bigdog

Mark, that sounds just like my M. thomsonii. Very reddish undersides to the new leaves, especially in the cigar leaf stage. Waxy bloom on the pseudostem also. It reminds me quite a bit of M. yunnanensis. It has been written about as being cold-hardy, and I plan to test mine in the ground this next winter (yuck, too early to start thinking about that!). Mine has been pretty slow-growing in the greenhouse this winter, even though it's heated. A lot slower than any other species I own. Maybe it will start growing more when planted outside.