Hardy Tropicals UK

What would the top 5 be for the UK ?

Musa Basjoo

Hopefully Mekong Giant

Musella lasiocarpa

Musa sikkimensis

Ensete 'Montbeliardii'

Although Musa Basjoo is the only one that is really hardy up here.

Too area dependant in the UK to be an accurate representation of a hardiness chart I reckon

Basjoo, Sikkimensis, Musella and then Mekong I reckon, almost sure that's going to turn out as Yunnanensis...

supposed to be

Musa itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis 'Mekong Giant'

Mr List wrote:supposed to be

Musa itinerans var. xishuangbannaensis 'Mekong Giant'

Cheers Ken, in that case I killed quite a large one last winter I can't get Musella or Itinerans through winter here, the Itinerans last year had the best spot I've got, up against a south facing wall with some overhead cover from the porch.

it's the 'var. xishuangbannaensis ' that's the important bit.

I've killed Yunnanensis and Itinerans var Itinerans which were both supposed to be the new messiah, I reckon this one will join the list too but to give it half a chance it'll go against that south facing wall...

grub wrote:I've killed Yunnanensis and Itinerans var Itinerans which were both supposed to be the new messiah, I reckon this one will join the list too but to give it half a chance it'll go against that south facing wall...

In all fairness Grub, you are in one of the worst frost pockets in southern England. I generally get -6C in average winter, but I get the impression you are below -10C.

i like that he doesn't protect them either, a good tester for the rest of us

Dave Brown wrote:

grub wrote:I've killed Yunnanensis and Itinerans var Itinerans which were both supposed to be the new messiah, I reckon this one will join the list too but to give it half a chance it'll go against that south facing wall...

In all fairness Grub, you are in one of the worst frost pockets in southern England. I generally get -6C in average winter, but I get the impression you are below -10C.

I guess so Dave, it's usually -9C in a 'normal' winter but these last two were -19C and -13C . Sikkimensis comes back though whereas Mussella doesn't for me, I bumped it to third because so many say it's hardy. I killed one of SteveW's proven hardys in a normal winter and that was the last one for me, when I'm old and have time to potter about protecting stuff I might give it another go

Hardiness often depends on your microclimate. Some people maybe can grow the more tender plants. But that has more to do with very favourable conditions then with the hardinress. Maybe a Mussella is very hardy in a very warm sunny garden planted against the south side of a building in the center of London. But for the rest...

I garden at an allotment here in Leidschendam. Its outside the town. The difference in temperature is often more then 6 degrees. I have an old oleander here on the balcony of my flat. It survived all winters as its very sheltered. But on that allotment it would get killed probably in the first winter with a bit of frost. And I lost a Fatsia japonica there as well. Inside town they are full hardy though.

Alexander

Yorkshire Kris wrote:Musa Basjoo

Hopefully Mekong Giant

Musella lasiocarpa

Musa sikkimensis

Ensete 'Montbeliardii'

Although Musa Basjoo is the only one that is really hardy up here.

The Mekong is def going to be hardy for everyone but I think your lack of summer heat makes it start late and everyone gets impatient. It really is as good as bajoo and will be bigger in the end

this winter I am going to try musella and next winter hopefully mekong giant and possibly some more. obviously with full protection I can give them ( ie. fleece and straw). I am really getting into bananas and hope to build up a really nice little collection up over the next few years

Codfather, these are the sort of gardening questions that we should be having on this forum.

Have only ever grown Dwarf Cavendish outside in summer and overwinters in the conservatory although found that the east facing window overwinters them much better. I think they enjoy the morning sun in winter

This year I have basjoo and sikkimensis, did have Mekong on order but our bad spring put paid to that.

Going to try one basjoo in a well mulched pit and leave unprotected.

sikki and one basjoo going to be moved into conservatory over winter.

I also have several small basjoos on order that are going to be planted around as they were for cheap to see what happens.

All in the name of science, that's garden science