The Amazon jungle is full of mysteries and secret treasures of nature that only brave adventurers can discover, that is, those who venture to visit the place and explore among the immense lush vegetation. With a little knowledge and a lot of curiosity, you can encounter species as fascinating as the hot lips plant.
No matter how detail-oriented you are, its appearance will make you sing, because you are looking at one of these magnificent natural works of art. It's about the heliconiaa amazon rainforest plant very striking for its shape and colors. These plants are also known as lobster claws.
And they are even called parrot flowers, because of their colors and leaves, in intense red and green tones. Although it is not unusual to find them in other colors such as pink, yellow, orange and purple and even combining several of these colors. Heliconias have many curious facts to tell us.
The Amazon kissing plant
Don't be scared if someone from the Amazon uses expressions like "whore lips" or, more romantically, "bride lips", because they are referring to nothing less than heliconia or Palicourea elata.
If you like to see the world, you have to travel to countries like Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador and Costa Rica. And if you are going to go or return to them, if you have already been, make a note on your list to look for specimens of the hot lips, because it is likely that, with a little luck, you will find them.
Seeing his photographs you will have already realized the reason for his name. And the heliconia has bract leaves that fall backwards, accumulating rainwater and becoming the ideal home for a variety of aquatic fauna.
But be careful, those lips, although they look like the petals of the flower, are not really. They are its leaves! The flowers are carried inside and are small but equally striking. The leaves or bracts, in a striking red color, are placed in that “kissing” position, precisely what they do before their flowers are born.
Its small flowers are also pretty and star-shaped, in white that create a beautiful and harmonious contrast.
When does Palicourea elata bloom and how does it reproduce?
La Palicourea elata or hot lip plant It blooms between the months of December to March. Then, small flowers appear in the shape of stars, without any aroma and in a light color.
In terms of reproduction, it should be noted that this species has a curious and complex form of pollination, but equally effective. Because it has no smell, it lacks this attraction mechanism towards pollinating fauna, such as insects and birds. But there is no problem that cannot be solved, compensating for the lack of smell with super striking colors. Hence the curious shape and colors of the plant.
The hot lips of the heliconia not only attract us, who are surprised by the similarity of the leaves of this plant with a voluminous mouth ready to give you an unforgettable kiss, but it also manages to attract the attention of animals such as hummingbirds and the butterflies. It is these little animals that are responsible for collecting and carrying pollen, facilitating pollination.
The process continues, because, once fertilization has taken place, after pollination, the plant produces small berries that serve as food for birds. They are black or sometimes dark blue berries. And ready! As you can see, resources are not lacking Palicourea elata.
A plant that hides and protects its flowers by forming false flowers with its red leaves, just the ones that give shape to the apparent black lip or kiss (another popular name, with which you can also find the species called).
What survival conditions does the hot lip plant need?
It comes from the rainforest, so the hot lip plant or Palicourea elata requires a temperate climate. If one day you are lucky enough to visit its countries of origin and want to look for it, look carefully at the understory layers of the rainforests. But look up! Because don't be surprised that it reaches three meters in height. Although, in areas where sunlight does not reach directly, they can be much shorter. They will grow, of course, forming vines with the trees.
Look for the areas on the banks of springs and streams, because the P. elata plant needs humidity, giving priority to porous and humid soils that are also rich in organic matter.
Curious, tropical plant with medicinal properties
La hot lips plant It has been known for many years for its medicinal properties. A true jewel of nature, for its appearance and its content. Because Palicourea elata is part of indigenous medicine to cure various pains, including earaches. It is also used to cure dyspnea, skin irritation and to relieve cough.
In infusions or decoction of the plant, a healing ointment is obtained against snake bites.
Science has proven the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects of Palicourea elata. Likewise, it is sometimes used for the ceremonies of the indigenous people of the place. It even has nutritional use, so we are faced with a treasure from Mother Earth, which pleases the eye, the palate and the body, in addition to serving the flora and fauna of the place.
In danger of extinction
Unfortunately, just as we tell the positive, we have to mention the saddest side of the hot lips plant and it is in danger of extinction. There are up to 200 varieties of the plant, but some of them could soon disappear. The hand of man and the droughts associated with climate change are behind this sad news. Besides, the amazon rainforest plant It contains a psychotropic substance, which makes it even more attractive and exposed to its disappearance due to excessive collection. We could be reaching the end of the hot lips plant.