which banana would be suitable for the north east coast?

palm lad · Post by **palm lad** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:32 am

i want to start growing a couple of specimen banana plants next year, but i'd prefer only the hardiest variety(ies) that would need minimum protection such as cutting them down and cover with mulch or something. no dig-up and bring in varieties as my mum is very awkward about having plants inside.

are there any types like that?

as i mention i'm not bothered if they get killed off and cut down in winter so long as they are reliably root hardy and will grow back without issues the next spring

cheers, PL

Conifers · Post by **Conifers** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:57 am

I've never seen any banana grown up here - I suspect cold winds would do them in too much

Post by **Dave Brown** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:06 am

Musa basjoo would be at least root hardy, but I'm not sure how much summer growth you'd get, and not the best banana for windy locations. Musella lasicarpa may also be winter hardy and more wind tolerant, but would probably need the most sheltered microclimate to grow in summer.

Mr List · Post by **Mr List** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 11:18 am

wouldn't hurt to try basjoo.

i'd also try sikkimensis and musella at least once.

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 12:07 pm

It's the winds that would do them in, shred the leaves to bits and they'd look really tatty in no time.

Basjoo worth try if you can site it somewhere out of strong winds. Not easy in the NE especially near the coast.

GoggleboxUK · Post by **GoggleboxUK** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 3:03 pm

These:

Darlo Mark · Post by **Darlo Mark** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:05 pm

I've grown musa basjoo, these would overwinter ok for you I think.

I've grown musa sikkimensis , But I think you would struggle to overwinter unless you have a heated greenhouse. They do grow quickly and I found the sikkimensis fairly wind resistant.

Ensete grow well up here but again you will need to overwinter.

Mushtaq, pops in from time to time and he will give you some proper advice.

Darlo Mark · Post by **Darlo Mark** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:06 pm

I think bananas would do ok up with you conifers especially in a sheltered place.

Conifers · Post by **Conifers** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:48 pm

Darlo Mark wrote:I think bananas would do ok up with you conifers especially in a sheltered place.

Yep, easily. But remember the only sheltered place around here is inside a reinforced steel structure

palm lad · Post by **palm lad** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:56 pm

Dave - we do have a summer up here you know!

quite a scorcher this year and last year too as a whole, dry season from late March to early May then a bit of rain inbetween apart from late July/August when we have tropical monsoons and hail storms every now and then..

goggle - very funny, haa

right then, well those two are deffs on me shopping list for next spring

cheers!

lee1125 · Post by **lee1125** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:04 pm

palm lad wrote:Dave - we do have a summer up here you know! quite a scorcher this year and last year too as a whole, dry season from late March to early May then a bit of rain inbetween apart from late July/August when we have tropical monsoons and hail storms every now and then..

goggle - very funny, haa

right then, well those two are deffs on me shopping list for next spring

cheers!

I have bought a couple of Musa basjoo this year that im planting out next year in the border and trying to overwinter outside, fingers crossed!!

Trudytropics · Post by **Trudytropics** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:37 pm

palm lad wrote:Dave - we do have a summer up here you know! quite a scorcher this year and last year too as a whole, dry season from late March to early May then a bit of rain inbetween apart from late July/August when we have tropical monsoons and hail storms every now and then..

goggle - very funny, haa

right then, well those two are deffs on me shopping list for next spring

cheers!

Palm lad are you sure you live in the North East? I want to know what day was a scorcher, as I missed it

musa_monkey · Post by **musa_monkey** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:40 am

If you can get a "proper" Helen's Hybrid that would be worth a go as the leaves are about the best of the many species i have tried in resisting wind shredding. Its a Sikki hybrid so planted deep enough should be root hardy but mulch heavily in winter to protect.

Post by **Dave Brown** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 9:35 am

Alan, I lost my Helen's Hybrid to ground level down here in the winter 2008/9 but came back to about 4 feet in summer 2009. Winter 2009/10 killed it outright, so may be a bit of a gamble in NE.

Palm Lad, I said about your lack of summer as that is what most people up there say. A 20C summer day here is cool, but I have heard some in NE refer to those temps as "a scorcher".

Ste · Post by **Ste** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 1:07 pm

Dave Brown wrote: A 20C summer day here is cool, but I have heard some in NE refer to those temps as "a scorcher".

You call 20C cool? I remember this summer when it was 18C, the beach was packed, beer gardens full etc.......

which banana would be suitable for the north east coast?

which banana would be suitable for the north east coast?

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