Hardy Tropicals UK

Hi,

a few weeks ago I saw that the new leaves were really small so I was expecting to see a flower soon. Now the flowerbulb in the middle is already showing. But since it is getting colder there's no chance to leave it outside and see it flower. Has anyone tried digging up a musa basjoo and let in flower inside during winter?

Rudy

I haven't as the leaves are the main reason I grow bananas, flowers are so unpredictable and you lose the stem completely.

Dave Brown wrote:I haven't as the leaves are the main reason I grow bananas, flowers are so unpredictable and you lose the stem completely.

Do you loose the stem if you remove the flower?

fern Rob wrote:

Dave Brown wrote:I haven't as the leaves are the main reason I grow bananas, flowers are so unpredictable and you lose the stem completely.

Do you loose the stem if you remove the flower?

yes that is my belief. Someone will now prove me wrong and make me look silly

Yes, the stem is lost as the flower and fruit is the last stage. By then the rhizome will have produced new stems (puppies). If one can keep the stem living during the winter a flower will be produced after some years.

Rudy

I just cut the fruit from my veletina the other day. being curious I split the p stem down the middle and the stem of the banana bunch goes all the way to the corm..once that happens there is no room for new leaves to come up so the stem is always lost in flowering..if I can find where I tossed it I will take a pic

I've had one flower yippee! that has been outside all year in a pot, it is only a small plant but it has flowered and that's a first for me, it is still out there in the cold and appears OK

A cracker of a flower Roy

The flower was not what I was expecting for M Basjoo.