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View Full Version : Musa Basjoo???


marksbananas
08-02-2007, 12:37 PM
I bought this last year as a musa basjoo off ebay. I have posted a pic in a differrent thread and someone pointed out that they think that it is not a Basjoo due to the colour. Please can someone help me ID this banana plant as want to know due to winter care.
The under leaf's are burgundy or red but the top side oif the leaf is green once the leaf is open it is a lighter red/burgundy. Please see the pictures below i would be very greatful of any help anyone can offer. Thanks
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x316/marksbananas/p1010006.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x316/marksbananas/p1010005.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x316/marksbananas/p1010008.jpg Thank you for looking and your advice It is a nit weather beaten due to resent high winds

I have been told it looks like a Musa Helen's Hydrid does anyone else think this?

klemmthamm
08-02-2007, 11:38 PM
I was thinking sikkimensis... but I don't have much experience with them so I can't say for sure... that was my first impression though

mrbungalow
08-03-2007, 12:43 AM
I was also thinking something in the sikkimensis-gang. Definately not basjoo!

Usually, sikkimensis has atleast some variegation. I don't see any variegation at all here, so it could very possibly be a "Helens' hybrid". This one is fairly cold-hardy, atleast the corm survived here in rainy bergen. It's also very easy to sprout from seed. Another possibillity is Darjeeling giant, but this is more unlikely due to it still beeing rare in cultivation.

It's a beautiful plant, and you could have done worse buying on e-bay!

Erlend

51st state
08-03-2007, 11:15 AM
Its looks very much like a Sikkimensis. my Helens have a very distinct purple colour around the base of the leaf Petioles. the markings on the stem also say Sikkimensis to me.

definitely not Basjoo