How old is the clump Tee? Do you have to provide winter protection?

Evan, that clump is about 8 years old. It will die back in the winter. When Musa are young here, we mulch them with straw (8-12"). Some people cut them just ahead of a hard frost and mulch; others let them freeze to the ground, remove the mush, and then mulch. Some don't do anything. M. basjoo does very well here. We are zone 6b. Our coldest is usually single-digits but 0º or below is not unheard of.

You'd almost swear you were in the Tropics looking at that, wouldn't you?

Beautiful. I don't expect to ever have a clump like yours but they are a hoot to watch grow.

I bought my first Basjoo in '09 and it was 4' by fall. Cut off all but terminal leaf, dug and stored in basement. It turned to mush. Last year I bought another and a M. cavendish Nana. The basjoo pstem only grew to about 12" but over-wintered fine w/mulch. This year it only reached 12" again. I'm thinking just a weak plant. The Cavendish (4' pstem last year) I stored like a bulb and it and 3 pups did fair this yr., only 18 to 30"H. I bought a new basjoo at the CT flower show this spring and it's maybe 5' pstem, 7' overall now. I'll mulch like crazy and keep my fingers crossed.

It does sound like that original M. basjoo was a weak plant. They should do better than that in your zone, I think. I'm interested to hear more about your Cavendish too.

Here's a pic of cavendish from early September last year. My mother agreed to provide scale.


This year it only reached half that size.

Was this picture the first year you planted it?

Yes last year. Not nearly so well this year.

Hmmmmm... must think on that.