Musa 'Helens Hybrid',Ensete glaucum cold tolerance?

[nige pook]

Hi guys,just a quick question for you. Have had these two inside a cool part of the house over winter but with very low light levels. The glaucum still looks ok but is sited closer to the window. The musa is further away and is down to one leaf and the pseudostem has shrunk in girth. Wondered if these would now be ok in a frost free polytunnel yet or leave them inside for a bit longer. Guessing some of you will have had experience with these vars before, I only got these last year. They certainly grew quite well last autumn but not sure if they tolerate it being cooler like the more common vars? Nige

[Dave Brown]

Helens Hybrid is almost hardy in milder winters. I had it outside over winter 2007/8 and although the stem was killed to ground level, it came back to 5ft tall in 2008. Winter 2008/9 killed it.

So it is certainly good for a frost free greenhouse.

[nige pook]

Ahh thats good to hear Dave thankyou ,had thought it may be harder than i was willing to risk. Only have one so wasn't prepared to lose it prior to obtaining advice. Nige