bananaman

Am unable to exchange with people in USA.
Does anybody have any Banana plants to exchange in dear old Blighty ??
I have Musa...Basjoo. Sikkimensis.Mannii, Nagensium, Ensete Ventricosum,Superebum, Glaucum.
Looking to expand my collection.
Regards.

banananana

Hi bananaman. I just joined up, so thought I would drop you a line to let you know there is someone here in Blighty.

I have a few, some seed grown. I have Musa sikkimensis with a really strong colouring on top and underneath leaves, some with green tops and red flush under, they are all different and I love them all. I also have one Ensete ventricosum from seed which I put in the ground this year. Just got a nice big Ensete maurelli from B&Q. One M balbisiana from seed, M basjoo, M zebrina. I also have a Musa Williams Hybrid which is starting to pup.

If you're still around let me know!

bananaman

Hello.
Yes I am still around !!
Trying to grow Musa plants in tropical England (never thought I would hear myself say that).
Discovered that banana plants dont like it hot and directly sunny, so trying to keep them cooler and shady.
I have seen those Maurelii plants in Homebase and B&Q and they look really good to me.Think they are aboout £14.99 or so. Mine is an a T.C. plant at £4.99 from last year and is about the same size.
You have a nice collection.I already have all that you have got except for Williams hybrid. I can offer Musa Nagensium from this years seed at about 15" tall if you want to trade plants.
The collecting of them can be quite compulsive, I have about 25 plants and 20 odd varieties.
Try to get hold of "Itinerans " if you can , it is a really beautiful plant and a very very fast grower. ( I may have a pup later in the season).
Best Regards.

mrbungalow

I have found this is just an illusion. When specimens are planted out in full sun, they react by getting brown leaves and looking bad.
But the next leaves that develop are stronger, and will tolerate full sun. Maximum photosynthesis is good for the plant, and keeps them healthy. As someone here said; No shade is good shade for bananas.
Both me and you are relatively far north, and often experience rainy days. We need all the sun we can get!

Cheers;
Erlend

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Mark Hall

Just wanted to say hi this is my first post on this forum I have been lurking for a couple of days and getting used to this site.

I have picked up a few hints already and learnt that you can't get seeds from Ae Ae that was going to be my first question as my plant refuses to produce pups they pop up then dont come to anything. As we only seem to have one book on bananas in the uk I thought that asking you guys would be the next best thing.

My first question is does Musa Tapo set seed and is it avialable in the u.s.

Mark

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Time Flies like an Arrow.....Fruit flies like a Banana.

banananana

Hi bananaman,

Gee I know I'm sloppy here, I spend my time absorbed elsewhere and with the hot season, garden, you know how it goes! I happened to drop in while searching so yep, may as well post! It may even become a habit!

My bananas didn't mind the extreme heat we had this year, but then they do grow in hot climates don't they! The high humidity we have helps, it was lower at times this year and I would say M basjoo liked it less than sikkimensis, but that poor thing (basjoo) is in a large pot and really needs ground space. I got 2 pups from it, but the stem base is rising high above ground level and it's wobbly. Next year I should find a space in the ground for it. I also have a huge tree in my garden and get lots of shade.

The Williams Hybrid grew really well, the frost we had a few weeks ago sent it's leaves into a frazzle but not straight away, I brought it inside and cut off the leaves, a new leaf is growing now. It's an amazingly robust plant, the stem is a deep red and thick, the 2 pups are still very small but I imagine next year they will start to move so I can remove them then. If it happens we meet up then we could swap if I get 2 good ones, want to keep one to follow on with.

The Ensete maurelii has frozen leaves, but the stem is so thick I can't get one hand half way around it, it's fine and still in it's pot outside, I can't imagine how it has grown so huge with the size of pot it's in, one of those large square plastic ones from the £1 shop! At least 14" but it looks small now, next year I will have to give it ground space, it should overwinter in the garage 'when' it gets colder. So much for my plans of bringing it inside whatever! Ensete ventricosum I left in the ground, top leaves frozen but the main heart is still green, it had started to take off when the cooler wetter weather arrived. I'm biting the bullet and chancing that in the ground with some mulch around the base, also hoping for a very mild winter!

I could post some pics if I look into how.

Trying to remember to get back sooner!

MediaHound

Link to upload photos:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/uploadphoto.php

Link to tips on posting images:
Variegated Dwarf 'namwah Pearl'

If you send me a PM I will walk you through it some more if your still having trouble.
Always glad to help with that.

banananana

Thanks MediaHound!

I've uploaded a few of Ensete maurelli, this is one with most new leaves before the frost zapped it.

try again, got the wrong one!

[[Image:http://www.bananas.org/gallery/water...filefix=.jpg]]

MediaHound

Use the one that starts with [url=

banananana

I did that first, can't have got it all!