Winter hardy banana plant???

Spott · 08-16-2008, 09:37 AM

Ok, a few days ago I'm walking through the Home Depot plant dept (I just can't resist) looking for unusual plants. I stumbled upon what was labeled as "Winter Hardy banana plant".
There is of course no ID whatsoever about it apart from info for its care.
Here is a brief summary from the supplied tag:

Plant height 10-15 feet
Spacing 6 feet
This hardy banana can grow 2 feet per week with 6 foot leaves. Creamy yellow blooms are followed by ornamental yellow/green fruit.
Cut back to 2 feet after first frost and use the pruned leaves as protective cover through the winter.

So I bought two..... one I planted outside in full sun and the other I keep inside just in case the other fails.
Here are two pics I just took of the one inside to help with ID.

buzzwinder · 08-16-2008, 10:16 AM

Basjoo

SteveW · 08-16-2008, 11:23 AM

I'll second that

Gabe15 · 08-16-2008, 12:35 PM

thirded.

chong · 08-16-2008, 02:06 PM

Is there such a thing as "fourthed"? Any, in Zone 5, you will need a lot of protection for that plant. But it can be done.

Spott · 08-16-2008, 03:34 PM

Cool, let's say I cover it with 6 inches (or more) of mulch AND cover that with an upside down bucket (the styrofoam kind sold exactly for that purpose), would that be protection enough?

Spott · 08-16-2008, 05:12 PM

I just photographed the one I planted outside.
Since it stops growing at about 5 degrees celsius I figure it has at least another month of growth left in it. I just hope it has time to develop a good enough root system before frost.
Here's a pic.

chong · 08-16-2008, 07:59 PM

Nice! Good job!

Dean W. · 08-17-2008, 05:03 PM

Spott, great buy, good luck overwintering them.

Chironex · 08-19-2008, 12:28 AM

There are many threads about different methods for insulating and overwintering your bananas. I would go thicker than 6" on the mulch, leaves or whatever you choose - even with the inverted pot over it. Better to be safe than sorry.

magicgreen · 08-19-2008, 11:29 AM

Spott,
IMO that is not enough time for a good root system to be established in your zone to be able to take the winter.
I planted a basjoo (my 1st banana) last year end of July. I unwrapped it in the spring and thought it was find.
Through the weeks it just leaned and leaned over and turned brown, and just dissapeared! I still look for it now ( cuz ya never know) lol.
I figured the root and corm were not strong and mature enough to make it through the z6 winter.
And also water might of gotten to the corm.
I planted a basjoo in April and I know this one is gonna make it for the upcoming winter. I'll post a pic of it a lil' later.
Good luck in whatever method you choose. Who know's....It might make it in the ground!
MG

saltydad · 08-19-2008, 08:02 PM

Hopefully it will make it with a good mulch. I use about a foot of hay around and over my p-stems, which are cut at about 12". My basjoos made it; my t. fortunei palms made it; hell even my L. chinensis palm made it (and it's zone 9 minimum). But my velutina didn't. Go figure.

08-16-2008, 09:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
Spott Find me on the map! Zone: 5A Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5 BananaBucks : 951 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts Welcomes: 0	Winter hardy banana plant??? Ok, a few days ago I'm walking through the Home Depot plant dept (I just can't resist) looking for unusual plants. I stumbled upon what was labeled as "Winter Hardy banana plant". There is of course no ID whatsoever about it apart from info for its care. Here is a brief summary from the supplied tag: Plant height 10-15 feet Spacing 6 feet This hardy banana can grow 2 feet per week with 6 foot leaves. Creamy yellow blooms are followed by ornamental yellow/green fruit. Cut back to 2 feet after first frost and use the pruned leaves as protective cover through the winter. So I bought two..... one I planted outside in full sun and the other I keep inside just in case the other fails. Here are two pics I just took of the one inside to help with ID.

