Great pic, Frank! I think anyone growing lasiocarpa in zone 7 enjoys it as being a great cold hardy banana that's smaller and easier to overwinter.
Wow...look at all those pups! That musella has gone wild!!!
The hospital nearby planted about 3 dozen musellas this spring. I've been meaning to get a pic of them. They always have a tropical theme for the summer. Last year it was bananas as well. Very cool. I'll be watching this fall when they dig them up. Maybe I'll be able to catch them and get a few for dirt cheap. If so, I'll be doing the banana dance:
I hear ya with the dwarf varieties. I overwintered a 8 ft. tall p-stem of an Orinoco but could barely drag it out from under the house (and I have a full door height crawl space!). Those things weigh a ton. I threw out an ice cream banana a month ago and it was gone the next morning. I guess one of my neighbors decided to pick it up or something. I'm keeping my eyes peeled (pun!) for that banana growing around my neighborhood just so I can figure out who snatched it! Good for them!
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Austin
Arkansas River Valley
Average January Low: 31°F, Average August High: 92°F
Extreme Winter Lows: 5-15°F, Extreme Summer Highs: 100-112°F, Annual Precipitation: 52 inches