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csrliz

Are basjoos' invasive?

csrliz
17 years ago

I just bought one, and I have it in a 5 gallon bucket, at least for alittle while. I was just wondering if I put it in the ground, if it will run wild? I don't have the room for it to travel.........

Comments (14)

  • unautre
    17 years ago

    No, but it will put up multiple plants, sooner or later, characteristic of genus Musa.

    If you don't want the new plants, cut them off at the ground as they sprout.

  • bobcat
    17 years ago

    I would love it if I got a basjoo to run wild into a self sustaining patch with no help from me!!!

  • csrliz
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Ok, so I gather I should take it out of the bucket and plant it? It will be in mostly full sun, in the corner of a fence, where south meets east, which from what I read is a good barrier from wind......

  • bobcat
    17 years ago

    Sounds good. Water and fert it too.

  • shiollie
    17 years ago

    If you do decide to plant it in the ground remember that you have to have winter protection, otherwise it wont make it next year.

  • bihai
    17 years ago

    While not "invasive", in my climate, where winter chill never kills them back, stands can also be quite large, containing 5 or more mature trees at any one time. As they bloom, the bloomers will die back, and thin the stands that way. They get very tall here too, 15-16 ft. I don't think you will have to worry quite so much in zone 5. I had told someone that I would send them a few basjoo this spring, but we had a basically "non-existant" winter this year, and I didn't have any small enough to ship economically.

  • watergal
    17 years ago

    While I wouldn't call it invasive in the manner of bamboo or certain weedlike groundcovers, it does spread by growing pups, but they stay within a foot or so of the main plant.

    If you overwinter in the ground, it is likely that the main plant won't come back, but you'll get pups that resprout nearby in the spring. This happened to me. So the main plant, which I had nicely centered behind the pond, ended up the next year about two feet to the left, too close to the butterfly bush.

    This year I've been cutting down the pups and trying to leave just one or two main plants. But the pups keep returning and I'm about ready to give up on that plan.

  • gardenguy_
    17 years ago

    I was fortunate to have my basjoo come back again after this past winter, (with protection of course). I cut off the leaves and the stem was only about 3 feet. Now I have a beautiful basjoo which is about 5 feet tall this year. This year is the first year that the basjoo put out pups. Tho it looks as if it could be invasive because I had 5 pups off of it. I cut off 4 of them to contribute to the growth of the mother plant rather than spend energy on the all of the pups.

  • csrliz
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    I put it in the ground. It has 1 new leaf, and 1 on the way. I don't expect too much out of her this year, since it's already July.

    {{gwi:411993}}

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    17 years ago

    What frequently happens is when people plant a small banana they don't consider how large the banana mat will eventually become...even in just a few years. I have pups coming up in the azaleas, in between the siding and the downspouts, etc! I have to constantly cut out the pups now. But I still enjoy my basjoos!

    {{gwi:407732}}

  • pitangadiego
    17 years ago

    They haven't invaded my yard yet!!

  • csrliz
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Wow, Dave, I see what you mean. That's why I put mine against the fence, there is nothing above it, so it can have all the room it wants :)

  • Sweet Czz
    3 years ago

    How deep are the roots? Would they grew under a fence into the neighbor's yard?

  • Sweet Czz
    3 years ago

    Are any of you people from York Paa by chance?