bigdog

As hardy as 'Orinoco' may be, it still doesn't hold a candle to Musa basjoo in a zone 7 climate. My M. basjoo clump is shooting back and has been for a couple of weeks now, and from the previous year's pseudostems. My 'Orinoco clump is still dormant, and I wouldn't be surprised if it is dead this year after this tough winter.

Austin, I am going to officially proclaim M.itinerans var. itinerans just as hardy, if not more so, than M. basjoo! I have pups coming up everywhere, and pseudostems that were completely unprotected and unmulched this past winter are returning (from ground level). This banana is the hardiest banana that I own. I did protect three pseudostems, and they are all growing. One of them, I just put one bag over it and left a big hole in the top. Water got into the bag this winter, and it was a really wet Dec. and Jan. here. I expected it to get into the meristem and rot it out. Looking today at it, it is growing back! Amazing plant.