What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

My yard is surrounded by huge Sycamore trees that give most of my yard shade all day long. The spot that i want to plant a few more basjoos probably only gets 3 or 4 hours of evening sun. I live in southern Ohio i think im in zone 6b.

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

Anybody?????

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

3-4 hours of sun is fine.

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

Hi Natej740

Bananas do like the sun,4 hours of sun might be OK.I would put it in a pot first rather than in the ground if it does not like getting 4 hours of sun you could always move it,but if you put it in the ground first and it doesn't like it you might damage the roots when moving it to a different location.

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

I haven't been on here for a few days, but I do have one clump of basjoo in the yard that is to the east of some very large trees. It gets some sun in the morning, but nothing at all after 11-12 o clock. No afternoon sun at all. It usually gets to be around 5-6 feet tall. I think it would do better if I watered it, but you have to decide what you're going to spend your energy on and it just hasn't made the top of the to do list often!

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

My mat gets no direct sunlight (except for 1/2 of one plant) and grows very well.
I shipped some beauties this year and found blooms in two (Doh!). I decided to save one of the largest for myself after finding the other two blooms, and it's into male flowers now.

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

Hi Natej,
In Cleveland OH I grew some with barely 1/2 sun... all in AM hours... at least 8 feet tall today. 4 inches of composted horse manure on ground and water regularly. Going to try outdoor overwinter Basjoo for the first time. Have you done this yet?

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

That amount of sun is fine, i have basjoos growing in a semi shaded south aspect for three years now. They never get full sun, maybe a couple of hours a day at most. They dont grow as quickly as those in full sun but they do just fine.

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

I would echo Musa Monkees opinion.

I planted my new musa basjoo in the yard this year, not taking into account the lowering of the sun in the sky as we progress through summer. My neighbors house is now blocking most of the sun it gets.

Unfortunately during July and most of August it didn't do much but I think that was because of the cold wet weather. When the sun finally put in an appearance it started doing very well, until the sun lowering in the sky meant it was getting only 3 hours of direct sun a day. It's slowed down since then.

If it manages to survive our Canadian winter outside, I'll be replanting it , or my backup plant currently indoors, next spring in another part of the yard that gets full sun longer in the day and for the year.

Re: What is the least amount of sun a basjoo can handle???
 

In central Texas, full sun will kill a Basjoo in the summer months. I have learned this the hard way over the past two summers. In the Spring and Fall, full sun is OK, but probably not necessary. In mid-summer, it will burn the leaves to a crisp and basically stop growth entirely, regardless how much you water.

My new plan is to plant all of the "cold-hardy" varieties in dappled (e.g. ash juniper) shade.

YMMV in other portions of the country. Midday summer sun in TX has a scorch of its own, especially when the thermometer pops 105F.

Ed.