Hi,

I've grown interest in growing Heliconia ever since I went to Singapore Botanic Garden. Heliconias are abundant over there and they grow so well that even some of them cracked and grow on the cemented pathway. back in Indonesia, I used to think of them as potential weed, due to how quick they grew and nearly overtake the whole garden in a year (worse if I give them fertilizer). So, I undervalue them and threw all of them away.

Now, I live in Melbourne, the winter temperature here can get to -1 to -2C in the morning with occasional very light frost, around 8 - 10C during midday. I read through the garden forum, people talk about schideana, subulata, angusta, spissa etc as being cold hardy. But, I wonder how cold they can survive to? will they still flower after exposure to -1C?

I have been searching for answer from different sources. however, it seems every areas and ones own experience are different. So, I've decided to experiment it myself. I grow heliconia rostrata and subulata outside in the pot at the moment. there was just a light frost here yesterday. The subulata has not shown damage yet, but the rostrata has shown a slight frost burnt around the edges of the leaves. Should I worry about this?

I wonder if anyone has experience growing Heliconia in temperate zone (in melbourne) succesfully?

I'm going to put subulata, rostrata, bihai 'nappi' and angusta 'red christmas' into the ground in my garden once the winter pass. So, I will need advice how to look after them.

Can anyone tell if heliconia caribaea x bihai 'kawauchi' will likely to survive melbourne weather?

Tirto