Hardy Tropicals UK

My first year in the ground basjoo's are growing weakly, with one pupping up. In contrast am getting good growth from ensete maurelli, musa sikkimensis and the year before musella lasiocarpa. Canna tuerckheimii from seed this year are growing stronger than basjoo. The problem with a hardyness list is that its very dependant on the growing season before the winter. Wind is a real problem with basjoo, in my case I would say it knocks basjoo down the hardyness list. Tempatures here are at best in the mid to low 20s, so anything that needs heat will struggle here in summer nevermind winter.

Ensete maurelli over wintered dry.

Basjoo
Sikkimensis
Musella lasiocarpa

Rabbie wrote: Ensete maurelli over wintered dry.

Basjoo
Sikkimensis
Musella lasiocarpa

Ensete Maurelii comes from around 1700 to 2400m so temps between 5 and 25 occur in it's winter and it withstands a 2 to 8 month dry season. This means it is adaptable to even cooler areas of UK in summer, and happy to overwinter dry

The long winter of 2013 killed my Lasiocarpa. It was root hardy here, even with the zone 7 low's we've had in 2012.
2013 stayed at the border of zone 7/8 but lasted way too long.
The Basjoo stem survived with an old sleeping bag as a cover. I was convinced it was frozen through, it only had lost half of it's stem thickness and grew to be a nice big eye-catching nana.

Also I've lost Musa Zebrina and Dwarf Cavedish, those really have to go inside when temps get below 8-10C. Took them inside in november, wich was probably to late.

The Maurelli is also quite hardy, I leave it outside untill the first signs of frost at night, usually somehere in december.

There are not much banana's here in people's gardens, I get lots of surprised reactions especially when people see my maurelli skyhigh at 14 ft. between the houses.

Wow Eddie, how old is your 14 ft. muerelli? I'd be surprised if I'd have seen it, as I had no idea they grew that big.
I've never seen one banana planted around here, they all seem to prefer their Marigolds.

For me here I'd say Basjoo would be my top one, these come back year after year from the roots. I've never lost one yet, even first year Basjoo.

I'd go with Sikkimensis for my second. Came back from the roots after a temperature of -9.

Lasiocarpa next, kept these for a few years pre bad Winters (with a little fleece protection)

Itinerans - I killed it stone dead the first year it was out.

Not tried Mekong yet.

Di

here, basjoo then nothing , unless Mekong scrapes a place on the list.

Mr List wrote:here, basjoo then nothing , unless Mekong scrapes a place on the list.

I'm standing by my previous statement, Mekong won't be hardy here. I can't even get the bleedin' things to grow at any speed outside the greenhouse, next year they'll both go in the ground (was supposed to have been this year but they've no chance, grow slower than the other two Itinerans forms), year after they'll be dead. Absolutely certain of it.

grub wrote:

Mr List wrote:here, basjoo then nothing , unless Mekong scrapes a place on the list.

I'm standing by my previous statement, Mekong won't be hardy here. I can't even get the bleedin' things to grow at any speed outside the greenhouse, next year they'll both go in the ground (was supposed to have been this year but they've no chance, grow slower than the other two Itinerans forms), year after they'll be dead. Absolutely certain of it.

You get the same lows that I do over winter and that is why I usually listen to what you say it hardy but I have to disagree. I will say I have never left them completly unprotected..mulch at the very very least but usually a tomato cage full of straw and some plastic does the trick..keeps about 4 ft of p stem and they take off as soon as it gets warm.

I hope you're right Mike, just don't think it will be for me. I see this at the very best being like Sikkimensis, coming back once and then not making enough growth to continue . I am secretly praying I'm wrong though

DiCasS wrote:Wow Eddie, how old is your 14 ft. muerelli? I'd be surprised if I'd have seen it, as I had no idea they grew that big.

Di

About 4 years now, on a sheltered warm spot in compost and clay. Measured from the top of the highest leaf around 4-4.2 m (13-14 ft) For some reason mine is getting tall, not fat. Don't know why...

miketropic wrote:

grub wrote:

Mr List wrote:here, basjoo then nothing , unless Mekong scrapes a place on the list.

I'm standing by my previous statement, Mekong won't be hardy here. I can't even get the bleedin' things to grow at any speed outside the greenhouse, next year they'll both go in the ground (was supposed to have been this year but they've no chance, grow slower than the other two Itinerans forms), year after they'll be dead. Absolutely certain of it.

You get the same lows that I do over winter and that is why I usually listen to what you say it hardy but I have to disagree. I will say I have never left them completly unprotected..mulch at the very very least but usually a tomato cage full of straw and some plastic does the trick..keeps about 4 ft of p stem and they take off as soon as it gets warm.

like alocasia and colocasia that can be hardy for americans but not here,
we lack the heat in summer to build up enough storage organs for winter.
I suspect.

Getting closer to me being right reading this post on the org... http://www.bananas.org/f15/mekong-giant ... 18716.html