Plant · GBIF taxon 2760967
Hanging Lobster Claw Heliconia
Heliconia rostrataAlso known as False Bird of Paradise, Hanging Heliconia, Lobster Claw
Hanging lobster claw produces striking pendulous inflorescences featuring bright red bracts tipped with yellow and green. Native to South American rainforests, these downward-hanging structures allow the plant to offer undiluted nectar directly to long-billed hummingbirds without rainwater diluting the sweet fluid. Clumps spread continuously underground through fleshy rhizomes, forming dense stands in warm, humid understories.
TropicalFloweringHummingbird Magnet
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthetic
Predators
- Snails
- Caterpillars
- Spider Mites
ThreatsDeforestation and habitat degradation
HabitatsTropical rainforests, humid lowlands, tropical gardens
Life spanPerennial (rhizomes endure indefinitely)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyHeliconiaceae
- SpeciesHeliconia rostrata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Viewing Location: Look for these showy plants in tropical botanical gardens and damp, shaded forest paths.
- Pollinator Watching: Quietly observe the flowers in early morning to catch visiting hummingbirds feeding.
- Photography Tip: Frame the long hanging inflorescences against dark foliage to highlight the vivid crimson bracts.
Look-Alike (c) Henry de Lange, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Henry de Lange · cc-by
Pollinator 
Close Relative (c) Kevin Faccenda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Kevin Faccenda · cc-by
Close Relative Octave Fargier / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Order Relative (c) Ong Jyh Seng, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Ong Jyh Seng · cc-by-sa
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