Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

This Musa is the most vigorous Musa in my yard, hands down. This sping, 3 pups came up in the yard, but none since. Please excuse the mess in the yard and the unmown lawn! Lots of rain this year has been great for banana growth.

Frontside:


Backside:


More pics.


The green leaves are there as mulch, and are from my Musa basjoo. I had to massacre it yesterday, since we are painting the house next week. Oh well...it will grow back!


The tallest pseudostem is fast-approaching 9 feet!

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

I just love it. It has certainly enjoyed itself. I want one. Do you expect to see a flower possibly this year.

alex

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Great job, Frank! Impressive grove.

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

These returned after the winter with no protection?
Nice mat too!

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

I did protect three pseudostems with bags of leaves, but all of the other pseudostems were unprotected and returned also.

Alex, I hope it flowers soon!

Thanks, Austin.

Frank

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Very curious about how the flower would look!
Nice pictures!
Kind regards,
Remko.

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Pretty impressive Frank. Personaly I'm hoping a LOT more come up in your lawn.:ha:

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Eric from Orlando has pics of the flower in his gallery.

Here's what the entire mat (LOL) looked like almost exactly 2 years ago, July 17, 2007:



And later on in September 2007, after a very hot and dry August that took its toll (look at the brown patches on the leaves). This year has been perfect weather for it, with temps in the low-mid 80s for much of the summer, and no 90+ degree days yet in July.

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

looking Good Big dog nice Bananas Keep up the good work!

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

They look great, just like my banksii!!! :2239:

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Looking good!

Calossamusa- how's yours doing that I sent you?

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

That is such a awesome plant, makes me want to get rid of my basjoo's

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

OOops! I apologize for not finding this post earlier!

The Musa itinerans itinerans is doing well. I think it likes partial shade. I'm trying to get more information on soil conditions in its natural habitat. It is doing well but not growing like my more tropical varieties.

Thank you once again Bananaman88!!! :2239:

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

But do the pups emerge really far from the motherplant? It still seems to form kind of a group there right?
Kind regards,
Remko.

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Remko, the first pup that came up emerged 4 feet away from the mother pseudostem. Since then, pups have emerged anywhere from 6 inches to 5 feet away from the parent. But yes, it still forms a nice mat! I did remove 3 pups from the yard early this summer.

Frank

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Have you heard of how "hardy" this species has been outside of 7A?
I know it's not a Zone 5 species but maybe a 6??? I may have to try it along my pool in 5b to try it out.....do you remember where you got your original plant?

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Its curious the stem of your itinerans seems to have no wax Franck...

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Musa itinerans var. itinerans has no wax on the leaves or pseudostem.

Being closely related to M. basjoo, it could indeed be hardy to zone 5, but only with some good mulch for protection. I don't think you would have a problem at all in zone 6, as long as you gave an inch or 2 of mulch for protection in the winter.

Frank

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

...and 4 feet is far enough to make it itinerans I would say right?

Kind regards,
Remko.

Re: Musa itinerans var. itinerans is having a good year!
 

Thats a real impressive clump Frank,no mistake
If you ever get any more pups sneaking into your yard,I'd be willing to try one over here in the UK.
Can't source a proper intinerans for love nor money here,which is a shame as I'm sure they'd be hardy enough to survive.
My yunnan managed it last winter,but got cut back to the corm by the real cold spell we had.So a proper itinerans var itinerans would breeze it here I'm sure
I'd buy you beer for your troubles :nanadrink:

Steve