Musa basjoo

Other plants we have or landscape elements like ponds.

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stevelau1911
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by stevelau1911 »

I think I'll be digging off a lot of pups by next year. Everything that gets grown in the soil around here tends to proliferate quickly either due to the cool wet climate or soil conditions.

Here's a basjoo making 5 pups on its first year, 2 were taken off, but failed. There is one pup behind the main stem. The stem is only about 3.75 inches in diameter at 5-6ft with the corm buried 1ft in the ground so it is pupping way more than it should.
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Even the gunnera manicata seems to be making lots of side shoots which may be hindering the growth of the main plant. I plan on removing half of these by next year so that the main corm can keep getting larger.
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dudley
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by dudley »

i just got five new banana pups myself, but i bought mine.
an apple,dwarf cavendish, ice cream, super dwarf, and a ladyfinger.
"Plants are people just like us"
Alan_L
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by Alan_L »

Steve - are the gunnera spikes (thorns?) as nasty as they look? If so, have fun taking those divisions. :)

Cool looking plant though.
stevelau1911
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by stevelau1911 »

They are succulent thorns unlike a rose bush so they won't make your fingers bleed, but I have around 10 or more of these pups, some just starting to form so by next spring when they are ready to come out of dormancy, at least half of them will be coming off since there are too many gunneras competing for light under the main canopy.

The corms are pretty hardy especially for looking so tropical since a half filled leaf bag is enough to get it through winter in zone 6. I just hope it gets a decent jump in size next year since it has only been gaining about 20% in size each year since 2008.
ghmerrill
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by ghmerrill »

I friend lives near a commercial nursery, and they have some Gunner in thier display garden that is about 10' tall. its DANG impressive, with those huge leaves. tried one here, but I had it in a poor spot, and it did not survive. gonna have to try again one of these days, the large leaves of the gunnera, as well as that of banannas sure do stand out in a landscape of predominantly tall, skinny, bamboo.
benboo
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by benboo »

Are gunnera manicata edible like normal rhubarb?

wikipedia says no
ghmerrill
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by ghmerrill »

benboo wrote:Are gunnera manicata edible like normal rhubarb?

wikipedia says no
I haven't seen anything about it being toxic, but I don't think it would be pleasant eating....
There is a big difference between "edible" and"palatable"! :lol:
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ocimum_nate
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by ocimum_nate »

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stevelau1911
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by stevelau1911 »

Has anyone else tried musa itinerans (mekong giant) which is supposed to get larger than the basjoos, create much longer rhizomes which can form a banana forest as opposed to a clump?

I ordered 3 of these guys. They are tall and skinny, but I've put them out in full sun to thicken them up a bit before planting them a foot deep.

Here's the blog on them with pictures.
http://stevesbamboogarden.blogspot.com/ ... giant.html
Alan_L
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by Alan_L »

Steve -- I didn't know this type of banana existed, but read about it a little and ot seems that full sun will cause leaf burn.

You have the room for many different running bamboos and also a banana that sends pups out 6' away? I *like* the fact that bananas form a clump!
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kreos123
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by kreos123 »

My basjo. Picture taken yesterday.

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stevelau1911
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by stevelau1911 »

When a banana pushes pups several inches away with long rhizomes, then it makes them way easier to propagate, and I'm kind of interested in seeing the difference. If they can really push 20ft in zone 6, that would create a very tropical look.


Musa basjoo seems to pup almost right next to the mother stem which works well in some settings, but in a more open area, I think a grove of banana stems looks nice too. Here are a couple of basjoos.
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bamboothew
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by bamboothew »

I know I read in at least one place that basjoo is a running species, but mine hasn't yet so maybe I am wrong. Mine has only pupped under its canopy so far. Steve, I actually discovered the mekong giant for sale on ebay this past summer but haven't gotten one yet, and not sure I even have room, but it looks very interesting. Between the basjoo and the Musella lasiocarpa (which is now hanging all over my walkway but I haven't had the heart to cut it back, it is so beautiful!), not to mention Canna musafolia with its huge, only slightly nanneresque leaves, I am covered, but the mekong sure is tempting since its form is so much different and because I love the idea of a running banana! Btw, I made the mistake of letting a volunteer morning glory climb my basjoo this year and the vine shredded some of the banana leaves as they were unfolding! Bad idea!

Alan, Steve must have a larger yard than we think, since he is able to photograph those basjoos without getting any bamboo in the picture :)
God Bless,

Matthew

===============================

Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.
benboo
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by benboo »

Are there any other Bananas worth pushing to climate zone 6?
bamboothew
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Re: Musa basjoo

Post by bamboothew »

benboo wrote:Are there any other Bananas worth pushing to climate zone 6?
benboo, Musella lasiocarpa may be worth trying with protection, and Musa sikkimensis 'Darjeeling Giant' is supposedly almost as hardy as basjoo but my darjeeling died the first winter after planting and I haven't tried another one.
God Bless,

Matthew

===============================

Genesis 2:8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.
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