New here. I'm hoping all is not lost. Last summer I purchased a banana plant. It is a Chinese Yellow Banana (Musella Lasiocarpa). I put it in the garage for the winter. It was doing well until we had our big chill last month here in Vancouver. Just before the big chill, it started growing this white fuzzy mold. I took some water and washed it away. Then the big chill came. It turned all brown. I left it alone until today. I chopped it down to the just above soil level. It was all mushy and wet. I pulled one of the old leaves and noticed there was what looked like a leaf will sprout. It needed to be transplanted anyway, when I took it out of the pot, it stunk and the soil was drenched. However, it looked like the roots were fine. I poked at the crown and it was sort of hard.. but most of it is very mushy. After transplanting it in new dry soil, I put it in the house. Is this going to survive or should I just cut my losses? If all is not lost, what else should I do? My mediterranean fan palm was also in the garage and it survived. Should I leave it there or move it into the house as well. I know I should have wrapped them in burlap like I did for my windmill palm several years ago.. but I honestly thought it would be safe in the garage. Who knew we'd get arctic weather... This is what is left remaining... and its the mushy part.
Your Chinese Yellow Banana (Musella lasiocarpa) is an ornamental Banana that resembles a giant yellow artichoke. It is hardy to zones 5 to 9. The plant dies after flowering , but new growth sprouts from the base. It performs best in cool conditions, and will usually regrow from roots if cut down by frost. This plant performs best in cool conditions, may be grown in tubs and wintered indoors. Don't give up hope yet. Put it in a cool location, reduce watering and feeding until late spring when you put it outdoors again. Resume regrular watering and feeding over the summer. As for your Mediterranean Fan Palm, it may tolerate a light frost, but the temperature fell below -9degrees a few weeks ago, you could mulch this plant and wrap the pot with burlap for the rest of the winter, just in case we get another frost...and then you hope for new growth in the spring! Good Luck
Thanks for your reply. So this is normal? What about it going all mushy? Is that normal too or is that because of the cold snap? As I mentioned, my other palms were fine, but I will wrap in burlap as you suggested..just in case.
Regarding my sick banana (Misella Lasiocarpa} I chopped off the mush, repotted and applied copper fungicide and left in the house. I looked just now, and low and behold, I see what looks like will be several shoots of leaves forming. Now, I cannot wait for my order from rarepalmseeds.com to arrive. I look forward to seeing what success I have in starting from seed. Mother Nature help me! Palm Nut.
