I have calamansi and papaya trees. The calamansi is 1 1/2 years old and about 8 inches tall. It can be grown as a container plant or grown outside. I also have a papaya from hawaii that can be grown as a large potted plant or grown outside. I think the calamansi would be a better choice. here is a link : Calamondin or Calamansi (scientific name: Citrus icrocarpa) is a fruit tree in the family Rutaceae that was developed in and is very popular throughout Southeast Asia, especially the Philippines, where it is most commonly used for cooking. In the west it is variously known as acid orange, calamondin orange, Chinese Orange or Panama orange. In the Philippines it is called calamansi/kalamansî It is a shrub or small tree growing to 3Â6 m, and bears small citrus fruit used to flavor foods and drinks. Although sometimes described as a native of the Philippines or other areas of Southeast Asia, the tree is in fact the result of a hybrid between species in the genus Citrus and unknown in the wild. Hybrids between Citrus species have been cultivated for so long that the origins of most are obscure. It is generally held that most species in cultivation are ancient apomictic hybrids and selected cultivars of these hybrids, including crosses with segregate genera such as Fortunella and Poncirus. The calamondin is usually described as a cross between Citrus reticulata (Tangerine or Mandarin orange) and Citrus japonica Oval Kumquat group.[1] If the segregate genus Fortunella is recognised the calamondin is treated as an intergeneric hybrid in the nothogenus ÃCitrofortunella. The fruit of the calamondin resembles a small, round lime, usually 25-35mm in diameter, but sometimes up to 45mm. It has the color of a tangerine with a very thin green or orange colored peel. Despite its appearance and aroma, the taste of the fruit itself is quite sour, though the peel is sweet. Putting the whole fruit into the mouth often leads to surprise from first-time tasters at the combination of sweet and sour. The fruit can be frozen whole and used as ice cubes in beverages like tea or ginger ale. The juice extracted by crushing the whole fruit makes a flavorful drink similar to lemonade, and a liqueur can also be made from the whole fruits, in combination with vodka and sugar. In Asia the juice is used to season fish, fowl, and pork. Kalamansî is commonly used as a condiment for dishes such as pancit bihon. Calamondin marmalade can be made in the same way as orange marmalade. Like other citrus fruits, the calamondin is high in vitamin C.[2] In North America, the calamondin is grown mainly as an ornamental plant; it can be especially attractive when the fruit are present. It is frost sensitive and therefore limited to warm climates (e.g., Florida, California, south Texas, and Hawaii in the U.S.). If the plant is potted, it may be brought indoors during the winter in areas with cooler climates.[3] I agree with the above except for the fact that the calamansi is not sour - it tastes like a mix between a lemon and an orange - so sour&sweet at the same time.

What John said. :) A pseudostem (pstem) is the thing that looks like a stem, but isn't. It is the elongated leaf "stalks" all wrapped around each other. When the plant finally fruits, it pushes up its meristem or growing point which has (before it comes up) already decided to become the flower and it can't revert. That growing point is done and that "tree" will grow no more. Hopefully some tissue on the corm (a bulb-like shortened underground stem) will develop a new growing point. When this comes up it is called a pup. When young, musas are very tender. But once the woody corm forms they are tough. You can cut off, freeze off, or kill off the leaves and if that pstem doesn't grow back, there are plenty more that will. The collection of old and young pstems and their shared roots is called a mat. Musa seeds seem to be fussy about conditions, and difficult to germinate in general, and one person will have great luck with one variety and another person will have great luck with another variety. I've never gotten Sikks to germinate. Are you doing it from seed as a challenge? Most varieties are available as living plants for varying costs from a number of sources. Commercial growers charge the most. Since most kinds pup quite well and are fairly tough in frost free climates many home growers in Z9 and south sell excess plants for cheap or trade or even give away. Ask around. If you are able to find homes for a large number of plants, there are tissue culture facilities who sell dozens, if not hundreds, of varieties for under $1.00 each plant (what many people will pay for seeds that never germinate) for a tray of 72 baby plants. Musa species mixed means mixed seeds, no guarantee of variety. If you do get germination, keep them very humid until they are a couple inches tall. Keep the grow light just above them. The Miracle Grow soil should be OK. You might do well to add a bit of a fine grade of perlite to keep it light. If you mix your own soil, be sure to use lots of perlite or vermiculite (or a mix). Musa of all sizes, but especially little ones, grow roots far better in light soil and don't like wet mucky soil. Absolutely you must go slow in adapting them to the outdoors. Outdoors, in the shade, the light intensity is 1000x as great as indoors.

No, the same pup does not flower each year. I meant the "clump", as each individual stalk dies after it flowers and fruits. I did some extensive research on the net last night and I have determined that I definitely do not have M. basjoo. I looked at one of my really good photos I have of what I thought was basjoo all this time and there is one or two remaining bracts (reddish) along with a very nice hand of well developed fruit. I noticed on some of the pictures of basjoo that I saw on the internet that basjoos bananas are little and dinky like most other seeded forms out there and its bloom is unmistakable yellow. So now I'm wondering if maybe I have M. sikkimensis? When I get time (and can figure out how) I'll post the pic. that I have of what I thought was basjoo and we'll see what everyone thinks. Thanks for all the response I've been getting to this little mystery. I love trying to figure stuff like this out. Maybe I should have been a botanist instead of a hortiulcturist! Nah, that would get too boring!

I have read a bunch of postings on overwintering the Musa Basjoo, and came across one that said these plants are not for pots. Well,I have mine in a large plastic planter, and it's about 5ft. tall, with 2 pups. I want to keep it in it's pot for the deck, and it's too big and heavy to try to put into the house. Can I overwinter it in it's pot on the deck? I also have a beautiful red banana in the same pot, and want to do the same thing. I've heard the Musa is hardy to zone 5, but I know my red one isn't. I need some advise on what to do!!