| How much shade does your St Vincent Red Parrot need and also DOES it need one of each sex in order to have blossoms like the Bird of Paradise. |
| Your St. Vincent Red Parrot is Heliconia psittacorum. Heliconias are one of the most tropical looking plants. It is a must to have in a garden to create a tropical paradise. Heliconia psittacorum varieties form a group of smaller growing Heliconias which rarely exceed 5ft. They are less affected by cool temperatures than other Heliconias and also require less care. Can be grown in containers and kept indoors. Psittacorums have no particular blooming season and produce inflorescences all year long, usually blooming already during the first year after planting. Inflorescence makes a long lasting cut flower. The reddish pointed structures are called bracts. These tough, leathery structures protect the actual flower, which is yellow and quite delicate. The hummingbird that comes to this flower has a beak precisely shaped to fit into the flower. When the bird feeds, it receives a meal of nectar and in return, the plant's flower is pollinated. Grow best at temperatures above 70 F and should never be subjected to temperatures of less than 50 F for extended periods. Heavy feeders. The soil should be kept moist between waterings, never soaking wet. Only one is all you need for spectacular flowers. They prefer to grow in full sunshine but in Houston, I'd give them morning sun and afternoon shade or at least filtered sunlight during the hot summer afternoons. Hope this answers all your questions. |
