View Full Version : Musa Blue Java hardiness
alias
04-15-2012, 01:15 PM
How hardy is Musa Ice Cream?
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/5091/bananalg.jpg
caliboy1994
04-15-2012, 02:17 PM
It's supposed to be one of the hardiest edible bananas.
alias
04-15-2012, 02:22 PM
Thanks!
To how about celsius?
caliboy1994
04-15-2012, 02:33 PM
I'm not sure exactly, but I know that the leaves don't tolerate frost.
It grows well (for the most part) into "zone 9".
Where are you located?
My mat of Blue Java gets hit pretty hard by frost but my "other mat" at a buddy's place that is a few miles away but about 100' higher in elevation will very often winter over un-protected with little or no p-stem damage. (just frost-bit leaves)
Leaves will get damaged & die off after short exposure to as little as a degree or two below freezing (C or F) but the p-stems can manage maybe an hour or two of very light frost without being damaged.
alias
04-15-2012, 03:27 PM
So no zeros :(
caliboy1994
04-15-2012, 03:37 PM
Then again, even if the P-stem dies to the ground, the underground corm can survive and push up new growth in the spring.
alias
04-15-2012, 03:45 PM
That gives me some hope, but in my 8b USDA zone she can not survive. This winter i had -8C! So nothing without heating.
That gives me some hope, but in my 8b USDA zone she can not survive. This winter i had -8C! So nothing without heating.
You can always dig 'em up in the fall, store in cool dark dry place 'till the ground warms up in the spring.
If you get your hands on a dwarf species, like Dwarf Orinoco or Dwarf Cavendish, they can easily be over-wintered in the ground if planted next to a south-facing wall of a building & "tented in" with plastic pipe & sheeting. (there are several posts here about building a simple lean-to or greenhouse shelter)
A small fan stealing warm air from under (or inside of) a heated building should be able to keep them safe from frost without having to resort to an actual heater.
kaczercat
04-15-2012, 08:24 PM
even if they can be overwintered outside them dying down to the ground is no good, just do the dig up in the fall.
alias
04-16-2012, 01:38 AM
That will be it.
I will plant them next week and I usually dig my unhardy bananas in Octobar :)
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