On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 23:15:08 +0000 (UTC), "pk"
wrote:

My South London experience (SW19) says Ensette v.'maurellii' is most
unlikely to survive outside even with good wrapping.

It all depends upon location and your micro-climate. I'm part of a
group of exotic plant nutcases who continually 'push the envelope' in
terms of testing plant hardiness throughout much of the country and
many of us have reported surprising successes with overwintering
'Maurelii' and ventricosum proper. There is a problem though - not
necessarily with the plant, but possibly due to the way it is
propagated. Many 'Maureliis' develop a serious condition that I
dubbed 'strangles' some years ago. In this, the new spring growth
becomes distorted and severely constricted and can kill the plant.

'Maurelii' is micro-propped on a fairly large scale and I suspect that
a rogue plant inadvertently got into the gene pool and is now being
propped unwittingly. Unfortunately, in the first year, the condition
is not apparent, so suppliers would have a bit of a job cleaning up
stocks. That is assuming it is a genetic imbalance. It does not
appear to have popped up in the US, so I think that the actual
chemicals used in micro propping can be discounted.

I've had totally unprotected M.basjoo survive unscathed and grow on again
from the 2m trunk, while a nearby well wrapped maurellii turned to mush!

Basjoo holds on to 10-12ft trunks here and often keeps a few to many
shredded leaves going at the same time - likewise sikkimensis and
itinerans. Ensete tends to lose its biggest leaves, but usually there
are a few 2 - 3 footers in the centre, which keep going.

The
problem is the odd night of very deep frost in an other wise mild winter -
basjoo shrugs that off, but maurellii dislikes even one deep cold night.

Well, I would certainly suggest a good 'sock' of straw for protection
against those occasional heavy frosts. A good method is to sandwich a
4 - 6" thick pad of straw between 2 sheets of netting (netlon or
rokolene is ideal). Make sure that the base of the plant has a good
thick mulch extending out about 2 feet and then drape the 'sock' over
and around the 'trunk' during cold weather. A cap of polythene over
the top (but not the sides) will be enough to prevent too much water
percolating into the heart of the plant.

In very cold regions, you may need to increase the thickness of the
straw padding and I know of some in the Midlands who add loads of
loosely crumpled fleece for good measure as well. Its a bit of a fad
I know, but it works well with a lot of folks and keeps the dining
/utility/living room clear. Some dig them up and store them dry, but
that's far too much like hard work for me. That said, it is the
method originally adopted when the species was first introduced.
Those poor Victorian gardeners!

I've now given up on it as my wife objected to the dining room being taken
over by a 2.5m triffid each winter!

I can't keep the darned things indoors. They survive the winter and
then rot in spring no matter what I do. Outside - no problems! I
know what you mean though. You work to get them looking big and sassy
and then have to struggle to accommodate them in winter. Not easy and
as mentioned before, I had to take my last one down altogether because
it became far too big and pushed everything else out of the way.
Musas I can cope with because in no time at all they develop well
defined 'trunks' allowing room for other plants beneath. Ensetes
make huge rosettes of foliage more or less from ground level and that
can be a problem when they start to take over everything else.


Dave Poole
Torquay, Coastal South Devon UK
Winter min -2°C. Summer max 34°C.
Growing season: March - November