I have never flowered an Ensete but every Musa, as it approaches the flowering stage, puts out 3 successively smaller leaves, the 3/4 leaf, the 1/2 leaf and then the flag leaf. It is sometimes difficult to identify the 3/4 leaf but once the 1/2 leaf shows up, it's noticeable. The only caveat to this is when a banana comes out of a cold, winter cycle, the first few leaves can be stunted. I would think in your zone, and with the late cooler weather you have been having, it could be throwing off stunted leaves, but I would also think that they would be getting progressively larger, not smaller. I thought that particular Ensete got a little taller also. Either way, you are very close to knowing which it is.

Steve

Hi Islandbreeze,

Sure has been a cool spring. I heard central Ontario had 3" inches of snow last week (in June). Yikes.

I was wondering if you have any musa basjoo pups this years that you'd like to $hare or get rid of.

Let me know,,,, no luck on the online services.

Thanks Steve. Yes, it looks like it is about to flower. The leaves are now pretty much nonexistent. It looks kind of like a canna right befor they flower how they send up stunted leaves. I'm kinda disappointed. It's only about 7 feet tall, and I bought it because I wanted something that grows tall fast, plus I like the look of Ensete. I'm considering digging it out and planting something else that has a chance to get big this spring, maybe a Siam Ruby if I can find one.

Yardman, I didn't hear that! That's pretty crazy stuff. Luckily we're finally starting to get the warmer weather. Hopefully my stuff will start growing a little faster. Haven't had much growth at all out of my bananas. As far as the Basjoo, you're more than welcome to a pup or 2 once they get big enough. Right now my pups are only a maybe 6" tall. When they're that small, they don't have their own root system yet. They're still growing off the mother plant, so we have to wait and let them develop. Will probably be another couple of weeks before they're big enough. Check back with me or I'll let you know when they're ready.