Here we go again!
 

It seems like every year I try to get basjoo and every year I find I have something else. This year I started over again and went to lowes and bought 4
tiny banana plants that said basjoo.(next to the aeae) Do you think from these pics thats what I have? The first pic is where they started and the and they other 2 are from the beging of OCT. Any help would be appreciated I just want to know how I should protect them.

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The large leaves and waxy looking p-stem on one of them makes me want to guess 'Blue Java' "Ice Cream" - but I'll defer to the experts.

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Can't say what it is, but can say it's not M. basjoo. Sorry, try again!

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thanks guys. I gues ill dig em up toss them out and start again next year.

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Ok Gabe any hints. I bought 4 of the same ones from Lowes and they look identical to his pics...Do you think they'll survive zone 7 with hay bales and covered with a tarp?

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I'm no expert, but I don't think they are Ice Creams either. The color does not look right on the smaller leaves, to me. I get a very tiny red line around each. Maybe mine aren't ice cream if I'm wrong. It also might be a culture thing, differnt soil, water, conditions, etc.

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You going to get rid of them? I'm sure some of us would be glad to take them off your hands. I'm always up for another mystery nanner.

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Its hard to say since we don't know what variety it is, it might be hardy and it might not be.

With plants so young, its not really worth trying to ID it, since at its age it looks identical to a few different common varieties. Also, as you mentioned, the same plant can look very different depending on the conditions its growing in.

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JCderrick whemn I said toss them out I meant to say dig them out and toss them in the basement. If I do dig them up I will be more than happy to send you pups because I normally remove them before putting them in the basement.

Gabe15 I wanted basjoo so I wouldnt have to dig these guys up every year like I have been doing in the past years with other unknown bananas that I end up with. I may also decide to leave them in the ground spray them with fungicide wrap them with frost cloth and build a foam box around them and fill it with straw. I saw this form of protection being used on a palm tree board where a member has done this for 10 years and lives in zone 4.

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Thanks Mike, I'd love to get a pup if you decide to dig them up. I have several Basjoo, so I could send you a few pups next Spring if you'd like.

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Mike J

We also like to work out trade if you have extra!