Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Europe, Nepal, Southern Asia, Southern Europe
Types
Heliconiaceae
Myristica fragrans
Number of Varieties
194150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
Cold Regions, Hills, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm1,000.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
In Early Autumn, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
fertilize in spring, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Anthracnose, Armillaria mellea, Blight, Caterpillars, Crown gall, Crown rot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Drought, Frost
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
Aphids, Bees, Beetles, Caterpillar, Small mammals
Allergy
Toxic
Abdominal distension, flushing of face, hallucinations, Headache, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin and hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Absorbs greenhouse gases, Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Erosion control, Food for birds, Food for insects, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Healing
Anemia, anti-cancer, Antispasmodic, Asthma, Diarrhea, Healing, Stomach spasms, Thoat infection
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping
Making deodorants, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in mosquito repellents, Used as a laxative, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for making soaps, Used in biomass
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Groundcover
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
Myristica fragrans
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Nutmeg
In Hindi
Heliconia
जायफल
In German
Heliconia
Muskatnuss
In French
Heliconia
noix de muscade
In Spanish
Heliconia
nuez moscada
In Greek
Heliconia
μοσχοκάρυδο
In Portuguese
Heliconia
noz-moscada
In Polish
Heliconia
gałka muszkatołowa
In Latin
Heliconia
nutmeg
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Magnoliales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Heliconia
Myristica
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Myrteae
Subfamily
-
Myrtoideae
Number of Species
1982
1
27800
👆🏻