It's Official - Musa Cheesmani survived the winter
 

It's been looking as if it would start growing from the two pups formed last year, but I wasn't sure. Several days ago, after a few days with highs in the low-mid 80sF, the two pups started pushing a leaf up. Definitely slower than M. sikkimensis to start growing, although they are supposedly closely related. The mother pseudostem still looks as if it could start growing, but the jury is still out. It got the dreaded center-leaf-rot, and I had to cut it down to the corm almost to see white in the middle.

My low was somewhere around 8-13F, probably closer to 8F. Knoxville airport (TYS) recorded 13F as the official low, but I know I got colder than that. My thermometer, which is on its last legs, recorded 8F on two separate occasions. The pseudostem was protected with a bag-o-leaves placed over the top of it (upside down, with a hole the diameter of the pseudostem to slip over it). The pseudostem seemd to hold up great in the bag-o-leaves, but like I said, it got center-leaf-rot.

It is growing before M. velutina or M. 'Royal Purple' have returned, but after M. basjoo, M. sikkimensis, and M. yunnanensis.

I would tentatively give it at least a zone 8a rating right now. Next winter, it won't be protected at all, or just a little extra mulch.

Re: It's Official - Musa Cheesmani survived the winter
 

Congrats!

Musa Cheesmani in the wiki:
http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Musa_Cheesmani

Please add some info to the page!

Re: It's Official - Musa Cheesmani survived the winter
 

Thanks, Jarred. When school is out in early May, I will help with the Wiki...but no time right now. "Crunch-Time!" :2761:

Re: It's Official - Musa Cheesmani survived the winter
 

Good for you!

I also have uncovered my outside bananas. Basjoo & Sikkimensis are allready growing, but Helen got the same thing: Centre-spear rot. Had to cut them down almost to the ground. I am hoping these will pup later in the season.

I will also be trying cheesmani outside this summer, so your observations are useful. Actually, I am not sure anymore if I have nagensiumX, Nagensium true, Cheesmani, or a new himalayan species... But if it's beautiful and grows well I am sold!

Erlend

Re: It's Official - Musa Cheesmani survived the winter
 

Well, Musa cheesmani is having a tough spring. It has come back, but looks rather sickly. I think it may have to do with my very acidic soil (pH=5.1), causing nutrients to be unavailable for normal plant growth. I have amended with lime, but it takes some time for it to start to work.

Re: It's Official - Musa Cheesmani survived the winter
 

Frank,

I'm glad to see it made it through the winter. It may be yet another to add to our list of cold hardy bananas. Could it be as hardy as a basjoo?

Re: It's Official - Musa Cheesmani survived the winter
 

In a word:

NO!


:ha:


It's not even as cold-hardy as Musa sikkimmensis. It is slower to get growing than M. basjoo or M. sikkimensis. I don't think we'll find a banana out there as hardy as Musa basjoo. It is still the king. It is nice to find new bananas that will come back though.