I have grown these a number years here in kansas,but I overwinter mine in pots,and stick them in the greenhouse,cut the leaves off,and as they grow and touch the roof of GH,Iwack them again,but have grown them by a southside window,and get the same results,just don't overwater them ,mist them often,plant them back outside in the spring.

{{gwi:424539}}

I started one from seed last March. Put it in a pot on the deck for the summer, and it grew to about four feet high. I didn't really have cool enough storage in my basement, so I am trying to over winter as a houseplant, north kitchen window and drastically reduced watering. I've been watering it sparingly and not very regularly, so I'm surprised mine hasn't dried out to the point of 'drooping' at one point.

Not only is ensete fast growing, apparently it keeps growing in the cool autumn weather after other "bananas" stop. I hope to overwinter mine as I read that they just keep getting bigger and better each year (versus having to restart new plants from seed).

Dbrya, in your picture is the plant on the right a different type of ensete, perhaps the 'maurelli' one that has more reddish type of foliage? I ordered seeds for new plants off ebay and though it didn't say 'maurelli', it did say 'red abyssinian banana).

Glen

How tall can the Ensete Bananas grow? Here are a couple of pictures of some I grew before I had to move them inside for the winter. I wish our season was longer!

{{gwi:424542}}

{{gwi:424545}}

I have raised them for several years. I just start them from seed and by the end of the growing season around the last frost here they are around 8-12ft. tall.I have tried to over winter them here but have not had much success at it.
I did get one to survive covered up with leaves.

Glen,
Ensete 'Maurelii' (DBryan's plant on the right) won't grow from seed. You'll have to purchase a plant.
Dawna

Mine gets about 10 feet tall. It dies down to the ground in winter, but is now growing about 2 feet tall this week.

Any tips for growing these from seeds? How long do they take to germinate? Mine have been sitting there for about a month or so. I have them on a low heating pad.

They say they can take anywhere from one to six months to germinate. Anytime I buy seeds, and I usually just buy Thompson & Morgan seeds for Ensete from the store, I seem to get about 5 seeds in the pack. It always seems one seed germinates in about a month, a couple of others seem to germinate in about 2 to 3 months, and the last couple don't seem to germinate at all. Or maybe I just give up too soon.

I think the fresher the seed the better the germination rate, and I'm not sure how fresh the seeds I buy actually are, so maybe others have better luck (or maybe bottom heat will make a big difference). Either way, just getting one plant from a $3.69 pack of seeds is worth it to me.

Glen

Thanks Glen. No signs of life yet. I'll probably just tuck them somewhere out of the way and water and check on them once in a while. I'd be thrilled to grow my own banana plant from seed!

I just planted 10 Ensete ventricosum seed. I soaked them first in almost boiling water for about 24 hrs, then planted into moist soil on a heat mat.

4 have sprouted in a week already. Roots poke through the part of the seed that is not smooth.

x