08-16-2008, 10:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
buzzwinder buzzwinder's Photo Gallery Location: Loves Park, Il. Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bill Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 462 BananaBucks : 1,002 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 150 Thanked 120 Times in 108 Posts Welcomes: 289	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? Basjoo __________________ Bill

08-16-2008, 11:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
SteveW SteveW's Photo Gallery Location: Rochester,UK Find me on the map! Zone: 8b and a half Name: Steve Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 135 BananaBucks : 1,486 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 17 Thanked 19 Times in 18 Posts Welcomes: 2	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? I'll second that

08-16-2008, 12:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
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08-16-2008, 02:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 927 BananaBucks : 6,670 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 170 Thanked 374 Times in 221 Posts Welcomes: 231	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? Is there such a thing as "fourthed"? Any, in Zone 5, you will need a lot of protection for that plant. But it can be done.

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08-16-2008, 03:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
Spott Find me on the map! Zone: 5A Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5 BananaBucks : 951 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? Cool, let's say I cover it with 6 inches (or more) of mulch AND cover that with an upside down bucket (the styrofoam kind sold exactly for that purpose), would that be protection enough?

08-16-2008, 05:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Spott Find me on the map! Zone: 5A Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5 BananaBucks : 951 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? I just photographed the one I planted outside. Since it stops growing at about 5 degrees celsius I figure it has at least another month of growth left in it. I just hope it has time to develop a good enough root system before frost. Here's a pic.

08-16-2008, 07:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 927 BananaBucks : 6,670 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 170 Thanked 374 Times in 221 Posts Welcomes: 231	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? Nice! Good job!

08-17-2008, 05:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
Dean W. Dean W.'s Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Park, TX Zone: 8b Name: Dean Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,199 BananaBucks : 8,141 Feedback: 6 / 100% Thanks: 645 Thanked 222 Times in 209 Posts Welcomes: 199	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? Spott, great buy, good luck overwintering them. __________________ Dean

08-19-2008, 12:28 AM	#10 (permalink)
Chironex Dayyyyyyyy-O Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Las Vegas, NV Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,214 BananaBucks : 413 Feedback: 5 / 100% Thanks: 1,879 Thanked 319 Times in 223 Posts Welcomes: 250	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? There are many threads about different methods for insulating and overwintering your bananas. I would go thicker than 6" on the mulch, leaves or whatever you choose - even with the inverted pot over it. Better to be safe than sorry. __________________ Scot "Grow 'em if ya got 'em!"

08-19-2008, 11:29 AM	#11 (permalink)
magicgreen magicgreen's Photo Gallery Location: cincinnati OH. Z6 Find me on the map! Zone: Z6 Name: Lynn Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 828 BananaBucks : 3,084 Feedback: 8 / 100% Thanks: 379 Thanked 146 Times in 123 Posts Welcomes: 122	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? Spott, IMO that is not enough time for a good root system to be established in your zone to be able to take the winter. I planted a basjoo (my 1st banana) last year end of July. I unwrapped it in the spring and thought it was find. Through the weeks it just leaned and leaned over and turned brown, and just dissapeared! I still look for it now ( cuz ya never know) lol. I figured the root and corm were not strong and mature enough to make it through the z6 winter. And also water might of gotten to the corm. I planted a basjoo in April and I know this one is gonna make it for the upcoming winter. I'll post a pic of it a lil' later. Good luck in whatever method you choose. Who know's....It might make it in the ground! MG __________________ (Started growing bananas July 2007) (Zone 6)

08-19-2008, 08:02 PM	#12 (permalink)
saltydad saltydad's Photo Gallery Location: Silver Spring, Maryland Find me on the map! Zone: 7a Name: Howard Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 678 BananaBucks : 264 Feedback: 1 / 100% Thanks: 431 Thanked 121 Times in 84 Posts Welcomes: 139	Re: Winter hardy banana plant??? Hopefully it will make it with a good mulch. I use about a foot of hay around and over my p-stems, which are cut at about 12". My basjoos made it; my t. fortunei palms made it; hell even my L. chinensis palm made it (and it's zone 9 minimum). But my velutina didn't. Go figure. __________________ Men In Nursing- "A Few Good Men"

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