What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

There is allways talk about hardy bananas. Wich ones are the least hardy in your opinion? It would be nice to know wich ones us northern growers should avoid.

Erlend

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

Well, I definitely have some experience in killing bananas! I can tell you that Musa 'Royal Red' is not the least bit hardy. It's fairly well known that Musa beccarii dies back in the low 40sF, and turns to mush at the drop of a hat. M. acuminata ssp. zebrina is pretty tender, as are most of the Cavendish lines. I have M. 'Jamaican Red' out this year just for giggles to see if it sprouts back. I'm not expecting anything, although it was a pretty huge corm. I think Hua Moa is pretty tender also, but I haven't left mine outside to test it. Of course there is also AeAe, which is very tender. That's all I can think about right now...I'm sure there's dozens more!

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

Any of the reds, Dwarf Jamaican, Tall Red, Dwarf Red, Kru, Red Iholena, Green Red, Cuban Red, etc. Kofi, Fhia 17, Kumunamba, and Dwarf Orinoco also seem to struggle in the winter, even here in San Diego.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

Wow, Pitangadiego mentions Dwarf Orinoco! Quite contradictory information! I allways thought that would be one of the hardiest ones.
:rollerbananadone:
I second Bigdogs observation about the cavendish-types. I have seen what a week of 40s-50s weather in Trondheim can do to a cavendish planted in ground. Turned to mush. The sikkimensis next to it still grew.

Erlend

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

Ae Ae from what most people say. I have Tall Jamaican Reds that survived the frost we had here in So Cal and are growing new leaves again. I also had good luck with SDC and DC! Both survived the frosty nights.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I believe microclimate plays an important part to this.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I have to agree, Kru, Dwarf Cuban/Jamaican Red, Grand Nain and Orinoco seem to be the first to yellow as the temps drop here. The Ae Ae is marginally affected so far with lows in the mid-50's.
I, too. was surprised to see the Orinocos in this category, but my experience with it here is the same, not cold-tolerant.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I have a Cav growing still, even though we've had temps at night down to 29F! I'm amazed.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

All of the reds - and any thing the literature says is native to tropical regions. That is why I am excavating and replacing the Red Iho, the unverified white Iho, red Kru, Saba (cause it's too big and tall and close to the pool enclosure), and the Pitogo, same reason. As I am tight for space the following are the replacements. SH3640, Belle, Logees Ladyfinger, Manzano and the Pisang Klotek.

Hey, great news ------ did a trade with a good buddy and neighbor, Katkin, from the Gardenweb, and got a 3 ft Siam Ruby pup dug out of the mama. It has two distinct pups a'budding. Time will tell if I kill this one off like I did the other three. Just in case ---took it to Mackenziemiller to get it potted with the good stuff - topped off with an inch of vermicompost. Ooooooh baby!




:woohoonaner:

Dan

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

Almost forgot --- that stuff about the Dwf Orinoco is baloney!!!

If you have it planted in a moderately cold snap region there should not be any problems. Unless the naner suffered from lack of nutrients, insufficient or overwatering, poor or contaminated soil. The DO is one of the toughest critts ever in the naner world. I know, I was sucessfull in fruiting in Charlotte, NC. Woof! If doubtful, contact The Banana Tree in Pa.

Dan

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I have a bunch of Orinoco ripening and another hanging that won't have time to ripen, Neither mat was protected . I harvested a bunch from my Dwarf Orinoco's last year.
Like Benny said though....individual microclimates may have an important role in regards to cold tolerance. I have a lot of large trees around here whose canopy may lend some protection from frost and a dark color house that may absorb and release heat, The same thing seems to be going on in Howards pic....dark brick and I see a lot of shade (trees??). Any plant that is close to a house will be more protected than those that are more exposed.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I got a african rhino that for some reasoned took a beating from just a short cool front that came through last week. every thing else is fine.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

The african rhinohorn corm that Jarred sent me over a month ago is growing merrily, sprouting 3 leafs, about 3 to 5 inches in length. Of course it is one of Jarred's famous monster corms and I fed it a water-soluble 10-20-30 winterizing formula shortly after planting it. :D

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I agree that the hardeness is related to the placement of these plants. We had a cold spell here in 2007 yet I lost nothing as the air moves down my hill. Even the Hawaiian Guava trees are still here and full of fruit.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I really hope you're right and that it bodes well for overwintering after I cut and mulch it. It's in the same location where I had a velutina last year that didn't make it through the winter.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I think zebrinas are kind of a pain.
Another one that everyone seems to kill is the namwah pearl.
BTW mine is still alive, can you believe it? It's still only about 1.5 feet tall though.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

The Dwarf Namwa Pearls seem to be slightly more hardy than some of my others, but their sensitivity to direct sunlight seems to be the central issue. So far no browning or yellowing of the leaves, whereas, the bananas I listed previously are struggling. The 2 DNP's are doing well in the shade of a huge palm, not fast growing as Sandy said, but still hanging in there.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

I've already had a light frost, and my Grand Nain and Dwarf Orinoco are as green as green can be. It's been a week since the event.

Re: What is the least hardy banana-plant/cultivar?
 

It's been about 10 days since that cold snap (officially 38 degrees here, 10 degrees cooler than record for the day, though evaporation + radiative cooling caused the dew on my windshield to freeze when I turned the wipers on as I pulled out that morning).

The ice cream looks fine.

The dwarf cavendish look fine on their north side, where they tuck slightly under the ice cream and a small palm. To the south, where they have a good look at the dark sky the leaves have large yellow patches on the leaves.

The leaves are burned on the young siam rubies in ~5 gallon decorative containers and completely unsheltered on the outer edge of the patio. But new growth is well on its way.