Heliconia rostrata, the Crab Claws or Hanging Heliconia, is a tall erect heliconia, 2-5 meters tall. It is widely distributed over South America. It can be grown indoors or in a glasshouse. It produces up to 35 colourful, curved bracts, red with some yellow and green. The true flowers are pale yellow. Heliconia rostrata is one of the most recognized and widely grown species, due to its beauty. Fruits are large and round, green when immature and an attractive glossy blue colour when ripe. 1 meter long, banana- type leaves. The Heliconia's bracts are so large and colourful that they almost hide the flowers altogether, which are tiny and are found inside these bracts. Unlike other Heliconias, the inflorescences grow upside down. It will bloom in a pot. But to flower in its second or third year you would need to keep the plant warm enough during winter to prevent the top growth dying back to the rhizomes. The plant would regenerate itself the next spring, because the tuber would have survived. It blooms from May through August. If in reasonable conditions, it blooms all year. Hardiness zones 9-11, (5øC/40øF,-5øC/25øF) in winter. Heliconia rostrata seems to be rather tolerant to cool weather and grow well in subtropical conditions. In general, Heliconias are evergreen in the Tropics and warm Subtropics, like zone 10. Further north, upper zone 9 and lower zone 8, they may be frozen back to the ground each winter but survive to resprout the next spring. Recommended temperature 25øC. Provide warmth and high humidity. Can take full sun and semi shade. Needs rich soil containing peat moss, organic matter and coarse sand, and regular fertilizer. Use palm tree fertilizer and plant in well drained soil. It is really thirsty, water freely during growing months and moderately in winter. Keep soil evenly moist, but do not overwater making the soil too soggy.