One Heliconia that you can grow for foliage is Heliconia indica rubra. It is tall growing to around 3 – 4 metres in height, and brilliant shades of red as the foliage matures.
The leaves are held erect, lance shaped and this is a clump forming plant.
It grows well in part shade to full sun and although it does flower it is really the foliage that you grow this heliconia variety for.
This is a tropical to sub tropical plant and grows well in a humus rich moist well drained soil.
Excellent along fence lines or used to underplant taller tropical plants.
Many Heleconia varieties are available for sale, some grown for the foliage others such as Heleconia wagneriana grown for the spectacular ‘Lobster Claw’ flowers