Ensete Banana Questions
 

Does anyone have a picture of what a full sized mature plant looks like?
I can't really seem to find any online except information that they are supposed to grow very tall. I'd like to see what it looks like when it's full size.

Also, does this variety not pup at all?
Everything I've found online about this variety basically shows propagation by splitting the existing corm.

If this is true that it does not pup, then what happens if you just let the corm grow?
Eventually the main plant will reach maturity (and flower?)
Once the main plant dies does it pup then? (and does it wait until the original plant rots)?

Hmmmm...
:parachutenanner:

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

hmelendez posted some pics of ensete ventricosum large seed from a vacation he went on which were pretty beastly
http://www.bananas.org/f16/musa-gree...sum-47177.html

i have been trying to get this one for a while now.. the past two winters the seed sprouted.. started to get big and then died on their way to going outside for the season or just before going out

here are a couple of my favourite images
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensete...tricosum02.jpg

Ethiopian banana - Costa Rica Photos, Images & Pictures | Costa Rica Photos, Images & Pictures

and here are some other pics from the net:
click the smaller images below to see the one i mean here
https://www.rarepalmseeds.com/ensete-ventricosum

same with this one... click to the second image
https://temperate.house/plant/false-banana/

ensete superbum looks incredible as well... there are 2 types from what i remember... i forget which one is the giant one

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Holy cr*p they really are huge! Now THAT's a giant herb!
The leaves are enormous and the p-stems are massive!! Amazing!

It looks like something you would imagine in prehistoric times

Thanks subsonicdrone for the links w/ pics!

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Well, I have about 40 Ensete ventricosum seedlings right now. About 12-15 inches high in 2.5 inch pots. I don't know what to do with them all so I will sell if anyone is interested. $10 plus shipping. 2-$15 plus shipping.

I've grown an Ensete Glaucum from seed to flower and I live in 5a. Brought it in many years before it flowered.

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

How big was it when it finally flowered?

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

I would say 10-12 ft. That is the plant in my signature.

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

The tips of the leaves on mine is about 7'. I planted it as a TC the same day Lou was planted. It's done well but I don't think it will ever be like the above pics. That's just crazy.

You should grow one, what the hell

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

This was in May. It's since well exceeded the 6' fence (leaves) but overall isn't looking super healthy these days. I've gotten a lot of yellowing and black patches on a lot of the leaves and have had to trim many. It's still pushing big leaves though that look good when they open, then seem to succumb to whatever is going on with it. I have a new one in a container and may just go with that for my ensete fix moving forward. That spot in the ground is prime and feel it's being wasted.

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Wow, 10-12 ft?!? What size container did you have it in?

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

I have a Maurellii in a pot now. Had to purchase another one this year as I killed mine from last year by overwatering it at the end of winter. If I don't kill this one this winter I am thinking about dividing it and growing some in the ground as annuals. It does grow fast here as well, for several months anyway, so I thought it might be fun to see how big they might get. If I had a better place to dormant store them, I would also consider digging one out year after year to let it get really big (relatively of course).

Regardless, if I figure out the formula for garage, in-container overwintering, I will continue to grow at least one, as they are beautiful.

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

I had it planted in the ground but dug it every winter. The trunk (not sure what it is called) the winter before it flowered was about 5-6 foot tall. No leaves. It took 2 of us to get it in the house and I just put it in a pot with potting mix and left it alone until I put it out the next Spring. Then a flower and then it died. :(

It was pretty cool to watch.

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Oh cool. I have thought about doing that for in ground plants over winter too but wasn\'t really sure because I don\'t really have a good area to truly dormant store plants. But you have shown me it works, so i will have to think more seriously about it.

Did you keep it in a cool, dark part of your house or was it hanging out with the family?

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

I kept in where ever I could. The last year it took 2 of us to get it in the house without leaves and it sat in a pot with windows facing North. I didn\'t water it but it was somewhat warm.

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Excellent, thank you

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Man I thought mine was growing fast but those are huge!

Here is a pic of mine, bought and been in the ground since March 2021


It’s a 6ft fence behind it for reference

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Dang son that's crazy

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

Yeah all that growth in one year

This was the first pic after they were planted in March

Re: Ensete Banana Questions
 

That is incredible. If I had room for ornamental bananas I would totally get one!