COLD HARDY PLANTS Growers and Breeders of Unusual Cold Hardy Plants

COLD HARDY PLANTS Growers and Breeders of Unusual Cold Hardy Plants

Musa sikkimensis
Quantity of plants tested: 1 Size of plant tested: larger banana about 3 feet of clear trunk or 4" trunk diameter near ground level. Soil texture: sandy loam and covered with 4"-6" pine bark mulch. When planted: the banana was placed in the ground in May 2002 as a 2ft tall banana. Winter protection: 4"-6" pine bark mulch from mid November through end of March. Microclimate: warm microclimate, 75% sun during the winter months and planted 4' away from south facing wall. Temperature: refer to 2001-2002 winter on this chart Findings: ? check back in May 2003.
	August 23, 2000 - This is the seedling a few months after germination (April 2000).
	October 29, 2000 - This is the same mall seedling as shown above. The leaves were burnt after a brief freeze the night before. This was a very late first freeze for our area.
	September 28, 2002 - Here's the banana going into fall. Sorry, no photos of the banana in 2001. This is the first season the banana will be kept in the ground over winter.
	October 22, 2002 - Here's the same plant after the season's first quick freeze showing off it's toasted leaves. Temperatures dropped in the upper 20's briefly.
	August 8, 2003 - the plant died from the winter and never returned.