Can anyone tell me.....?
 

Hi Friends!

I am growing bananas as well as other tropical/subtrop. fruits like avocados,
grapefruits, pineapples and mangoes etc.
Except mangoes, avocados, grapefruits and pineapples can overwiner in the
field without any winter protections. The Zone is 9 where it gets around 30F
in a few cases in Jan/Feb.
Musa Basjoo and Sikkimensis have actually overwintered without winter-
protections, and other banana like Rajapuri, Williams hybrid, Dwarf Orinoco
can theoretically ovewinter without protections. Williams and Dwarf Orinoco
are going to enter the first winter.

So can anyone who is growing similar plants under the similar conditions
tell me the species of banana which have actually overwintered without or
with simple protections like wrappings or something? If possible, please tell
me about Williams and Dwf. Orinoco.

Re: Can anyone tell me.....?
 

There are many that you can grow with little or no protection. But most of the fruitingtypes will need some protection in zone 9.Unless you have a mild winter. This is my 2nd year growing edible bananas. Ive grown ensete for 15 years with little or no protection.Of course i have grown Musa Basjoo for years in zone 9 with no protection. Here is a link to a thread. If you scroll down near the bottom, you will find an entry from Annajw. She has a list of bananas that she is growing here in zone 9.

http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=1098

Like i said i have grown ensete in zone 9 with no probs.
ensete: superbum
ventricosum
ventricosum Maurelii
glaucum
ensete sp. "Thailand"
ensete homblei

Re: Can anyone tell me.....?
 

This is a list of what I grow outdoors in zone 8B without protection. We get at least one night in the 20-25F range each winter. I don't protect ANY of these are they have been in theground, some, for 10 years.
Basjoo
Sikkimensis
Cavendish
Rojo (Sangre de Cristo, zebrina etc)
Raja Puri
velutina
laterita
Milky Way
ensete maurellii
several ornatas (red, lavendar, pink, purple)
Colorado

This year I am adding my Praying Hands and Ae Ae to the outdoor group.

Re: Can anyone tell me.....?
 

Hi Lilith,
I always believed that Florida is somewhere in Zone 10/11 and I really don't understand that you live in 8b and that it gets sometime the lowest temp.
of 20/25F which is absolutely incredible for me.
Anyway, truth is the truth!
Your information encourages me very much and thanks.
Stan

Re: Can anyone tell me.....?
 

Well, Stan. it would be NICE if the entirety of FLorida was in zone 10/11. But actually, there is only one SMALL SPOT of FL considered zone 11 and that's Key West. Nothing else is considered 11. Peninsular FL is a mix of zones 8B-10B. Its 8B from the top border down to about the Tampa/Orlando line, then it slowly goes through 9 and into 10. I have a greenhouse for really REALLY tropical stuff, but we don't consider most of the bananas to be all that topical in our climate.

Re: Can anyone tell me.....?
 

Hi Gina(Lilith),

Thanks for your information about the Florida Penisula which I unfortunately
have misunderstood. It was so nice to know well about your environments.
"Knowing is also believing" isn't it?
Good luck, Stan