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bigdog · 03-28-2007, 06:55 PM

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.

03-28-2007, 06:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
bigdog ******* bigdog's Photo Gallery** Location: Gainesville, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Frank Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,004 BananaBucks : 968,683 Feedback: 13 / 100% Said "Thanks" 218 Times Was Thanked 1,790 Times in 504 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	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.