Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Heliconiaceae
Summer Squash, Winter Squash
Number of Varieties
1941
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
Cold Regions, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Orange, Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Lemon yellow
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Ample Water
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
Compost
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Downy mildew, Fungal Diseases, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
Insects
Allergy
Toxic
Skin irritation, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Healing
anti-cancer, Bone strength, Fiber, Indigestion, Nutrients, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Fruits
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping
Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Vine
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
CUCURBITA pepo 'Delicata'
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Peanut Squash, Squash
In Hindi
Heliconia
देलिकाता स्क्वाश
In German
Heliconia
Delicata Squash
In French
Heliconia
Delicata Squash
In Spanish
Heliconia
Delicata Squash
In Greek
Heliconia
Delicata Σκουός
In Portuguese
Heliconia
Delicata Squash
In Polish
Heliconia
Delicata Squash
In Latin
Heliconia
delicata Cucurbitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Cucurbitales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Heliconia
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
198100
1
27800
👆🏻