Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7

Ueberwinden · 01-13-2009, 03:17 PM

I have several Orinoco and Dwarf Orinoco bananas and have been bringing them in each year because every site I have ever seen rates them for no colder climate than a zone 7. Does anyone in this group grow them in a zone 6B outdoors? If so how well do they do? What kind of protection do you use? I would like to be able to winter them outside but really don't want to use one as a test subject to find out if someone is just being conservative on the rating.

Michael

Bob · 01-13-2009, 03:24 PM

Hello Ueberwinden. Haven't tried it yet but will be doing so next fall with at least one plant. I'm technichally in zone 6a ,although it hasn't gotten below about 5 F for years now. I plan on doing it the same as a basjoo, basically insulating the P- stem and covering with a tarp. We'll see how it goes. Good luck.let us all know if you decide to give it a try as well.

damaclese · 01-13-2009, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ueberwinden

I have several Orinoco and Dwarf Orinoco bananas and have been bringing them in each year because every site I have ever seen rates them for no colder climate than a zone 7. Does anyone in this group grow them in a zone 6B outdoors? If so how well do they do? What kind of protection do you use? I would like to be able to winter them outside but really don't want to use one as a test subject to find out if someone is just being conservative on the rating.

Michael

You can keep any thing out doors as long as its got the right kind of protection. however I wouldn't want to risk it. Have your trided Boojoo? its hardy to zones 4 and 5 from what I hear. I haven't grown it as its a bit hot here in the Mohave Desert for them.

Ueberwinden · 01-13-2009, 09:47 PM

I have Musa Basjoo already in the ground. I have yet to leave anything else in the ground over the winter. I sunk a dwarf Brazilian, a dwarf Orinoco, and a Orinoco this last growing season, which I lifted in late September.

Michael

damaclese · 01-13-2009, 09:51 PM

well the Brazilian will defiantly not survive so its good you lifted well you can always try one next year check out the post on winterizing there are people here on the org that have some really sweet setups for getting them to survive the winters

Bananaman88 · 01-14-2009, 07:33 AM

When I lived in St. Louis, we had 'Orinoco' where I worked. Each year it, after it was hit by a good hard frost, it was cut back to about 2' tall and then we heaped a bunch of mulch on it. It came back each year around May. Back then, we thought it was M. basjoo because it never flowered for us in St. Louis. It was only when I moved to the Houston area and it flowered for me that Gabe was able to ID it as 'Orinoco' for me.

A couple of caveats here: the plant in St. Louis was growing at the botanical garden there, which is within the city and it was also growing within the protection of walls inside the Chinese Garden there, so it had itself a nice little microclimate. Please take these things into consideration if you ever decide to test one yourself. I'd definitely have a back up pup!

bigdog · 01-14-2009, 11:09 PM

Even it if did come back for you in zone 6, it never would come close to attaining the height of Musa basjoo in a season. It comes back much later here in zone 7a, with no protection, and never gets very tall (well, I do neglect it VERY badly). I can tell you that I have had them die in Nashville in a zone 7a (1F) winter (Jan. 2003) with no protection, and come through fine after a zone 7b winter (6F) with minimal protection (a little extra mulch).

mskitty38583 · 01-15-2009, 12:04 AM

i cut my oronico down to 4 ft and put a big trashcan over it.....that was after a bad frost hit it. then i covered the edges of the trashcan with mulch....and now i wait un-patiently for spring. btw.....i did my sabas this way too. my d. oronicos ( 2) were cut to the ground and one p-stem was left standing( trimmed of leaves. they have 6 inches of mulch on them. we are suppossed to hit -2 by the early am so hopefully all will pull through.

Ueberwinden · 01-22-2009, 12:37 PM

I guess I will try it this year and see what happens. I will spoil it with a nice layer of humus under it and a thick layer of mulch over it as we head into Winter 09. Wish me luck.

Michael

Chironex · 01-22-2009, 01:02 PM

You may also want to consider fresh steer or horse manure. These produce heat due to bacteria, so it gives an added measure of protection under the mulch. Yes, they will have an odor, but it will really help your plants. The odor goes away as it breaks down.

Ueberwinden · 01-23-2009, 04:00 PM

Thank you for the advice Turfway Race track is just up the expressway, plenty of horse manure there!!!!

Michael

xyzzy · 01-27-2009, 06:35 AM

I have overwintered them in an unheated greenhouse and they were very tough - kept leaves all winter, but havent tried them outdoors yet.

tikifarmer · 01-27-2009, 02:33 PM

I tried overwintering an orinoco in the ground last year in PA z6b . 4 foot wire cage filled with straw and covered with a tarp . It didn't survive and like others have said if it did survive it probably wouldn't get very tall let alone flower .

Here's what I do with mine ...

