Hi, Wondering if anyone has started this plant and could give me some advice on growing this plant and the care that it would need. I believe it is hardy to Zone 7? Any advice would appreciated.
Yup, hardy to zone 7 but it's advisable to give it some protection over your winter - usually cutting the leaves off and wrapping the pesudostem in burlap is sufficient, but if you're expecting hard freezes it's a good idea to build it a styrofoam box (EPS is available at Home Depot and Rona) and fill that with leaves as well. You should look for the sunniest spot in your yard and plant it there - it will take all the sunshine you can provide for it. If your yard is particularly exposed and windy you will want to balance sunshine with shelter - the wind will shred the leaves, although the plant is quite resistant. Once it comes to summertime, you'll want to water every other day, as all Musa and Musella are thirsty plants. With all luck, you should get pups in the first year, and a flower in the second or third. Use a balanced fertilizer during the growth period. And finally, check out the International Banana Society - there's a wealth of good information there. EDIT - Oh, are you growing from seed, or do you have a young plant?
Going to try from seed. Have not seen them for sale here. I have grown the Ensete Murelli in a pot and it grew famously, but it did not survive the winter inside. I believe I overwatered it. Would like to try the Yellow banana from seed. I imagine that time to see a flower may be more lenghy, although it seems as though it is the way I will have to go.
OK, here's the trick to get a Musella to sprout. If your seed is untreated, pop it in your mouth and suck on it for a few minutes - there's an enzyme in your saliva that will help break the outer shell more easily. If it's a treated seed, go straight to the soaking stage, and discard anything that floats after the first 24 hours. Soak for 3-4 days, then plant shallowly in loose medium, and create a little "hothouse" - I use deli containers or yogurt tubs, but basically anything you can use to keep the humidity in. Then put the hothouse in a warm place. I used the top of my CPU when I lived in Canada, and here in Ecuador I just put the hothouse in a sunny place. You should have germination in about 3 weeks. From seed, you should get to flowering stage in about 4-5 years, depending on how rapid your growth rate is. In the wintertime, all of the Musaceae go dormant - water about once a month to keep them alive, but no more. This way you won't get root-rot, which is probably what killed your Ensete.
