Hi all!

I am growing a Musa Basjoo banana plant outdoors and would like to know the limits of its hardiness. I would really like to keep it outdoors so that I don't have to lug in another plant every fall, however, if there is a way for me to keep it outdoors by mulching it, please let me know any success stories of growing this plant in a cold climate! (Or any stories of things not working so well)

Any info on this plant is appreciated!

Thanks,
AARON

bump

Hi, I know a few people here grow them so I hope they see this. I think they are hardy to about 15 degrees F. How cold do you get normally?

Hi Aaron,
I'm in the mid Hudson Valley zone 5a, my Zebrina is in a jumbo container and she must come in every fall, I dont know where in NY you are, zone 7a could be the Island?? Is yours in a container or in the ground?.

This site says they are hardy to Zone 5 if well mulched. Be sure to cut them to the ground in fall before a freeze. The trunks get slimy if frozen and they are fibrous which makes them difficult to cut, it is much easier when they are still firm. I would cover the stumps with a healthy layer of mulch like leaves or straw.
http://www.missouribotanicalga...

I've seen some sites list Japanese Hardy Banana (Musa basjoo) as zones 4 to 10, other sites list zone 5 to 10 and one sites listed it as zone 7a to 10b. I agree with ardesia that in your zone 7a, if it's planted in the ground, mulch it heavily and cut it to the ground before the first freeze.

I'm in zone 9b, Florida where we get occasional frosts and even a rare freeze some winters. When I grew Musa basjoo years ago, I never seemed to get around to cutting mine back, while our neighbors always chopped theirs down to the ground if a frost or freeze was predicted. The trees do indeed turn to mush in cold weather ... and as Alice mentioned, they are difficult to prune when they are soggy and slimy.

My son grows them in Western NC in the mountains, Probably Zone 6, and they are perfectly hardy, actually bordering on being thugs, they multiply like crazy.

Wow looks like there is a lot of controversy surrounding this plant! Guess I should be mulching heavily because it gets VERY cold here during the winter! Last year it was single digits (F) to around 10 degrees F for an entire week.

I would prefer to keep it outside in the ground -
So heavy mulching of about a foot should do the trick?
What happens if I do mulch the plant and let it go dormant without cutting it down? Will it die or will it just be disgusting?

Thanks for all of the tips!

Disgusting, LOL. It will just get mushy soft and keel over into a puddle of fibrous material. Its common name is the Japanese fiber banana and those fibers are strong and difficult to cut when slimy.

Basjoo's at my son's home NW of Asheville, NC. Zone 6a with no winter protection. He just cuts them back before frost.

He must have the perfect climate for them!

I met people in Wisconsin who grow Musa basjoo so you have a good chance. Cutting while green is preferable as it is easier to cut and deal with. I hack mine back to the ground and compost them. I dump a couple of feet of shredded fall leaves all around the area. Sometimes I put a lattice or some sticks over the leaf humps so wind doesn't take the leaves. My growing zones are shown. My Musa basjoo have been in ground now for about 4.5 years. I'll try to dig up some pics and post. The ones at the front of the house grow well and get the bulk of sun exposure. In the back, they're at the NE corner of the house but the downspout water is delivered directly to them and they're twice as large.

Yes, the best time to cut them back is when they are still green. Once they freeze and get mushy it is almost impossible to cut those fibers. I used to slice up the green stalks into discs and use them as mulch, they are chock full of potassium and the musas love that.
as it breaks down. The leaves are also great as mulch.

And my worms LOVE banana stalks and leaves.. All that liquid in the tissue and sugars make for some great bacterial & fungal substrate and subsequently, worm food.

By the way I want to update you all and say that I have been successfully growing musa basjoo outdoors in the NYC area. This is the second winter it has survived!!! It has started growing back about a week ago. I cover it with tyvec in the winter, no mulch.

I have overwintered M. basjoo specific two different years with no added insulation of any sort. However, I usually still dump the leaves on as a winter blanket of insurance.