Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

That I don't know, but he sent the article to me. I have had to delete the attachement due to copyright concerns, but nevertheless we will have to see whether or not we actually have Xishuangbannaensis or just another form of M. itinerans.

For those of you who wish to read the article, it is in the free public domain at this link:
http://hua.huh.harvard.edu/china/nov...o-18-01-50.pdf

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

That's true.
So the only supposed source for this species is the 'Gigantea' seeds?
Are they still sold nowadays? (where did you get 'em?)
Kind regards,
Remko.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

I have a couple of banana plants that are supposed to be var. xishuangbannaensis, but it's too soon to say whether they are the 'real deal.' Once this is determined, they will be in culture, otherwise, they are simply another M. itinerans.

I also have a promised corm of Musa Tibet and another of Musa Yangtze coming this spring. (actually, the person I am getting it from refers to it as M. 'Yangtze Valley' so I don't know if they are one and the same or not.

The hard part about TC is deciding whether to grow out the plant and work from the pups, or just go right into TC from the get go.

Still want to get my hands on one of those 'India form' to put into culture.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

I think you mean itinerans in stead of ventricosum :)

I have the 'indian form' and it produces pups that run down! (in stead of sideways)
I discovered that when I dug them out for overwintering in an unheated greenhouse. Unfortunately I damaged the pups doing this, no knowing it would grow in this fashion. Hopefully they'll make more pups, so I can get some more plants of this species.
I have the Musa 'Tibet' also, and at first I thought it was just a clone of basjoo, but now I can see some differences, so I guess it's really something else. Yangste I have never seen, but is on my wishlist ofcourse.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Hi Scot,

Yangtze and Tibet look to be the same Musa to me the Yangtze river valley were Yangtze was collected goes up into Tibet! There nice looking bananas though and I would love to know what species they are I don’t think they look like Itinerans though.

Sunshine seeds were selling (Indian form) that’s were mine came from, if you Email them in English they will reply in English.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

My bad, yes M. itinerans is what I meant. Too many things going on at once. Thanks.
Save one of those pups of India form for me when you have multiples of them.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Awesome! Thanks Tony, hope they grow true to type! Have you any experience with growing them from seed?

As to the Tibet and Yangtze Valley being the same, I will hopefully be able to say for certain next summer. Either way, they will be nice to have in the collection. Then, off to the lab they go. (pups I mean)

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Scot I grew my (Indian form) from seed I didn’t find them easy though 6 germinated but 4 died, the two I was left with are ok and growing nicely now but I think were I went wrong was I started them of in December when I should of waited till spring.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

I've noticed that some of the rhizomes run deeper than others on my Musa itinerans. I dug a couple of pups before our first frost, and discovered a rhizome that was much deeper than the one I was intending to cut. No telling how many feet away it was going to pop up! So far, my 'India Form' has sent up four pups, no more than about 3 feet away from the parent pseudostem. I had three seeds germinate, and lost the first one because it just wasn't vigorous at all. The other two seeds started shooting up immediately though. Seems that there were (are) a certain percentage of seeds in that batch that were very weak.

I think I can say with some confidence that 'Yangtze' doesn't really look like M. itinerans to me. My young plant doesn't remind me of itinerans at all. Can't wait to get it in the ground in the spring and see what it looks like in my yard!

Frank

BTW...in keeping in line with the title of this thread, my M. itinerans stems have experienced some very heavy frosts and record cold for this time of year. I've made it down to 12F so far already! Yikes. Knoxville airport (TYS) made it down to 15F, but I am in a cold hole. I haven't protected them yet, but do plan on it here in a few days. I'm hoping for a flower next year.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

I wonder if they developed this trait for cold hardiness?

