Green maurelii

[Ste]

Is anyone else's maurelii's growing green rather than red after they have been stored for winter? My new leaves are coming out pure green with a thin red line round the edge, i'm wondering if this is because they are inside and do they need the sun to make them go their usual red colour?
This might sound a bit stupid but the thin red line all round the edge of the leaf............. To me, I imagine it as like a red dye which is released into the leaf which gives it its red colour. I say that because in some areas of the leaf, it looks like its spreading from the edge working its way into the leaf. Is this how it happens or am I talking rubbish?
A few pics of my maurelii's just taken now (brought out of loft a few weeks ago and potted up)

[sanatic1234]

Yeah it is normal ste, mine did the same back in 2010 mate. I think the sunlight does play a part on the turning of colour on these.

[sanatic1234]

same one in the summer lifted for storage before the first pic was taken.

[GoggleboxUK]

I love that last pic Ste, the leaf with the red edge looks like it's been blanket stitched.

Very swirly!

[Ste]

Cheers, yeah thought it would of just been green since it has just woken up and will be back to being red once outside again.
I like that last pic aswell Rick. Do you see what I mean with my theory? Its as if the edge of the leaf is filled with a red dye and it releases it into the leaf. You can see it starting to soak into the main leaf in places. I wonder if its that red edge which turns the leaf red

[GoggleboxUK]

Yes, it does seem very concentrated at the edge there, you might be right.

Have you been watching How to Grow a Planet? They were on about plants developing coloured flowers to attract insects for pollenation and while I was watching I was wondering why the Banana leaf is red but they never said.

[Ste]

I only watched the first one when it was on a couple of weeks ago, missed the last 2 Im sure they will be on some bbci player or something.

[GoggleboxUK]

The 3rd one is on at 9:00 PM, Tuesday 21st February but the 2nd one is on iPlayer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... f_Flowers/

[Ste]

Cheers Rick, i'll try and catch that tomorrow

[Dave Brown]

The pigmentation in most plants is a form of protection. It either stops too much sun, and also helps combat cold. In the red cultivars of Ensete ventricosum, both sun and cold intensify the colour. In the highlands of Ethiopia, the Abyssinian Massive, average monthly night temps are no higher than 10C in the highest month, and in colder months closer to 4 or 5C. If you have this inside you may get the same result as when Maurelii is grown in the tropics.... mainly green with a red margin around the edge.

For best colour, give plenty of overhead sun, with cold nights

Edit, should have said

"If you have this inside you may get the same result as when Maurelii is grown at sea level tropics". Of course Ethiopia is in the tropics as just a few degrees north of the equator

[GoggleboxUK]

Ah, that makes perfect sense.

Cheers Dave