Continuing where the “Heliconia Bible” by Fred Berry and John Kress left off in 1991, this book offers a comprehensive review of heliconia cultivation, not only in the tropical garden but also in subtropical and even protected temperate regions. Completely bilingual (English/Spanish), it covers topics such as taxonomy, botany and ecology, propagation and culture, genetic improvement and cultivar nomenclature, cut flowers, other uses for heliconias, and more.

Specialized tables present information such as valid and invalid Latin names, heliconia species distribution by country and altitude, light requirements and cold hardiness of different species, flower production, and postharvest vase life. Detailed descriptions and color photos describe 66 species and nearly 300 different heliconia cultivars currently growing in Puerto Rico, including 144 cultivars that have never before been described and 56 new cultivars that were selected on the island.