With pretty good results (fence to the right is 6' for scale)...

mskitty38583 · 01-27-2009, 02:47 PM

do you really think that the crom should be sitting ontop of a cold bare concrete floor? its not good for batteries im sure its not good for the crom. jmo. and that is a huge oronico. thats what mine looked like before i wack about 6 foot off it for winter. and yes i cried when i wacked it.

tikifarmer · 01-27-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mskitty38583

do you really think that the crom should be sitting ontop of a cold bare concrete floor? its not good for batteries im sure its not good for the crom. jmo. and that is a huge oronico. thats what mine looked like before i wack about 6 foot off it for winter. and yes i cried when i wacked it.

I don't know if it would be any better or not but , they didn't seem to mind ( last year anyway ) . It's not terribly cold where they are stored probably 50-55F , so maybe that helps .

Ueberwinden · 01-30-2009, 08:21 PM

I have several different bananas in the garage on a bare concrete floor. I believe they are a Brazilian, and a Orinoco. I will let you know how it goes.

Michael

Jack Daw · 02-08-2009, 02:11 PM

Michael (Ueberwinden),

I can't help, but I feel strong German roots there...

You asked, whether you could leave the Orinocos out? I believe, that even those estimates for zone 7 are pretty extremely rare in the field of Musa. I had a discussion with dr Parmar from India and above other interesting things he mentioned, that cultivars are almost all at least 90% water. And no matter the cultivar or plantain, the water freezes below 0°C.

Feel free to try, but I have a feeling, that you will be really disapponted with the results. BTW, if you look at it, they can bare the low temperatures for shorter periods of time, but a winter in 6b is something they can't possibly survive.

Or at least I think.

01-13-2009, 03:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ueberwinden Ueberwinden Ueberwinden's Photo Gallery Location: Florence, KY Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Mike Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 246 BananaBucks : 47,771 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 23 Times Was Thanked 158 Times in 86 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 I have several Orinoco and Dwarf Orinoco bananas and have been bringing them in each year because every site I have ever seen rates them for no colder climate than a zone 7. Does anyone in this group grow them in a zone 6B outdoors? If so how well do they do? What kind of protection do you use? I would like to be able to winter them outside but really don't want to use one as a test subject to find out if someone is just being conservative on the rating. Michael __________________ White Horticulture Rare, Tropical, Unique

01-13-2009, 03:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bob Orang Puteh Bob's Photo Gallery Location: Washington Twp N.J. Find me on the map! Zone: 6a Name: bob Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 3,528 BananaBucks : 209,609 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9,537 Times Was Thanked 4,058 Times in 1,694 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 565 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 Hello Ueberwinden. Haven't tried it yet but will be doing so next fall with at least one plant. I'm technichally in zone 6a ,although it hasn't gotten below about 5 F for years now. I plan on doing it the same as a basjoo, basically insulating the P- stem and covering with a tarp. We'll see how it goes. Good luck.let us all know if you decide to give it a try as well. __________________

01-13-2009, 09:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ueberwinden Ueberwinden Ueberwinden's Photo Gallery Location: Florence, KY Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Mike Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 246 BananaBucks : 47,771 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 23 Times Was Thanked 158 Times in 86 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 I have Musa Basjoo already in the ground. I have yet to leave anything else in the ground over the winter. I sunk a dwarf Brazilian, a dwarf Orinoco, and a Orinoco this last growing season, which I lifted in late September. Michael __________________ White Horticulture Rare, Tropical, Unique

01-13-2009, 09:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
damaclese Living in Exile damaclese's Photo Gallery Location: Henderson NV Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Mediterranean climate Name: Paulo Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,767 BananaBucks : 288,477 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,352 Times Was Thanked 1,620 Times in 706 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 101 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 well the Brazilian will defiantly not survive so its good you lifted well you can always try one next year check out the post on winterizing there are people here on the org that have some really sweet setups for getting them to survive the winters __________________ Helping to foster understanding for the learning disabled

01-14-2009, 07:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 222,680 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 When I lived in St. Louis, we had 'Orinoco' where I worked. Each year it, after it was hit by a good hard frost, it was cut back to about 2' tall and then we heaped a bunch of mulch on it. It came back each year around May. Back then, we thought it was M. basjoo because it never flowered for us in St. Louis. It was only when I moved to the Houston area and it flowered for me that Gabe was able to ID it as 'Orinoco' for me. A couple of caveats here: the plant in St. Louis was growing at the botanical garden there, which is within the city and it was also growing within the protection of walls inside the Chinese Garden there, so it had itself a nice little microclimate. Please take these things into consideration if you ever decide to test one yourself. I'd definitely have a back up pup!

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01-14-2009, 11:09 PM	#7 (permalink)
bigdog ******* bigdog's Photo Gallery** Location: Gainesville, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Frank Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,003 BananaBucks : 749,483 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 213 Times Was Thanked 1,788 Times in 503 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 Even it if did come back for you in zone 6, it never would come close to attaining the height of Musa basjoo in a season. It comes back much later here in zone 7a, with no protection, and never gets very tall (well, I do neglect it VERY badly). I can tell you that I have had them die in Nashville in a zone 7a (1F) winter (Jan. 2003) with no protection, and come through fine after a zone 7b winter (6F) with minimal protection (a little extra mulch).

