Heliconia mutisiana

Endemic to Colombia, this perennial herb grows from underground rhizomes in wet tropical habitats. It occurs in forest interiors in the Colombian Andes and reaches about seven to ten feet tall. Its hanging flower clusters bear bright red bracts and a central axis covered with dense hairs. Yellow flowers project conspicuously from the bracts, usually in groups of six or seven. The small, hairy fruits turn blue when ripe. Individual flowers open around dawn and last only one day, but the plant can continue blooming for more than a month. Its nectar attracts hummingbirds, some of which pierce the flowers to feed without contacting the reproductive parts. The species is cultivated as an ornamental. Photographed in the central Andes mountain range of Colombia.