Hanging Lobster Claw

Product Details

Hanging Lobster Claw

Heliconia rostrata

Live Plant 🌿

🪴 Ship Size: 1 Gallon Pot

Plant Description:

🌱 Bring a bold tropical vibe to your garden with Heliconia rostrata, also known as Hanging Lobster Claw or False Bird of Paradise. This striking ornamental ships in a 1-gallon pot and loves warm, humid conditions, reaching an average mature height of 6–10 feet with lush, banana-like foliage and dramatic, drooping red-and-yellow flower bracts that steal the show all season long.

Key Information:

🌞 Light: Partial sun to dappled shade for best growth.

💧 Watering: Keep soil consistently moist but well-drained — loves humidity.

📏 Mature Size: Typically 6–10 feet tall with a 3–6 foot spread.

🌼 Flower Power: Showy pendant bracts attract hummingbirds and butterflies while creating an exotic, tropical focal point.

🌍 Growing Zones: Suitable for zones 9–11; grow as a container plant and overwinter indoors in colder climates.

🌡️ Cold Hardiness: Minimum temperature 50°F — not frost hardy.

Flavor Profile: Not edible — for ornamental use only.

Culinary Uses & Applications:

🚫 No culinary use; grown purely for its dramatic flowers and lush foliage.

Medicinal Uses & Applications:

🚫 No known medicinal uses; admired worldwide as a decorative tropical plant.

🌱 Growth Habits: A clumping perennial that spreads slowly, with upright leafy stalks and long-lasting hanging flower spikes. Perfect for adding vertical interest and vibrant color to shady or semi-shady garden spots.

🌿 Care: Feed with balanced fertilizer during the growing season. Mulch to retain soil moisture. Divide clumps every few years to rejuvenate growth. Protect from strong winds that can shred leaves.

🌍 Origin Stories and Historical Uses: Native to the rainforests of Central and South America, Heliconia rostrata is beloved for its stunning cut flowers and lush landscaping appeal, symbolizing the beauty and biodiversity of tropical ecosystems.

⛔ Root Warning: None

⚠️ Poisonous Parts: Non-toxic to people and pets.