flywoman

Anyone have experience with Musa Becarrii? I have been told they are fairly cold-tolerant and can be left outside if mulched like a Basjoo. Any thoughts?

Gabe15

Musa beccarii is an ultra-tropical species from lowland Borneo with probly as little cold tolerance as a banana can get. Many people have trouble growing it as it requires fairly constant ideal conditions to thrive, although it will grow in areas such as central Florida, but struggles more than other bananas (as I have seen). It also reported sometimes to be the first go down in the fall and the last to come up in the spring.

Definetly not a hardy banana by any means.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Steve L

Gabe is right. From my personal experience, it is very cold sensitive. I grew this banana for 3 years. The first year was in a pot. It stayed in my greenhouse all winter. I planted it the following spring and it bloomed but the cold got it before it fully developed. Died completely back and was the very last tropical to show up in the spring; actually, it was the summer, around late May if I remember correctly. It grew nicely and produced a flag but once again, the cold (45 degrees) stopped the growth and later it froze back to the ground. That year was also one of the wettest winters in a decade. It never showed up the following summer. The bloom is nice but not as nice as Coccinea. I would suggest that ornamental to everyone.

Steve

mnorell

I had two plants, one from Stokes, one from Florida, that I placed in pots in full, hot sun. Can't remember which one perished inexplicably, but I believe the one that had a larger rhizome appeared to die back, then suddenly kicked in and started growing. It's now in the ground in a rather shady area, in a slightly raised bed and is about 4 feet tall. It produces its fairly large new leaves rather slowly but has just thrown a couple of pups and seems actually very happy. I wonder if it hates really hot sun and heat about the roots. I'm sure what Steve et al say is inevitable and it will go down early and come up late if at all. But one thing I like about this plant is its foliage, which is particularly glossy, rich lime green (somewhat similar to velutina and 'African Red') and with an attractive reddish stripe down the midrib. Even if it doesn't flower there's something very beautiful and unique to admire it for. But I'm not expecting flowers anytime soon! Though I'm still patiently waiting for my glacially slow coccineas, which have been very difficult to get growing comfortably, to produce either...go figure!