Basjoo - Banana Plant - Forestique Tropicold Banana
Basjoo Banana (Musa Basjoo)
* Delivery from October 2024
Dive into a tropical forest ambiance with the “Forestique TropiCold Banana”. Scientifically named Musa basjoo, this banana variety stands as a testament to both captivating ornamental value and unmatched hardiness. Hailing from the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, its expansive, mesmerizing foliage truly transforms landscapes. Its large, vibrant green leaves, stretching up to 6 feet in length, conjure the essence of a lush tropical haven, making you feel as though you’ve stepped into a verdant jungle canopy.
While the Basjoo is known to produce small, inedible fruit with seeds, it’s the creamy-yellow flowers that truly captivate. These stunning blooms emerge gracefully from a drooping inflorescence, adding an extra touch of beauty to gardens and proving to be a visual delight for garden enthusiasts.
The plant’s astounding cold tolerance is another notable feature. Capable of withstanding temperatures as chilling as -10°F (-23°C), with the right mulching, the Basjoo emerges triumphantly even in temperate climates, offering a tropical touch to places you’d least expect.
In its care, the “Forestique TropiCold Banana” flourishes in full sun but is also accommodating to partial shade. A lover of well-draining soil rich in organic compost, it quenches its thirst with regular watering, especially during dry periods. As winter hints its arrival, a little trim and mulch around its base ensure its survival and protection. It’s a rapid grower with the help of balanced fertilization and, while fairly resistant to pests, periodic checks help in maintaining its pristine condition. For those with a penchant for tropical allure, resilience, and a garden centerpiece that’s both a feast for the eyes and a nod to the exotic, this banana plant is an unparalleled gem.
Plant Care
- Watering: Maintain consistent moisture, watering deeply especially in warmer months. Reduce watering in cooler months.
- Temperature: Best between 26°C and 30°C. Bananas are not frost-tolerant and require protection or placement in warm climates.
- Light: Full sun is ideal.
- Fertilising: Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer such as 30-10-10 monthly during the growing season to support vigorous leaf growth. Once the plant starts flowering, switch to a high-potassium fertilizer like 15-5-30 to support fruit development.
- Pruning: Regularly remove dead leaves and spent fruit stalks. Cut back the main fruiting stem after harvest to encourage new growth.
- Mulching: Apply heavy mulch to retain soil moisture, provide nutrients, and suppress weeds.
- Pest Control: Look out for pests such as aphids, spider mites, and nematodes. Use eco-friendly pesticides if necessary.
- Flowering and Fruiting: Each pseudostem will fruit once. Fruit typically matures in about 3 to 8 months, depending on conditions and variety.
- Potting: Suitable for large containers, but requires ample space and meticulous care to manage growth and ensure sufficient nutrients.
We ship our plants and garden supplies throughout New Zealand. Due to the increased costs of shipping and packaging, we now apply a minimal delivery charge. After offering free shipping for three consecutive years, we find it necessary to adjust this policy to align with current market conditions. However, we have lowered our prices to help offset this change.
Please note, we do not ship plants or garden supplies internationally from New Zealand. We do export plants and tissue culture materials from our overseas nursery, which requires a minimum order. Please contact us at hello@exoticanz.com to discuss your specific requirements.
Shipping (per plant)
Auckland & Northland: $20
Rest of North Island: $25
South Island: $45
Rural Address: Additional $5
Shipping Garden Supplies
Auckland & Northland: $10
Rest of North Island: $15
South Island: $20
Rural Address: Additional $5
Delivery
- Our plants are available for shipment throughout the year, depending on stock levels. Typical delivery times range from 5 to 7 business days, although they can take up to 10 business days depending on the destination.
- We take extra care in packaging; most of our plants are secured in bespoke inserts and shipped in individual boxes to ensure they arrive undamaged.
- Deliveries are scheduled once a week, typically on Monday. If you place your order over the weekend, we aim to dispatch your plants on the following Monday. This scheduling allows our team to prepare your order thoroughly and ensures the courier has sufficient time to deliver your plants safely, avoiding any unnecessary delays over the weekend.
- All orders are shipped via courier track and trace service (not signature required)
- We cannot deliver to PO Box addresses.
- If you have a rural address, please contact us beforehand to discuss the best delivery options and avoid any potential issues.
Additional Delivery Information
- We dispatch our plants year-round, as most are shipped with soil. During the winter months, we closely monitor weather conditions and may temporarily delay shipments if the weather is particularly severe. Our packing process includes adding insulation when necessary to protect the plants against temperature extremes.
- In summer, we ensure that plants are thoroughly watered before they leave our nursery. Occasionally, we may need to ship plants bare-rooted, particularly when they cannot be comfortably re-potted into smaller packaging for shipping. We will always discuss this with you in advance if your plant needs to be shipped in this manner.
- It's important to note that shipping can be a stressful experience for plants, often due to spending several days in a dark, confined space. While most plants withstand this with little to no stress, some may experience leaf drop. However, they generally recover quickly with some additional care, including proper watering and gradual reintroduction to light after arrival.
