Anyone have information on growing banana trees in the St. Louis area? I bought one on sale last fall. My grandmother used to grow them outside somehow.
banana tree
i know nothing about but they do down here to surprised me..
In decreasing order of hardiness:
Musa basjoo
Musa sikkimensis
Musaella lasiocarpa
Musa itinerans
Provide good drainage, protect from wind, and in winter cover with quick draining mulch.
Someone gave me one at the end of last summer. I put it in a big pot and it thrived in the basement, by the window. I planted it outside 3 weeks ago, it is growing like mad, even with the cooler temps at night. My plan is to chop it down to the dirt (the way I received it) and pot it up in a large pot, like I did last winter.
Our winter's are getting so mild (for the most part) that it just might survive in the ground with lots of mulch. I'm planning on trying that with my Brugmansia's next winter.
crystal
well if you like banana type stuff go out into these hill here and dig up a puwpaw tree. It is realated. and it is eatable.
It is my understanding that Pawpaws, or prairie bananas, are related in name only. They are the only North American member of a family which also includes all the tropical Annonas like Cherimoya (A. cherimola) and Sugar apple (A. squamosa).
Bananas are technically herbs. Most everybody starts with M. basjoo, it is becoming more widely available and it is easy to grow. In the last two years I have seen it at two local garden centers here in Missouri.
I'd like to find a Musa Basjoo from a local source, not Florida. I bought 5 of them in Sept. from Lowes for $8 apiece. They are all dead and I'll be returning them for a refund soon. I asked the Lowes guy where they came from, he said, "all the tropicals come from Florida".
I have no doubt that M. basjoo would do okay here. Even if it dies to the ground every year, outside. I'd like to find at least one M. basjoo to plant on the South side of a structure.