The reputed root hardiness of M. basjoo (and most any plant) applies to planting in the ground. A pot which will allow the roots to get much colder.

If you keep it in a pot outside, you'll have to insulate the pot well, keep the soil fairly dry to avoid rot, spray with anti-fungal, and try to move the pot next to a southern facing wall to protect from northern wind/chill.

Congratulations on your find. That pot is pretty small, but it's still a good price. Basjoos have been way more $ here.

IF your basjoo had been in the ground all summer, it might make it thru the winter. Even so, I believe it is OK to zone6 and lower than that - I do not know.

However, they can be easily grown indoors as a houseplant. If you have a basement, you can also keep them dormant (dry, cool, dark) over the winter.

Gran naine is less cold hardy, but again, can be grown indoors. It has edible fruit, whereas basjoo does not.

good luck!

seahorse

I strongly suggest you grow it as a houseplant this winter and then plant it out in the ground after frost in the spring. Watch like a hawk for spider mites indoors and treat as soon as you see any.

How big an increase in pot size did you do? If it was really 10x bigger, that's way too much. It will be hard to keep the roots from rotting over the winter.

I don't think thats basjoo. The red splotches on the leaves, and the leaves themselves do not resmeble basjoo. Whatever it is, I suggest you plant it in spring.

Chitown

I was going to say the same thing as chittown, but then I saw his post. I've never seen a basjoo with red splotches on it. Makes me wander if that is a Cavendish variety?

Actually, the pot size now is probably closer to 5 times bigger. Its now in a 2 gallon pot. That first pot looked like about 32 ounces, it was too small.

I'll keep it inside this Winter, probably in an unheated room. I think it might be good if it experienced some kind of cold before the next Winter.

I wouldn't be too surprised if it wasn't Basjoo, mis-labelling is a little more common with the big-box stores.
Actually though, I know the splotches that you might be seeing, they are black. I tried to get the plant with the fewest black splotches. Some of the Basjoos at Lowes had about 40% black splotches on the leaves. I'll try to get another photo of it tomorrow in the sun, where the colors will show up better. I'll also photograph its new pot, I may have exaggerated on the 10 times bigger part, closer to 5 times bigger.

Will

I was going to suggest it might be a form of Cavendish, too. The leaves look a bit to wide for Basjoo. Also, basjoo has reddish leaf ribs when young. Keep it indoors over winter...and consider using a systemic in the soil for spider mites.

Thanks newhope, I like encouraging news! I do believe it will get colder than that here. Any good cold hardiness is a good thing.

I took a few more photos that show the old pot next to its current, bigger pot, and the marks on the leaves. I was hoping on some help from the sun to get better photos, but it is overcast today.

Eeee! Cavendish, I don't know what that is, but just the name doesn't sound hardy! I'm going to check out the spider mite stuff too. I also have a Black Hills Spruce that might be being de-foliated by spider mites. I only paid $2 for it at Wal-Mart. I guess I'm a sucker for a cheap close-out plant, especially when I think it will die over the Winter.

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Will

I went to Lowes again and bought a third Basjoo for 8 dollars. Actually this one was only $7.50 because she said she messed up on the register and didn't feel like calling somebody. Then again, the reciept says "sold as is", so that might be a problem.

I asked the Lawn and Garden manager where the tropicals come from and he said "Florida", I don't think that will be good for any reputed hardiness.

I don't have a label on the plants that say "basjoo", but at Lowes there is a sign that says "6 inch Banana Basjoo"
$7.97. The reciepts say basjoo on them.

This looks to me as a real cavendish. Zone 8 plant, if it survives. Simon

I think it is a little hard to tell from these pictures. I think your pot size will be alright, it was in an awfully small pot before.

That WAS a tiny pot it came in! I probably wouldn't have gone up quite so big but you should be OK as long as you don't overwater. What are the temps like in your unheated room?

I'm pretty new at bananas but that doesn't look like my basjoo. I don't have splotches. The big box stores - or maybe their suppliers - are SO careless with labels.

Yes, that was a tiny pot, it happens all too often at bigger stores I'm afraid.

The temps in my closed off un-heated room will probably approach 40 degrees F most of the time.
I might try to get it even colder by opening a window or something. I don't think its a good thing for it to come out of dormancy in Winter. That room has a busted window anyhow.

I don't think the splotches are normal. I'm not sure how they got them, but I'd guess its the wrong amount of watering or some other kind of neglect along the way.
I'm just hoping their Basjoos, if their not, I may end up with dead plants, and looming refunds.
I agree, not only are they care-less with labels, their care-less with the care of the plants. I've watched them year after year, they let many plants just die if they don't sell.

Also, those are click-able thumbnail pics up there, one don't have to strain their eyes on those little pics.

Will