The Ensetes are out.

simon · Post by **simon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:14 pm

Well, I dug my Ensetes up at the weekend and stowed them away in my garage. I thought I would post a pic of the final size of the ventricosum.

when I dug the ventricosum out I broke a piece of the corm off. I was wandering if this would affect the health of the plant and also whether there is a likelyhood of geeting a new plant to grow from this piece of corm.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:16 pm

Must have been a weekend for it. Our Murelli came out on Sunday. Will post a pic later - it didnt reach the size of yours.

We have left the emerging roller on - should we have chopped it off?

Post by **Dave Brown** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:22 pm

Hi Simon

Nice garden and Ensetes. Looking at the size of the ventricosum, I would have thought no problem with the bit that broke off, but it could allow rot to set in. Not sure if the broken bit is big enough to be viable, but no harm in trying. Mark Hall is probably the man to tell you more

simon · Post by **simon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:23 pm

Hi Gaz, I cut mine down to the last 3, as you see in the pic. Although I had to shorten them to get them in the garage. I think it is best to leave something on there, space permitting.

Don · Post by **Don** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:37 pm

Simon--Fantastic examples and why everyone should have a go at growing Ensetes.
How old are those plants

Post by **Dave Brown** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:05 pm

Talk about variation

This is my second year ventricosum. Thinking of nicknaming it Stumpy

simon · Post by **simon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:29 pm

Thanks Don, I actually bought that this spring at Urban Jungle when we all met up. It was only a small plant. I was really suprised at its rate of growth.

You can see it in this pic from early in the season, just behind the Canna Australia. The Maurellii to the right is a second year plant which was overtaken by the ventricosum by the end of the season.

simon · Post by **simon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:33 pm

Dave your plant is completely different. Very dark pseudostem and and midribs. Also a quite stocky plant. Mine has a tall but very slender pseudostem.

Don · Post by **Don** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:49 pm

Simon-That really is spectacular growth,particuarly with the lousy summer we had. Think what size that will be next year

Pre-book a Chiro/Physio session now.

Dave-that stumpy plant has all the characteristics of E.superbum or something very similar.

Post by **Dave Brown** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:12 pm

Don wrote:Dave-that stumpy plant has all the characteristics of E.superbum or something very similar.

Well, I did ask that on UKO, but superbum is a tropical banana that does not do well outside (in summer) in the UK. My stumpy has withstood down to 0C last winter, and 0.9C last week. I put on another post the leaves were stiff with frost, and the pic above was taken 3 days later.

This is the pic I put on UKO, someone might remember it. My stumpy bottom left with Singapore botanical gardens superbum in the background. It does look similar, I must admit

Don · Post by **Don** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:46 pm

Perhaps the Superbum Mark Hall can shed a bit of light on this one

I think the Ensete naming side of things is probably even more confused (screwed up) than that of Musa.

SteveW · Post by **SteveW** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:47 pm

Simon,
Well done mate thats an awesome looking plant,you must be well pleased to get it to that size in its first season.
Whats the secret,Elephant poo or something

Post by **Dave Brown** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 5:50 pm

It's like Luciens Maurelii, and he used worm wee

lucienc · Post by **lucienc** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 6:37 pm

Dave Brown wrote:It's like Luciens Maurelii, and he used worm wee

It did start with a bag of elephant poo. Oh didn't I tell you that before.... oops

Adrian · Post by **Adrian** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 7:04 pm

What have you done with the roots Simon? theres none left. I always lift mine with a rootball. Can you get away with slashing them right off? Storage and moving around would be a hell of a lot easier.