Ensete ventricosum and cultivars discussion

[Dave Brown]

.We can but hope

Addis-Ababa here we come A ventricosum hunt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nh9G8dE8dY
Beware it can rain a lot

Enset production in Ethiopia (foodcrop)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IilAsTaEncE

[countrylover]

Ok, so doe's anyone grow Ensete 'Kluay Pa'? Found this variety at palmscenter.de. Never seen this plant and wonder if it's worth to buy.

[SteveW]

Not grown that one yet,had some seeds for it from Togtan via Mark Hall,but nothing came of them sadly
I've got some ensete gillettii in the prop atm,so far theres one popped and got my fingers crossed the rest do topo.
The seed cost a small fortune from rarepalmseed,so hoping to get my moneys woth there

[redsquirrel]

i remember growing my hiniba next to the tandarra red (bought that near newton abbot ?) and thinking how much they were alike yet the hiniba came through the first winter here no probs the latter didnt. this was back when we were having decent summers,also didnt think either were as prolific growthwise as a normal maurelli.
not really into nanas much now,they took up an awful lot of overwintering space with the last couple of winters killing all of them. hence i'd only look for hiniba again as to me it was the best looker

[SteveW]

I found the hiniba grows better here than both 'Montbeliardii' and maurelii,but maybe its because I lavish more attention and feed on it than the other2
Agree with you on it being the better cousin,looks wise.Its why I'm reluctant to give it a kicking in order to get pups
I will do it though,for the greater good of exoticists everywhere,not to mention funding my habit

[daftbanana]

Here's my two Maurelli's out for an airing as it's 19C on the patio right now! They were left bare-rooted in the pots you see them in now up until about two weeks ago. They were then actually planted in these pots just to get them going again and I'm now watering them regularly. The main leafs already unfurled (one looks rather tatty) have been slowly unrolling all winter (greenhouse kept at a minimum of around 10C). This is my first attempt at overwintering Ensete so I'm quite excited they seem to have come through ok. I intend to plant them back in the garden once all threat of frost seems to be gone.

[sanatic1234]

My ventricosum has had quite a lot of greenfly on it today is this normal they were all in the main leaf. So i took them out and destroyed them.

[Dave Brown]

My ventricosum has had quite a lot of greenfly on it today is this normal they were all in the main leaf. So i took them out and destroyed them.

A bit drastic mate, I'd just have got rid of the greenfly Will you buy some more

[Leigh]

My ventricosum has had quite a lot of greenfly on it today is this normal they were all in the main leaf. So i took them out and destroyed them.

A bit drastic mate, I'd just have got rid of the greenfly Will you buy some more

Laughed so much i fell of me chair
It was the Greenfly you destroyed San, was'nt it

[sanatic1234]

rephrase that. I killed the greenfly and looked after the ventricosum

[nige pook]

Hi guys, I know i've probably already asked this,but for those on the south coast,any ideas where i can buy these in person? People always have probs finding my flat and im never home during work hours as i'm a landscape gardener, so buying online is a pain in the bum. I'd dearly love an ensete v and a maurelii, any suggestions? Nige.

[sanatic1234]

What about your local nursery or garden centre. May be they could get one on order for you?

[nige pook]

Yep,tried that already i'm afraid! still waiting months later for something else i was after last growing season. Considering I live near southampton, one of the warmer areas of the country, there seems a severe lack in nurseries etc that supply anything in the slightest bit tropical unless you want to wait until june/july! Lets face it with our climate,that could almost be the end of the growing season! Nige.

[countrylover]

There's that Architectural Plants nursery (or sumthing like that) in Chichester. It's not that far from ya

[SteveW]

Ask Ade,he'll know the best places locally to get what you're after.
But just of the top of my head theres darren at NFHB,sells on ebay but he is a member on here so you could try pm'ing him to find out whether he's selling any this year.