Ensete lasiocarpum, Golden Lotus Banana, flowering

[Eric in Orlando]

Ensete lasiocarpum, the Golden Lotus Banana, is currently flowering. This was formerly known as Musella lasiocarpa.

[Peter]

Beautiful Eric-does the flower last a long time?

[edric]

Wow, and that's actually cold hardy? Ed

[dalmatiansoap]

That is Musella not an Ensete. Beautifull plant. One of the hardiest bananas, ornamental that is.

[GreenIslandPalms]

Beautiful Eric-does the flower last a long time?

Our flowers would last 8 months.

[Eric in Orlando]

Beautiful Eric-does the flower last a long time?

It lasts at least a month, maybe a bit longer

[Eric in Orlando]

Wow, and that's actually cold hardy? Ed

The roots are hardy, foliage still freezes right around 32F. But it can be grown into zone 7 where it comes back each year from the roots.

[Eric in Orlando]

That is Musella not an Ensete. Beautifull plant. One of the hardiest bananas, ornamental that is.

It was placed back into Ensete last year.

[Eric in Orlando]

Beautiful Eric-does the flower last a long time?

Our flowers would last 8 months.

Wow !!! I don't remember ours lasting that long !!!

[bananaman]

I know this is an old post.

The plant is in musella, not ensete.

Also, its proper species name is lasiocarpa, not lasiocarpum.

A new form with red sepals was decscribed just a month ago, and they called it musella lasiocarpa var. Rubribraceta.

Where did you find that is was moved back into ensete???

I have 3 psudeostems of it about to flower, and I'm still saying that it is a musella. It is shorter than most ensetes, it is a suckering plant, and it has an erect inflorescence, while most ensetes have a pendant inflorescence. It's leaves and psudeostem size are unlike a musa. These characteristics were the ones that created the new genus. As I said before, I am certain that it is stil called a musella.

[fastfeat]

I know this is an old post.

The plant is in musella, not ensete.

Also, its proper species name is lasiocarpa, not lasiocarpum.

A new form with red sepals was decscribed just a month ago, and they called it musella lasiocarpa var. Rubribraceta.

Where did you find that is was moved back into ensete???

I have 3 psudeostems of it about to flower, and I'm still saying that it is a musella. It is shorter than most ensetes, it is a suckering plant, and it has an erect inflorescence, while most ensetes have a pendant inflorescence. It's leaves and psudeostem size are unlike a musa. These characteristics were the ones that created the new genus. As I said before, I am certain that it is stil called a musella.

Here you go.

[Eric in Orlando]

and here at Kew's checklist

http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do;jsessionid=7E63F435DC5B59EB10ECF4D6E95B7DD5?name_id=243306

[Eric in Orlando]

GRIN also has it as Ensete

If both have it that is good enough for me !

http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?460584

[bananaman]

I see now. I read a discussion on bananas.org about the plant at kew. The poster wanted to know if its name had been changed. The overall response was an overwhelming no. If you want go to bananas.org and search ensete lasiocarpum, and that discussion should be a result. I'm sorry if I sounded harsh to you in my first post.

[tjwalters]

Wow, and that's actually cold hardy? Ed

The roots are hardy, foliage still freezes right around 32F. But it can be grown into zone 7 where it comes back each year from the roots.

Very nice! Probably marginal in z7, though. I tried it here once several years ago, but it did not come back. Haven't tried it since.

[bananaman]

How tall was yours when it flowered??

Mine threw up one of the half leaves before the flower at about 2 feet of psudeostem.

Did yours do that too?

I mean, did it throw up smaller leaves before the bloom?

Thanks, and again, sorry if I sounded mean

[Eric in Orlando]

Yes, the last 1 or 2 leaves come out smaller.

Its all good. I've seen big discussions about the naming. But if Kew has accepted it then there must be some good valid points.

[NorCalWill]

resuscitating an old topic here, but I was given seeds from a friend this morning for this ensete lasiocarpum, and could use some germinating advice.

Scarification?

Soaking?

Plastic baggie method?

I will try different techniques, but it's nice to hear what others have done with success. Apparently it is not easy to germinate these seeds.

[Hillizard]

At last... after growing for over two years... the arrival of my Musella lasiocarpa "golden artichoke" of an inflorescence! This plant started out as a volunteer in soil I brought from my former home. I'll have 6 months to enjoy this bloom. The honeybees go crazy and jam themselves down in each flower for either the nectar or the pollen or both.  There must be at least a dozen new offshoots at the base of this plant.

[Hillizard]

Honeybees have now 'discovered' the Musella lasiocarpa bloom. It's fascinating (I'm easily amused) to watch as they struggle to get out after feeding since the petals/bracts (?) are so waxy and slippery.