Log in

View Full Version : Learned something to watch for with Ensete


siege2050
07-17-2015, 01:58 PM
I have an Ensete Glaucum that I grew from seed, last year it got to 10 feet and was a very beautiful plant. This year after overwintering in the crawlspace, it recovered well at first when planted in the ground. But then it started to decline, I checked it over and I noticed there was a gap of about 1 inch between the soil, and the trunk down to the root line. I filled in the gap, and it started looking a little better, then it started looking bad again a few weeks later. I checked it, and another almost perfect 2 inch gap this time, and the whole plant would easily wiggle back and forth. It appears the extra thick leaf sheaths of the pseudo stem base of Ensete, when dying leave a huge gap between the plant and the soil (maybe just in clayish soil). Wind will move the plant back and forth, probably breaking some of the roots off and weakening the plant. The plants leaves are still okay, just not growing much. Considering its almost 100F, I dont think its root rot, or the leaves would be wilted in this heat. It appears to just be the old leaf bases dying. This time I filled in the gap, and put two stakes beside the trunk and wrapped it to keep it from moving around in the wind. I will go out once a week and make sure it has not made a gap again.

a.hulva@coxinet.net
07-17-2015, 04:39 PM
I have an Ensete Glaucum that I grew from seed, last year it got to 10 feet and was a very beautiful plant. This year after overwintering in the crawlspace, it recovered well at first when planted in the ground. But then it started to decline, I checked it over and I noticed there was a gap of about 1 inch between the soil, and the trunk down to the root line. I filled in the gap, and it started looking a little better, then it started looking bad again a few weeks later. I checked it, and another almost perfect 2 inch gap this time, and the whole plant would easily wiggle back and forth. It appears the extra thick leaf sheaths of the pseudo stem base of Ensete, when dying leave a huge gap between the plant and the soil (maybe just in clayish soil). Wind will move the plant back and forth, probably breaking some of the roots off and weakening the plant. The plants leaves are still okay, just not growing much. Considering its almost 100F, I dont think its root rot, or the leaves would be wilted in this heat. It appears to just be the old leaf bases dying. This time I filled in the gap, and put two stakes beside the trunk and wrapped it to keep it from moving around in the wind. I will go out once a week and make sure it has not made a gap again.

I had exactly the same problem. I had a hole about 1 1/2" in dia. going from right next to stem under the corm. It was a Vole. Yes Vole with a V. Ate Damn near all the roots and almost half of the corm. I put out moth balls and put bars of Tom Cat mouse poison poison grain in the hole. Keep dogs away from Tom Cat. Something worked, moth balls may keep a way, other two kill. I dug plant out and replanted in coarse sand and it is recovering. Good luck. Ensete Maurellii