Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

I just purchased some Banana tree's from Home Depot yesterday. The tag said only "Musa". Can anyone confirm that this is a basjoo? (Left side)

Googling "banana tree Home Depot", I see people purchasing "Dwarf Cavendish" but from looking at images online of the Dwarf Cavendish, it looks different.

I purchased this from a Home Depot in the Seattle, WA area, so maybe they are selling the Basjoo because it would have a better chance with our winters?

I have only had experience with basjoo's and am hoping that's what these are as it needs to be somewhat hardy in my location.



The one of the left is the one I purchased from Home Depot yesterday and the one on the right is a basjoo that I planted last summer and has just recently came back after winter.

Thanks!

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

It does kind of look like a basjoo but they typically have a little bit of red in the midrib which i dont really see in the pic. I can see a little bit of red in the midrib of the plant to the right. Its hard for me to tell though I'm just a meat head who likes banana plants :)

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

It looks very similar to Musa basjoo. The red might not be apparent yet if it is planted in deep shade and hasn't been in a lot of sun before you bought it.

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

I bought 3 from HD in Tukwila, that looked exactly like that one your referenced. The label only said "Musa 'Ensete' ", but from the color and growth habit, they appear to be M. Basjoo. Also, the ones I got was listed as hardy to Zone 7. Ensetes are usually listed as hardy down to only Zone 9.5.

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

They both look like Basjoo to me. Watch out or your grape vines will take over your bananas!

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

I once purchased a "musa" from Home Depot and it turned out to be red abysian(don't know if I spelled that right) I know they sell Dwarf Cavs, but they label them as such.

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

Red Abyssinian* No worries though. Yeah, beware of stores like Home Depot and Lowes, etc (and even a lot of greenhouses/nurseries) is that they receive tropicals and don't really know a lot about them. I've seen a lot of things labeled as 'red banana' or 'Musa banana' that were either purposefully vague or incorrect. Ensete ventricosum 'maurelii' is typically labeled 'musa banana' or 'red banana' around here which is just incorrect since it's an ENSETE....not a MUSA. But a lot of the people working there typically don't know the difference...it's just a 'banana' to them.

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

Thank you for all the responses.

When I saw them at Home Depot, I didn't even think that they might not be Musa basjoo(I didn't/don't) know that much about them until I came home and starting reading up on them. I did buy six of them, so we'll see how they turn out.

I'm just glad one of my basjoo's made it back after winter. I think I've tried three different seasons and they never come back. (Although I didn't do anything to protect them in winter, so that's my fault)

Thanks for the input. I think this might be the start of a banana addiction, but at at least I look to be in great company! :)

Re: Musa from Home Depot. What type Musa?
 

Oh, I didn't notice the red in my basjoo, but now that I take a closer look, I'm seeing it in my basjoo and in the new one's as well. Is that pretty specific to the basjoo, or do many other varieties have it?