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xyzzy · 01-30-2009, 07:44 AM

Bilbergia Nutans flower just about anywhere they don't get eaten by slugs. You can grow a lawn out of them! They flower in shade or in full sun.

As for the M Basjoo, they can often get squishy outer leaves on the p-stem, which eventually dry out and die off, but that just means the stem gets a bit thinner and normally quickly thickens as the new leaves come up next spring. I have only ever known a full p-stem to go through frost once ever. End of feb they will no doubt start growing again.

I note M Sikkimenisis thinks winter has ended now and is growing it's first 2009 leaf now.

Surprisingly M Itinerans outside (under trees in the orchard - happy there but won't take wind chill) are not growing yet.

Have you tried growing Swiss Cheese plants outdoors in sheltered places, e.g next to walls or under trees? They survive here out all winter and flower in January. Even a very hard frost only gets the leaves and they come up again, but most years, even this one, they don't even lose leaves (Again, they lose their leaves if the slugs eat them!). Warning, Swiss Cheese plants will not tolerate full sun.

01-30-2009, 07:44 AM	#43 (permalink)
xyzzy Tropically Bonkers Location: Devon, UK. Find me on the map! Zone: 9b, but UK so no sun, always raining and infested with slugs. Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 120 BananaBucks : 48,317 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Anyone growing Ensete outside in the UK? Bilbergia Nutans flower just about anywhere they don't get eaten by slugs. You can grow a lawn out of them! They flower in shade or in full sun. As for the M Basjoo, they can often get squishy outer leaves on the p-stem, which eventually dry out and die off, but that just means the stem gets a bit thinner and normally quickly thickens as the new leaves come up next spring. I have only ever known a full p-stem to go through frost once ever. End of feb they will no doubt start growing again. I note M Sikkimenisis thinks winter has ended now and is growing it's first 2009 leaf now. Surprisingly M Itinerans outside (under trees in the orchard - happy there but won't take wind chill) are not growing yet. Have you tried growing Swiss Cheese plants outdoors in sheltered places, e.g next to walls or under trees? They survive here out all winter and flower in January. Even a very hard frost only gets the leaves and they come up again, but most years, even this one, they don't even lose leaves (Again, they lose their leaves if the slugs eat them!). Warning, Swiss Cheese plants will not tolerate full sun. __________________ There is no such thing as can't grow it - but the determination required may lose you your partner, family and friends - but does that matter?.