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Hi Guys

my Yangtse came from the same source as Tony's. It was labelled as 'Yangtse Valley' but it is Yangtse (which I understand is the same as M. Tibet). My india form was too small for the UK winter and is growing quite nicely in the study. I look forward to seeing how it does in the ground next year. I guess I'm the only one in europe to have killed not one but two Xishuangbannaensis (one wasn't my fault) :-).

get that TC lab sorted Scot :ha:

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Kev yours Franks Marks and the one I have all came from Peter and they have good provenance because Peter got his original Yangtze from Martin gibbons, Martin and Tobias Spanner collected Yangtze in the Yangtze river valley in China, but Yangtze isn’t its true botanical name its just a name they gave it because they don’t know its true botanical name.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

I got you beat. I've killed 4 small Musa itinerans var. xishuangbannensis corms. I received them dried up with mold problems. Couldn't salvage them. But of course, I'm in Texas.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Where are you getting these? I think that I have one or two of them, but won't know for sure until it grows out and pups. I would like to go in with you next time you get one. PM me if you are planning another purchase.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

In keeping with the title of this thread...

My Musa itinerans var. itinerans stems felt nice and solid today, and we have had many, many nights below freezing. In fact, I have recorded a low of 12F in November (the official low at the airport was 15F)! A couple of other high teens, and a whole bunch of temps in the 20s Fahrenheit. So, I cut the stems down a few notches and took a look in the middle. The middle was still as green as could be. I have protected them this afternoon, and will post some pics of my complicated protection scheme later on. I'm hoping for a couple of flowers in the spring! One of the neat attributes of this species is that it doesn't take too long for the fruits and seeds to mature, because of the cool nature of its native habitat. Maybe I can try to cross it with my Musa basjoo, if it flowers also.

Oh, and I sliced into my Musa itinerans 'India Form' pseudostems today also, and found the same result! Green, living tissue in the middle. So, I protected them also. I have a feeling that it will be close to the same hardiness as var. itinerans is.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

This is not an easy path I'm traveling. There is no easy source. In fact, I know of no one who is simply offering it for sale currently. I'll keep chugging along. Until I have some success, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. After I've figured it all out and negotiate some relationships further, I'll see what I can do for others. Who knows, by that time, some others may have sources. I've been at this for over a year.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Uh...dude... it does say xishuangbannaensis. Just picking at you. I'm still pissed Fulmer beat my Dores one last time. Where's Cutler when I need him. ;)

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Yeah, I know. I don't think that there is a way to edit the title of a thread, because I have tried.

I'm going to miss Fulmer, and Tennessee fans will in a few years also, unless Kiffin has some kind of incredible early success. I hope he does! Hey, at least Vandy is going to a bowl this year! Tennessee is not.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

I can't make up my mind on Kiffin. He's probably gonna be feast or famine for the UT faithful. Only time will tell. And...xishuangbannaensis, itinerans, pseudostem....to stay on topic. :)

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

This is the first year that I tried to store large domant bananas. So far the one's in storage look pretty good. I've got Orinoccos from Frank (bigdog), some Raja Puri that always make it through but not the p-stem so no fruit, and one that I bought off of eBay as an itinerans that isn't that I'm just curious to see what it ends up being. Meanwhile, I have a Siam Ruby and two unknown seedlings in a heated terrarium that look good so far. I don't want to make a habit of bringing stuff in, but maybe onece in awhile, right?

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Rob, you should see the bananas that I left in the garden to freeze and die, lol! I am slowly phasing out the bigger Orinocos for Dwarf Orinoco, as well as other dwarf cultivars.

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

I heavily protected the Orinoccos the first winter and they survived...then the next winter I didn't protect and they still survived. This year I decided to bring them in to try and get fruit. If they don't fruit then they are just like haveing basjoo that struggle with cold and not worth haveing around. I'll probably phase them out in favor of Viente Cohol if it proves to fruit more reliably. I really don't want to get in the habit of bringing stuff inside every winter. Hopefully it will just be Siam Ruby and Viente Cohol in the future (until comething else cool comes along ie. Ae Ae).

Re: M. itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis after a few hard frosts
 

Hi bigdog,

if your basjoo and xishangbannaensis are flowering at the same time and you are getting fertile seeds then I want some seeds from you for my hardy fruit banana breeding program in Brazil.

Best wishes
Basjoofriend