01-15-2009, 12:04 AM	#8 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: north carolina Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4,071 BananaBucks : 194,545 Feedback: 26 / 100% Said "Thanks" 82 Times Was Thanked 890 Times in 617 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 136 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 i cut my oronico down to 4 ft and put a big trashcan over it.....that was after a bad frost hit it. then i covered the edges of the trashcan with mulch....and now i wait un-patiently for spring. btw.....i did my sabas this way too. my d. oronicos ( 2) were cut to the ground and one p-stem was left standing( trimmed of leaves. they have 6 inches of mulch on them. we are suppossed to hit -2 by the early am so hopefully all will pull through. __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION

01-22-2009, 12:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ueberwinden Ueberwinden Ueberwinden's Photo Gallery Location: Florence, KY Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Mike Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 246 BananaBucks : 47,771 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 23 Times Was Thanked 158 Times in 86 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 I guess I will try it this year and see what happens. I will spoil it with a nice layer of humus under it and a thick layer of mulch over it as we head into Winter 09. Wish me luck. Michael __________________ White Horticulture Rare, Tropical, Unique

01-22-2009, 01:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 122,272 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 You may also want to consider fresh steer or horse manure. These produce heat due to bacteria, so it gives an added measure of protection under the mulch. Yes, they will have an odor, but it will really help your plants. The odor goes away as it breaks down. __________________ Scot

01-23-2009, 04:00 PM	#11 (permalink)
Ueberwinden Ueberwinden Ueberwinden's Photo Gallery Location: Florence, KY Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Mike Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 246 BananaBucks : 47,771 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 23 Times Was Thanked 158 Times in 86 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 Thank you for the advice Turfway Race track is just up the expressway, plenty of horse manure there!!!! Michael __________________ White Horticulture Rare, Tropical, Unique

01-27-2009, 06:35 AM	#12 (permalink)
xyzzy Tropically Bonkers Location: Devon, UK. Find me on the map! Zone: 9b, but UK so no sun, always raining and infested with slugs. Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 120 BananaBucks : 25,261 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 I have overwintered them in an unheated greenhouse and they were very tough - kept leaves all winter, but havent tried them outdoors yet. __________________ There is no such thing as can't grow it - but the determination required may lose you your partner, family and friends - but does that matter?.

01-27-2009, 02:33 PM	#13 (permalink)
tikifarmer Manure Spreader tikifarmer's Photo Gallery Location: South Central PA Zone: 6B Name: Rick Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 58 BananaBucks : 28,810 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 75 Times Was Thanked 130 Times in 21 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 I tried overwintering an orinoco in the ground last year in PA z6b . 4 foot wire cage filled with straw and covered with a tarp . It didn't survive and like others have said if it did survive it probably wouldn't get very tall let alone flower . Here's what I do with mine ... With pretty good results (fence to the right is 6' for scale)...

01-27-2009, 02:47 PM	#14 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: north carolina Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4,071 BananaBucks : 194,545 Feedback: 26 / 100% Said "Thanks" 82 Times Was Thanked 890 Times in 617 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 136 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 do you really think that the crom should be sitting ontop of a cold bare concrete floor? its not good for batteries im sure its not good for the crom. jmo. and that is a huge oronico. thats what mine looked like before i wack about 6 foot off it for winter. and yes i cried when i wacked it. __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION

01-30-2009, 08:21 PM	#16 (permalink)
Ueberwinden Ueberwinden Ueberwinden's Photo Gallery Location: Florence, KY Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Mike Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 246 BananaBucks : 47,771 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 23 Times Was Thanked 158 Times in 86 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 I have several different bananas in the garage on a bare concrete floor. I believe they are a Brazilian, and a Orinoco. I will let you know how it goes. Michael __________________ White Horticulture Rare, Tropical, Unique

02-08-2009, 02:11 PM	#17 (permalink)
Jack Daw I think with my banana ;) Jack Daw's Photo Gallery Location: BA, SK, CEU Find me on the map! Zone: Dfa (Köppen-geiger) <-> 7b/8a? (USDA) Name: Jack Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,525 BananaBucks : 213,725 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,771 Times Was Thanked 2,461 Times in 1,355 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 383 Times	Re: Orinoco Banana rated for zone 7 Michael (Ueberwinden), I can't help, but I feel strong German roots there... You asked, whether you could leave the Orinocos out? I believe, that even those estimates for zone 7 are pretty extremely rare in the field of Musa. I had a discussion with dr Parmar from India and above other interesting things he mentioned, that cultivars are almost all at least 90% water. And no matter the cultivar or plantain, the water freezes below 0°C. Feel free to try, but I have a feeling, that you will be really disapponted with the results. BTW, if you look at it, they can bare the low temperatures for shorter periods of time, but a winter in 6b is something they can't possibly survive. Or at least I think. __________________ Thnx to Marcel, Ante, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar and *Francesco* for the plants I've received. Zeitgeist - Corporatocracy 101 (~2hrs) Zeitgeist - Moving Forward (~2.5hrs)

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