Musa Basjoo banana tree/plant

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Cocker

Musa Basjoo banana tree/plant

Post by Cocker »

Hello,

I am a new poster to this forum and have a question about my Musa Basjoo trees/plants.

I acquired my Musa Basjoo as a seedling about 18 months ago and now have a number of plants/trees of varying sizes, havimg successfully cultivated some of the offshoots of the original plant. However, my main question relates to the original plant and its first offshoot, which are now about 12 ft and 8 ft tall respectively (including the leaves - the trunk/stalk are about 8 ft and 6 ft tall).

I have previously kept the plants outside from about April to October, but have wintered them in our large conerservatory. However, I fear even our large conservatory will be too small next winter and I will have to make alternative arrangements for next winter. Will these trees/plants survive winter outside? Are there any tips for preserving them? If not, is there any value in selling them?

Many thanks.
kata

Re: Musa Basjoo banana tree/plant

Post by kata »

Welcome to the forum Cocker!

I have two outdoors but defoliated as they looked messy. The stems seem fine but we have had no frost except one day.

A good mulch should be fine.

icon_cheers
fern Rob

Re: Musa Basjoo banana tree/plant

Post by fern Rob »

A Banana is technically a herb.
A Banana plant is a herbaceous perennial.
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Musa Basjoo banana tree/plant

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Cocker wrote:Hello,

I am a new poster to this forum and have a question about my Musa Basjoo trees/plants.

I acquired my Musa Basjoo as a seedling about 18 months ago and now have a number of plants/trees of varying sizes, havimg successfully cultivated some of the offshoots of the original plant. However, my main question relates to the original plant and its first offshoot, which are now about 12 ft and 8 ft tall respectively (including the leaves - the trunk/stalk are about 8 ft and 6 ft tall).

I have previously kept the plants outside from about April to October, but have wintered them in our large conerservatory. However, I fear even our large conservatory will be too small next winter and I will have to make alternative arrangements for next winter. Will these trees/plants survive winter outside? Are there any tips for preserving them? If not, is there any value in selling them?

Many thanks.
Welcome Cocker.

Musa basjoo will survive outside in most parts of the uk if planted out in spring to establish. To keep the stems you need a mild winter or protect them with loft insulation or straw. Here is a long winded video that I did about it:



And this is unwrapping them the following year.


Kristen

Re: Musa Basjoo banana tree/plant

Post by Kristen »

Cocker wrote:I fear even our large conservatory will be too small next winter and I will have to make alternative arrangements for next winter. Will these trees/plants survive winter outside? Are there any tips for preserving them? If not, is there any value in selling them?
Basjoo should be hardy enough outside (probably not a plant from a 2L pot!, but a more established one). It is worthwhile protecting the pseudostem (a cage of chicken wire stuffed with straw, top covered with a bin liner or similar to keep worst of rain off, and thus the straw stays dry). In a really cold winter the pseudostem will often be killed. Plant will re-grow new pups from the roots (best to mulch the roots, but they are pretty hardy; however, if not mulched they may be slow to start in the Spring, which equates to a small plant that summer).

If the pseudostem survives you'll have a really tall, majestic, plant the following year. If not you'll have new babies that get up to 5' to 6', maybe 8' even.

EDIT: Sorry, went to make a cuppa ... YK has posted in the meantime icon_salut
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