Musa itinerans recent photos
 

I thought I would take some pics and post of my Musa itinerans mat and how it is progressing this year. The largest pseudostem is about 9 feet tall, so I could get a flower next year! That would be fun. The 2nd largest one is about 7 feet tall, so I guess that one could flower next year as well.




Lots of pups this year. I counted 13 the other day. They will break the soil surface, and then some will just sit there for sometimes months. Others will shoot up right away. The mat is starting to fill out nicely! Strangely enough, I STILL haven't had one pup come up in the yard! Just a matter of time though, lol.


Here is my 'India Form' that I planted out this June. It has one nice pup as of this picture. Since then 2 more have popped up.



Definitely 2 of my top 3 favorite bananas...right now anyway!

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Looks Great! Are you overwintering those outside?

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

They look great!:woohoonaner:

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Awesome Bananas Dog! Put me down for seeds or a pup of the India form when you have an extra to spare. I have to feed my sickness and the only thing that seems to sate me is rare bananas!

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Hi Frank,they look fantastic!
Does the Indian form keep the red midrib when it gets larger?or does it dissapear?

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

You have had some Amazing growth rate their Frank, I am especially interested in the itinerans var. itinerans because I recon that would be well worth a try in the UK what was your lowest winter temp. And haw would you compare it to Basjoo for growth rate and hardiness

Thanks Tony

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Pete, yes I am overwintering these outside. The three largest pseudostems in the picture came back this spring, and 2 of them were completely unprotected. I put a bag of leaves over the biggest one.

Steve, unfortunately the 'India Form' loses most of the red midrib as it gets older. However, I was looking at the newest leaf, and you can still see the red, just not as vivid as on younger plants.

Tony, lowest temperature here at my house was unofficially 7F (twice). Officially, Knoxville recorded somewhere around 10-11F, can't remember which. As of now, I would say that it is at least as hardy as Musa basjoo, and grows faster. This is just a second year mat!

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Looking good!

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Frank,

I'll have to look at mine when I get home this afternoon. After looking at your pics, I'm not sure mine is var. itenerans afterall. The undersides of the leaves on mine are blushed red like your pics of the India form; however, I do not recall the midrib being so red. Mine is pot-grown so that could account for some of it. I'll try to post a pic of it and let you see what you think. Yours look very nice, though.

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

its really beautiful, amazing!
thanks for this beautiful pictures :D

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Scot, it'll be a little while before I'm willing to let one of these go, but I completely understand your addiction, lol. Don't worry, it only gets worse!

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

I wish I knew how to quote more than one person in one message. Somehow, that skill has eluded me for many years now, lol.

Brent, the midrib isn't very red at all on the var. itinerans, which is in the first 3 pictures. Sure, you can tell a little bit of red on the underside of the newest leaves, but that fades quickly to green. 'India Form' is the only one that I've seen that has the markings on the top surface of the leaves. I'd be glad to look at a picture.

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Beautiful plant and great pics. Congratulations!
Cassie

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Frank,

Here's the one you id'ed for me back in the spring as M. itinerans v. itinerans. Let me know what you think.

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

It's definitely Musa itinerans, but I'm really not sure about the variety. I talked with Dr. Hugo Volkaert while in Thailand, and he said that he could show me 20 different varieties of Musa itinerans.

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

This is the one I originally purchased as Burmese Blue. Too bad that's not what it is.

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Brent, have a look at this it looks the same as yours; I can’t speak German I wonder if its hardy, looks similar to franks too.

Achims Bananen-Forum.de :: Thema anzeigen - Musa itinerans var. guangdongensis -Blaue Burmesische Banane

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

the owner of this plant has his own website Bananenzentrum Karlsruhe - Bananenzentrumand there you will find temperatures till -7°C (19.4°F) for this musa.

an other interesting site will be Bananen, Anregungen u. Tips. with nice and impressing pictures (look for Impressionen >Bilder)

to translate some words use dict.cc | Englisch-Wörterbuch | German Dictionary

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Hi Embudu, I have been looking on German sites for a couple of weeks,
The language is a big barrier but at least the Latin names are the same,
I particularly like the Achims forum its very well presented and the quality of the plants is excellent.
I’m trying to learn a bit of German so hopefully that will help.
Thanks for those two links I’m going to have another look at them tonight.
:bananas_b

Tony

Re: Musa itinerans recent photos
 

Some one has just told me about this:woohoonaner:
Here is a Babelfish translation for any one who is interested.:lurk:

Translation result for http://www.bananenhobby.de/Bilder2008.htm