A tropical flowering plant with vibrant, unusual-shaped flowers that often resemble birds or lobster claws.
Named after Mount Helicon, home of the Muses in Greek mythology. Linnaeus chose this name because he found the plant's beauty worthy of the gods.
Heliconia flowers are pollinated primarily by hummingbirds and specialized bees—the bright red, orange, and yellow colors evolved specifically to attract birds, and some species even curve into perfect tubes that fit exactly into a hummingbird's beak.
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