Meet Dumpy the Ensete ventricosum ;-)

[Dave Brown]

This is Dumpy, the dumpy Ensete. I've had short Ensete v. before but never one quite as dumpy as this. It had a severe problem with fused leaves last month and the leaf base was a continuous spiral choking new growth. I split the base into sections so that the plant could grow normally, gave it a good feed and it is now growing normally, but is still the most dumpy Ensete I've ever grown.

[GoggleboxUK]

I like Dumpy, he's cute.

[sanatic1234]

Is dumpy growing fast dave, my ensete V is not growing fast really, im watering it everyday and feeding once weekly but not much change to be honest?

[musa_monkey]

Is dumpy growing fast dave, my ensete V is not growing fast really, im watering it everyday and feeding once weekly but not much change to be honest?

The two i grew from seed have been outside for a few weeks and have just started to take off. Same applies to the maurelii so they do seem a bit slow to get going this year.

[outatime1978]

My one also is not doin alot,as its my first one which was from the Range it started off in a pot,and now i have plonked it in the ground next to my basjoo,its pushing out a roller but takin ages to develop..

[musa_monkey]

Here are a few of mine as of today, the e.ventricosum grown over winter from seed. The two e. maurelli that i pupped this year and the one that survived ok over winter.

[grub]

The maurelii so they do seem a bit slow to get going this year.

Funnily enough Alan my Maurelli are not moving anywhere near as quick as usual .

[jezza]

The maurelii so they do seem a bit slow to get going this year.

Funnily enough Alan my Maurelli are not moving anywhere near as quick as usual .

Same here. Basjoo and sikki outgrowing it 7 leaves to maurelli's 3.

[grub]

Hmmmm? So what do we assume then? Not humid enough? Too hot? Too dry? Thoughts please

[Yorkshire Kris]

I think it has been too hot for them!

[Dave Brown]

It isn't the heat Kris, it's lack of humidity.

A University study on Enset (seems plural drops the last e) growth in Ethiopia, concluded that high humidity drove best growth, not high temps.

Mine are all very slow this year as we are having these desicating E to NE winds. Early June 2009 was cool and wet with temps between 14 and 16C and Maurelii romped away.

With all Ensete keep the leaf bases filled with water in summer, and a daily hose down in the evening may help.

Dumpy is growing best now out of all my Ensete, but is next to the pond

[Yorkshire Kris]

That makes sense Dave. If I were an ensete I wouldn't want to push out new leaves into the constant wind we have been getting. I have not paid any attention to humidity levels to be honest. Have they been much lower than normal?

Kris

[sanatic1234]

I water and mist mine daily but still no change in growth? Very strange I am doing exactly the same as last year as i had excellent growth with mine last year but this year whole different story, my best nana for growth so far is my musa ornata. with the basjoo pups coming in second place.

[daftbanana]

My ensete maurelii is putting a leaf a week out at the minute but I have a young ensete ventricosum grown from seed around February that's much slower but haven't I read somewhere they grower lower down in habitat and require higher temps than Maurelii?

[Dave Brown]

My ensete maurelii is putting a leaf a week out at the minute but I have a young ensete ventricosum grown from seed around February that's much slower but haven't I read somewhere they grower lower down in habitat and require higher temps than Maurelii?

DfB, The wild Ensete ventricosum grown from seed, comes from a lower growing altitude than Eneste Maurelii which is cultivated to grow higher up in the mountains. It probably need a higher heat threshold to kick into growth, and the younger the more molly coddling they need.

From memory
Wild Ensete ventricosum green leaves sea level to 1100m
Ensete v cultivars red leaved open habit 600 to 1700m
Ensete v cultivars red leaved upright habit 600 to 2300m
and some cultivars are said to be found growing up to 3300m