Reduced Bananas from Crocus

I just splashed on an order from Crocus for my new house. Their stuff is usually too expensive for me plus there's a standard £5 postage.
They are flogging Ensete ventriculosum 'Rubra' (red banana), yellow flowered banana and Musa basjoo (hardy banana) off for £9 each. I bought a red one as a present. It's about 2ft tall and gorgeous. The leaves are dark red underneath. My hardy banana is much smaller, but hopefully after being in a pot in the greenhouse for the winter, it'll get off to a flying start next spring before the ground warms up.

 

Presumably this is a synonym for Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' (which is also known as Musa rubra )
http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/ensete-ventricosum-maurelii/classid.1000000795/

Crocus have a reputation for good quality plants, I have only bought Ensetes from Jungle Plants (as was, now "retired" and stopped selling plants, but the other half of the company Jungle Seeds is still going, and they have still sold a few plants this year ... including Ensetes ). Theirs are more expensive 25% off at £11.21, but I am sure they will be quality plants, however they also have Ensete montbeliardii at 50% off £9.48

http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d128.html

Ensete montbeliardii grows more upright than E. Maurelii, which is both good and bad It will be considerably taller from the get-go (although pseudo-stem comparison will be much the same for both) - but it will also be considerably taller in the Spring which becomes a problem in subsequent years when it hits the roof of the conservatory before Last Frost I think it looks a nice contrast with E. Maurelii

My measurements last year (from soil to top of leaf canopy) were:
Ensete maurelii 3.90M
Ensete montbeliardii 4.60M

and the two plants as I bought them from Jungle:



Only other point is that they do need some help over wintering, particularly when small ... frost free will do, but they will be prone to rot and so any watering that is "too much" will not be drunk quickly enough, and will promote root-rot. I would be inclined to water very little during November, and not water at all Dec-Feb unless the plant looks desparate

 

Thanks for the specialist advice Kristen. I'll take good care of it this winter in my new greenhouse. My friend is getting the red plantain, which looks adsolutely stunning already. She also has a greenhouse...and a south facing house wall. Roll on a bit of cool to enhance the colour. Quite sure we will not attain your heights though!

 

Just a word about Crocus; Crocus are not growers, they buy stock in from growers and then resell it on with a big profit margin; "same as garden centres" I hear you say, Crocus are different, no public allowed on site, all staff wear hi vis jacket and most of the staff sit at computers taking orders and sorting deliveries, not very plant friendly I'm afraid.
Try doing some research in your area and see if there are any growers nearby, they are usually friendly and most will sell to the public, people do not usually visit them as they are growers / wholesalers but you may be surprised.
Andy

 

Hmmm, I take your point...but I research plants and that's pretty much what I do too!