JeanSh,
I'm sorry to take so long to respond to your query! I asked one of our wonderful plant database editors, Jamie Burghardt, to reply and here is what he recommends:

"The variety of false-bird-of-paradise that you have, 'Choconiana', is of the running/spreading species Heliconia psittacorum. I believe that since you have had your plant for a good six months, your plant is now rootbound in that original pot. With all kinds of fleshy rhizomes being produced, they have now become quite compacted and encircled in the lower portions of the pot. Thus, even though you may be watering, with all those roots displacing soil, the water is draining very quickly and the remaining soil just cannot retain enough water to sustain all that plant tissue. The result is curled leaves from stress.

The time has come to pull out that plant (or cut the plastic container off) and divide the false-bird of paradise. You can either slice the rootball in half with a spade, or more judiciously trim off nice looking root sections. Either retain only one or create two to four new containers with the divisions. To lessen the risk of fungal problems on the freshly cut roots, you can coat the "wounds" with cinnamon, which is a natural anti-fungicide. Once you have repotted, keep the plants warm and moist (but don't let its soil ever be soggy in winter). As spring's warmth returns, you will again see new shoots and eventually the peachy-orange flowers. Just remember that this vigorous plant will again outgrow its container, and the process will need to be repeated."

Be sure to learn everything you can about your Heliconia in the Learn2Grow Plant Database: http://www.learn2grow.com/PlantDatabase/Plants/PlantDetails.aspx?PlantID=0b877e9c-a298-4c17-b5d8-4c01648c6ac3

Mark Miller, Content Director