Ensete 'Maurelii'

[PeterS]

I overwinterd some Ensete 'Maurelii' just frost free, by cutting off all the roots and most of the tops and stored them in my loft. In the spring I put them in an enclosed heat box to try to revive them. I suspect it was too humid as 4 of the 6 rotted away, but two are now growing new green leaves.

However they have not grown any roots yet. Is this normal? And if so how do you look after them? Mine are misted every day and inside a polybag. With green leaves expiring moisture but no roots to draw it up, I can't see how they could survive except in a bag.

[STEPH]

Kept mine in the conservatory, it wasn't heated much and they stayed in leaf all winter.
They are outside now, no losses.

[Mark]

I would go for bottom heat peter. Either a heat mat or the base of an old heated Prop. I used an old plastic cloche over the top to keep in the humidity.

[PeterS]

Thanks Mark. For a time I just had them in a warm place in my lightbox - then realised that they needed bottom heat. So they have been having some for a while.

[Chrisg]

Just curious if people grow less of these now, or treat them different after the last couple of winters. We have one in the garden at work, and just replace it each year, treating it a summer bedding.

[AndyC]

Just curious if people grow less of these now, or treat them different after the last couple of winters.

I have two Ensete Maurelii plants which for the last nine or ten years I've overwintered in my polytunnel but this is the last year I'll be doing it. I haven't got the energy any more to be digging them up, squeezing them into 30L pots, dragging them into the polytunnel, dragging them out again in the spring etc etc. I'll miss them as by the end of the summer they are magnificent looking beasts.
I'll keep my clump of Basjoo going and probably still grow Musa sikkimensis but as these both pup so readily it isn't so much effort to keep them going even with the bad winters.
My large Ensete ventricosum died in the polytunnel this year, I think I started to water again a bit to early, ho, hum, it was going to be it's last year too.