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bigdog · 04-26-2007, 05:13 PM

Hi Kyle, don't know how I missed this post!

That's really nice to hear about your Musa thomsonii. I have a three gallon plant going in the ground sometime soon. It seems a lot slower than any of my other bananas in the greenhouse. Hopefully it'll speed up once in the ground. The M. acuminata dwarf surprises me also. Looks like I'll be killing one of my 'African Reds' this year too!

Here's my winners and losers:

Winners:

M. basjoo (of course)
M. sikkimensis 'Red Tiger'
M yunnanensis (sold as M. itinerans by Agri-starts) -

This one started sending pups up in mid-March! A very cold-hardy species.

M. cheesmani -

Two pups are growing back, albeit very slowly. Much slower than the previous three species. The main pseudostem was protected by a bag of leaves, and looked good initially after uncovering. Upon closer inspection, the center was rotten all the way to the corm.

Musella lasiocarpa -

Not only did the pseudostem survive intact in a bag of leaves...it's still flowering! Amazing.

Musa 'Orinoco' -

As far as corm hardiness, it is the most cold-hardy variety I've grown. I have NOT tested M. 'Brazilian' yet, however, or any others that are reportedly cold-hardy. Started sending up pups in Mid-April.

And the losers:

Musa velutina -

I know...I haven't kept one alive through a winter yet. People all around me in this state have no problem with it, but no luck here. I'm trying a different clone this year, as well as a few seed-raised plants. It still may come back, as it is still relatively early...but I'm not holding my breath.

Musa 'Royal Purple' -

I had high hopes for this one. Oh well. Maybe it's just slow coming back too. Another couple of weeks, and I'll dig it up and see what's left.

Musa 'Jamaican Tall' or whatever you want to call it -

Just left this one out for giggles. Complete mush.

Got a bunch more going in the ground this Spring, including:
Musa itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis
Musa nagensium 'Florale Noire'
Musa 'New Bhutan'
Musa velutina (again)
Musa 'Helen's Hybrid'
Musa thomsonii
Musa mannii
M. ornata
M. 'African Red' (doesn't look too hopeful from Kyle's report though)
M. balbisiana 'Neue Art' from sunshine-seeds.com

Now, to find a place to put them...

04-26-2007, 05:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
bigdog Title-less bigdog's Photo Gallery Location: Knoxville, TN Find me on the map! Zone: 7a Name: Frank Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,494 BananaBucks : 8,359 Feedback: 5 / 100% Thanks: 82 Thanked 416 Times in 170 Posts Welcomes: 93	Re: Survivors this year, and the dead Hi Kyle, don't know how I missed this post! That's really nice to hear about your Musa thomsonii. I have a three gallon plant going in the ground sometime soon. It seems a lot slower than any of my other bananas in the greenhouse. Hopefully it'll speed up once in the ground. The M. acuminata dwarf surprises me also. Looks like I'll be killing one of my 'African Reds' this year too! Here's my winners and losers: Winners: M. basjoo (of course) M. sikkimensis 'Red Tiger' M yunnanensis (sold as M. itinerans by Agri-starts) - This one started sending pups up in mid-March! A very cold-hardy species. M. cheesmani - Two pups are growing back, albeit very slowly. Much slower than the previous three species. The main pseudostem was protected by a bag of leaves, and looked good initially after uncovering. Upon closer inspection, the center was rotten all the way to the corm. Musella lasiocarpa - Not only did the pseudostem survive intact in a bag of leaves...it's still flowering! Amazing. Musa 'Orinoco' - As far as corm hardiness, it is the most cold-hardy variety I've grown. I have NOT tested M. 'Brazilian' yet, however, or any others that are reportedly cold-hardy. Started sending up pups in Mid-April. And the losers: Musa velutina - I know...I haven't kept one alive through a winter yet. People all around me in this state have no problem with it, but no luck here. I'm trying a different clone this year, as well as a few seed-raised plants. It still may come back, as it is still relatively early...but I'm not holding my breath. Musa 'Royal Purple' - I had high hopes for this one. Oh well. Maybe it's just slow coming back too. Another couple of weeks, and I'll dig it up and see what's left. Musa 'Jamaican Tall' or whatever you want to call it - Just left this one out for giggles. Complete mush. Got a bunch more going in the ground this Spring, including: Musa itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis Musa nagensium 'Florale Noire' Musa 'New Bhutan' Musa velutina (again) Musa 'Helen's Hybrid' Musa thomsonii Musa mannii M. ornata M. 'African Red' (doesn't look too hopeful from Kyle's report though) M. balbisiana 'Neue Art' from sunshine-seeds.com Now, to find a place to put them...