Heliconia is a genus of about 100 to 200 species of flowering plants native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia. Heliconia is the sole genus of family Heliconiacae, but was formerly included in the family Musaceae.

The leaves are 15-300 cm long , oblong, growing opposite one another on non-woody petioles often longer than the leaf, often forming large clumps with age. Their flowers are produced on long, erect or drooping panicles, and consist of brightly colored waxy bracts, with small true flowers peeping out from the bracts. The growth habit of heliconias is similar to Canna, Strelitzia (Bird-of-paradise), and bananas, to which they are related. Heliconias are an important food source for forest hummingbirds, especially the hermits some of which, such as the Rufous-breasted Hermit, also use the plant for nesting.Heliconias are grown for the florist's trade and as landscape plants Heliconia aurea, Heliconia caribaea, Heliconia collinsiana, Heliconia rostrata, Heliconia wagneriana are Some of the species.