zone as you. Heliconia Schiedeana is root hardy for me in a protected spot with a southern exposure. But it has not bloomed in 3 years (was growing it in a pot when it bloomed) A frost will kill the stalks but it almost immediately begins to put out new stalks, even in the winter, when it warms up between fronts. Heliconia Rostrata, the hanging lobster claw heliconia, is marginally root hardy in the ground. It can withstand temps around 28 to 30 for a few hours and survive but anything below will kill the stalks. It will begin to regrow in May but both of these heliconia bloom on second year growth so your chances of getting them to bloom is marginal unless you provide some protection. I cover my Rostrata with a portable greenhouse during the winter and add an electric heater when it drops below 32 and mine are blooming now. I don't protect Schiedeana. The orange bird will do just fine for you. It will survive 24 with a little leaf damage. The white one is a little more cold sensitive. I have two plantings of both. They are protected from frost but get the full force of the north winds. They won't look too good coming out of winter. Just trim them up and they will do fine. The orange bird blooms in the late summer or early fall for me. The white bird starts showing blooms in late winter for me but I've had them bloom all year long. I'm not familar with the canna. Steve

Hi Guys, I am another unfortunate person with a Heliconia craving in a bloody cold area. I have the same climate as coastal Sydney. I'm at the coast of Taree NSW and have below 2C-3C throughout the winter with the odd -1C. Also we have to watch our summers heatwaves with peaks of 47C (last Tuesday). Heliconias are possible, but only with a lot of effort. Protect your plant from cold wind as this can chill the stem causing the plant to die back to the ground. They may handle the air temperature, but wind chill will get them every time. Also Heliconias in our area must have excellent drainage. We are a winter rain area and this is dangerous for Heliconias. I've gone through 40 varieties to find the best ones for me. CoralCoast_Tropicals is right; H. subulata, H. spissa and H. schiedeana are the easiest. They are smaller and easier to protect from strong winds. H. subulata can take the most exposure, but H. schiedeana is supposed to be the most cold tolerant even taking light frost???(IÂve not tested this). Another excellent Heliconia and my favourite is Heliconia bourgaeana cv Hot Pink. I've had mine in the ground for 4 year. It has flowered as far south as Gosford that I know off. Also Heliconia latispatha cv. Orange gyro is pretty tough and very easy to flower. If you can handle spotty leaves then Heliconia rostrata is working out. I've talked to someone who flowered it in Ulladulla south coast NSW. It works because for us southerner it grows to only 1.5m high and so is easy to put in the right microclimate. The leaves will be spotty through the winter, but the plants flowers fairly reliably in SydneyÂs Northern Beaches. In flower it is stunning and worth the effort. Scot what was the variety that you bought?

I'm not in Perth, and no knowledge of where to get them locally, but can speak to growing Heliconias in a summer dry/winter wet climate. I am located in northern California, also a medit climate, and the cold hardier species such as H. scheideana, H. matthiasiae, H. spissa, H. latispatha, H. aurantiaca all do fine here, and will take a few degrees of frost and not be killed, if protected by overhead evergreen trees. I would assume that freezes are not your problem, and instead, best culture will require heavy summer irrigation, and planting in shade with wind protection to create the humid environment they prefer. Heliconias look miserable in southern California where fully exposed to the hot dry winds called Santa Ana's which tend to occur in late summer through early winter in the south. The leaves are destroyed and burnt, and I would imagine that hot winds are a regular threat in your local climate as well. As you are significantly warmer in winter than we are here in San Francisco, you may also have better luck with some of the more tropical species, but I would advise sticking with the ones that don't demand winters above 10C to survive. All the species I mentioned are from southern Mexico into central America and will take abit of winter cold, as it occasionally can freeze at the altitudes these are found in habitat.