Hi, Does anyone know what the Universtiy of British Columbia here in the pacific northwest does with the giant red banana on campus, over the winter? I understand that it is too big to move, is planted in the ground, and towers over the people walking by. What do they do to care for it, given it is not move-able?
That's a good question. I'll forward it along to someone who may know (it was likely his plant to begin with...)
If they don't use equipment to move it out the the autumn (which can be done rather easily), they may have an enclosure built around it during the winter. There's quite a few in public plantings around the city of Victoria. Cheers, LPN.
It depends on what you are calling a "giant red banana". more than likely you are referring to a Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelli' or red abyssinian banana. Native to the Ethiopian plateau's it enjoys cool weather (think rainy season Africa) but will be damaged by the slightest frost. Plant parts that are damaged rot easily and this can spread. I've tried several different enclosure methods outside in the pacific north west but all have failed. the only real method that has worked for me is over-wintering in a dark, cool (frost -free) basement. Luckily Ensete can be coaxed in and out of dormancy fairly easily. October- before the first frost I remove all but the top emerging leaf then I dig the plant up. My rule of thumb is 1 person needed for every year that the plant has been alive. -1st year just me, 2nd year I'll need one other person, 3 rd year 3 people are needed to muscle the thing out of the ground... I've never over-wintered a four year old plant because they get to big. The fourth year you could try an enclosure but like I said for me it's never worked. Once out of the ground I let the rootball dry a little, then I wrap the rootball in plastic and drag the whole thing into the basement. The plant is placed just slightly up from horizontal at an approx. 20*angle. The rootball is left to dry for most of the winter, adding a little water under the plastic now and then. I try to rotate the plant at least twice during the winter so that it doesn't have a funny curve in it when it's back in the garden. The other problems are aphids which can be held in check with safer's soap and rot, which should be remove periodically with a clean sharp knife. Be forewarned that this whole process can/will make your basement smell a bit "earthy" April- during the first nice days in April I upright the plant an pot them into large nursery tubs which I keep in a sheltered spot. (remember if it frost you will have to protect them.) I'll grow them on for a few weeks watering slightly at first to help the new roots establish. May- back to the garden. I usually dig a hole and dump my compost bin into the mound where I'm going to plant the largest Ensete. They like good drainage so plant them high, and water the heck out of them. The plants may be scraggly at first with a few deformed leaves but usually they get better. I even had one flower for me a few years ago and it was truly spectacular. Hope that helped a bit, more than likely it didn't. I tend to ramble. Look up a picture of Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelli' on the Internet and see if that is what you are referring to. If it isn't you may have seen a red form of one of the true bananas Musa sp. There are red forms of both the 'hardy' banana Musa basjoo and the slightly less common Musa sikkimensis 'Manipur'. Maybe you saw one of these and they are much more likely to survive outside in the PNW with protection. cheerio Kevin
HI, Yes, that is the banana I am referring to. When I mean giant, I mean at least 1-2 feet in diameter of "trunk" size, paired with at least 12 feet tall. It is definitely not going anywhere in the winter. I am going to go check out what they do, once the horrible weather hits....I will let you know! thanks,
"I've tried several different enclosure methods outside in the pacific north west but all have failed." I constructed a plywood box insulated with 1 inch sytrofoam. It was placed over the Ensete ventricosum 'Maurellii' after it was cut back hard to basically a stump. Only 3 old style incandesent Xmas bulbs where needed to keep the inside of the shelter above freezing on the few bad nights. I removed the protective covering in late March only to have it hit with a very rare mid April snow fall this year. The few leaves where frosted but the plant survived quite nicely and is currently pushing leaves at a steady pace. Cheers, LPN.
Thanks! I might try that with mine...it will be moved to a garden shed after cut down to the stump, and the shed will protect it from winds, snow and any storms. It will still need warmth though, so that might help. I will keep you posted on what the giant banana goes through out near UBC...I plan to go and take a look over the fall/winter. cheers
I found the picture! it is on www.tropic.ca website from Ray's "tropic to tropic" plant sales. ..I will keep my fingers crossed for mine--that shall be in a shed all winter! thanks
