Heliconia orthotricha

Native from southern Colombia through Ecuador and Peru to eastern Bolivia, it is a perennial herb that grows from underground rhizomes in wet tropical habitats. Its upright flower clusters carry pointed bracts arranged in two rows. Fine hairs give the bracts a velvety surface. Cultivated forms vary in bract color, including pink and crimson, often with contrasting dark borders and green edges. Small flowers emerge from within the bracts. Garden selections are valued as cut flowers for their long flowering season and good keeping qualities. They commonly reach about five to six feet tall. Photographed in the central Andes mountain range of Colombia.