Ensete sp. (Kluay Pa/Thailand)

Ensete sp. (Kluay Pa/Thailand)
Kluay Pa Banana

A very exciting and apparently undescribed Ensete species from the Chiangmai area in the northwest of Thailand, where it grows on steep limestone cliffs with seasonally dry forest vegetation. It is a very compact plant, with short, broad, glaucous leafbases that form a thick, roundish trunk. The very short leafstalks hold compact, leathery leaves that are glaucous below and pale green above. The leaf midribs are reddish below and yellowish above. The striking inflorescence has large maroon bracts and eventually carries a bunch of squat fruits with small, shinly, black, Musella-like seeds. The Kluay Pa Banana wil adapt well to both warm temperate and tropical climates. It needs a spot in full sun, abundant water and good drainage.

germination comments by our visitors
For general germination instructions click here.

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

...difficult to germinate and need up to 6 months to sprout.
These rather small seeds for an Ensete seem more diffucult to germinate than other Ensetes. I've only had 1 out of 100 germinate so far using the moist peat moss in baggy method. I won't give up until the seeds are at least a couple years old.
Submitted on 22/01/2005 by one of our visitors

...very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout.
Super easy. I soaked for two days in water, planted in a well draining mix with a heat mat and humidity cover. First seed came up in 19 days. Do not try to break of scarify the seed coat, it is not needed.
Submitted on 21/11/2004 by one of our visitors


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plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

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	• • • Write a plant cultivation comment and enter to win Euro (€) 50 worth of seeds • • • Please note: These comments are on how to cultivate the PLANTS once the seeds have germinated.

If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

Martius, Book of Palms
by H. Walter Lack

Hardcover - 450 pages
19.8 x 13.5 inches!
11.1 pounds!
50 x 34 cm, 5 kg

Our Rating:

Suitable for: all

Martius's magnificent work on the varieties of palm tree. This epic folio was based on Martius's expedition to Brazil and Peru with zoologist Johann Baptist von Spix. From 1817 to 1820 the pair travelled over 2,250 km (1,400 miles) throughout the Amazon Basin, the most species-rich palm region in the world, collecting and sketching specimens.
In his epic work, Martius outlined the modern classification of palm, produced the first maps of palm biogeography, described all the palms of Brazil, and collated the sum of all known genera of the palm family. For apart from his own collection of specimens and notes, Martius also wrote about the findings of others.
Martius's folio is unusual in its inclusion of cross-sectioned diagrams, conveying the architecture of these mighty trees. Equally remarkable are the color landscapes showing various palms—often standing alone—which have a simple and elegant beauty. This famous work is an unrivaled landmark in botanic illustration and taxonomy.

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