Sweet little heliconia
Heliconia hirsuta

Family: Heliconiaceae

What it is like

A herb. It is erect and grows 1 m tall. The leaves are like banana leaves. The flowers are red. The fruit are fleshy and blue.

Where it is found

It is a tropical and temperate plant. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 1,200 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Amazon, Argentina, Asia, Belize, Brazil (country/location of origin), Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Honduras, Indonesia, Jamaica, Marquesas, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pacific, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, SE Asia, South America, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela, Winward Is.

How it is used for food

The roots are edible and also fermented into an alcoholic drink.

Edible parts

Roots, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Airo penoca, Bananeira-do-mato, Bananeirinha, Millua situlli, Pari riwa, Patuju

Synonyms

Bihai hirsuta (L.f.) Kuntze; Limnocharis haenkei C. Presl; Many others