Musa

It has not been the best year for bananas! 2 cold winters in succession have not helped. However, here is an update on how they are getting on (the Ensete branch of the family are not included in this post.

Musa sikkimensis – I’ve grown this banana with little protection for the past 8 or 9 years. Some years it has come through the winter with its stems intact and gone on to make massive plants up to 16ft tall. This year (like the last) it was cut to the ground by the cold winter and only started to produce new shoots from its roots in early June. Therefore, it has not made the height of some years. There are 3 stems and it will probably make 10ft tall by the end of October.

Anyway, here’s a photo of it taken this morning:

 

Musa sikkimensis ‘Red Tiger’ – I bought this plant from ‘Amulree Exotics’ earlier this year. It was described as having red markings and being just as hardy as the standard sikkimensis. It certainly has the markings and is a handsome banana, it has grown well and is now about 5ft high. Time will tell about its hardiness, however, I have planted it in a less favourable position than the other sikkimensis – it is in more shade and in less well drained soil.

Here are some photos taken this morning:

As can be seen it is slightly over-shadowed by the grass – Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus' which is flowering rather well.

Below, is a close-up of the Red Tiger’s markings:

By the way . . . Amulree Exotics is an excellent source of tropical / exotic plants. Their online ordering service and delivery is very efficient. They are also known as Turn-It-Tropical . There is a link to their site in the right-hand column of this blog . . . . but here it is again:

http://www.turn-it-tropical.co.uk/