Ensete ventricosum

[JEFF from Trabuco Canyon CA]

I started these from seed 01-08 and gave a couple to my neighbor. As you can see they are almost 12 feet tall in less then a year. Now that is fast!

[Peter]

Now that's fast! Nice looking specimens as well-they seem to be well suited to coastal California growing conditions. The green ones tend to burn in my inland Socal summers.

[_Keith]

That is fast. I might just have to try these. I am not sure about their winter hardiness here, but at that growth rate and our long growing season, I could grow them as annuals.

[palmen]

My ensete has aslo grown fast in one year, and I live in Norway. I think they are hardy to light frost.

[osideterry]

I wish I had planted Ensete 2 years ago instead of Musa. The constant multiplication via pups is overwhelming. I have 5 types all fruiting now, but they always flower in September. They will have to ripen during Winter, which so far has a 50/50 success rate. If I could snap my fingers and make them disappear...

[8er-moni]

I have only one - in a big pot: Ensete ventricosum Maurellii

I hope, it will overcome the next winter indoors - it is my 3rd plant in 4 years

[daxin]

I love Ensete but you have to keep in mind about the ultimate day 5-7 years down the road since this plant is monocarpic (it dies after blooming). You would need a huge composting area or borrow all the green waste bins from your neighborhood to handle the amount of leaves.

[JEFF from Trabuco Canyon CA]

Couple updated pictures.

[JEFF from Trabuco Canyon CA]

[JEFF from Trabuco Canyon CA]

Sept 08 picture.

[jayfro6]

Is that a camphor tree to the right? Sure looks like one. I've been pulling up about 20 of those every Saturday.

Here's a pic of my Ensete ventricosum 'maurelii' that spent the winter in-ground with no problem. The low 20's defoliated it, but it kept shooting up new leaves as long as it was about 70 or so. It adds a nice jungle look and it grows crazy fast with little attention. It got spanked by tropical storm Fay last summer.

[Tropicalken]

I lucked out. Two weeks ago I discovered two 5 gal. cans of the red form in the discount section of a Home Depot in Palm Springs. They just hadn't watered them and all the leaves had severly burned. I paid $5 for each one. When I got back home, I cut off all the leaves and now two weeks later they are both pushing their second new leaf. It was ten dollars well spent!

Ken - South Pasadena, CA

[epicure3]

I love Ensete but you have to keep in mind about the ultimate day 5-7 years down the road since this plant is monocarpic (it dies after blooming). You would need a huge composting area or borrow all the green waste bins from your neighborhood to handle the amount of leaves.

Good call. I would rather take spreading Musa pups over a monstrous short lived Ensete V. any day.

[Matt in SD]

Ensete are definitely more trouble than Musa. Cutting off suckers is easy, we maintained at least 30-40 plants at our old house and the only reason it was a bit of a chore was that my wife made me either sell them or pot them up...she can't bear to throw plants away (or anything else for that matter). Just don't plant musa right next to a concrete border/sidewalk or a fence, you need to have access to all sides.

Ensete are fine...this was mine after 2 or 3 years of growth, it was HUGE, over 20 feet tall.

Until this happens

Once they flower, chop them down. They will fall.

[JubaeaJoe]

musa saba is fun too! they get huge, plus they're Z8 hardy.

[southlatropical]

That is fast. I might just have to try these. I am not sure about their winter hardiness here, but at that growth rate and our long growing season, I could grow them as annuals.

Summer is harder on them than winter is here. The heat + high humidity takes a toll on them by late August. Put them in some shade and water well.

[Jeff in St Pete]

I'm about falling out of my chair looking at these Ensete photos! Nothing else is more exotic looking in my book. You guys in CA are lucky to be able to grow them so well. My friend in North Hollywood loves E. maurelii and has bought at least 5 in the past but they always die for her. In what conditions and soil do they grow best? She has a large yard and wants several of them.

I never had luck with Ensete when I lived in FL, I tried several times but they always withered away and died. I assumed they didn't like the humidity in FL and I gave up. I'm thrilled to find one that seems to thrive in the constant heat and humidity here along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica - Ensete perrieri from Madagascar. So far, so good!

[rozpalm]

Jeff so far I have had luck with my Ensete superbum. It was unhappiest this winter when it lost all its leafs but came back strong once the rains started mid May. I sure hope it doesn't go into decline like you mentioned yours did. It has been extremely hot and humid lately. I'll definitely keep an eye on it.

[Jeff in St Pete]

Hi Ron, Your E. superbum looks exactly like my E. perrieri. I've always wondered if I got the correct seeds. There just isn't much info or photos of E. perrieri available on the internet.

The Ensete I tried in FL was E. maurelii, I think I tried one other but it was not superbum so maybe I just never tried the right species before. Yours looks beautiful and happy!

Looks familiar, doesn't it?

[junglegalfla]

Love these! Wish I could keep them alive too!! Been there killed two. (note camera date is wrong, this was Costa Rica biennial 2008)

Hey Jeff, remember this from the biennial? :drool:

[Jeff in St Pete]

Yes! I was lovin it!

Remember the huge Gunnera right next to them? We were at a pretty high elevation for those to look so good.

[junglegalfla]

OMG, Stumbling upon those my friend, , that indeed was a Dr. Suess magical moment! As Dave in CA says *swoon*