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Ensete ventricosum
  • Ethiopian Banana

a perennial evergreen member of the Ensete genus in the family Musaceae.

248px
Niche
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    The ecosystem niches for this plant are unknown. Do you know them? Click the edit button to add them!
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 10
    Zone 10
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Ensete ventricosum has 0 edible uses listed
Ensete ventricosum has 0 material uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

The chopped and grated pulp of the corms and leaf sheaths is fermented and used as a flour in making kocho bread[1][2][3]. 100% kocho flour or a mixture of kocho and other cereal flours may be used[3]. It is said to taste like a good quality bread[4].

The endosperm of the seed is consumed as a food[3].

The base of the flower stalk is edible cooked[4][2].

Root

Unknown use

Seed

Unknown use

Stem

Unknown use

Material uses

A fibre is obtained from the plant[1].

Unknown part

Fibre

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

There are no medicinal uses listed for Ensete ventricosum.

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Sow the large seed in individual pots in a heated greenhouse at any time of the year. Pre-soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water beforehand[5]. Germination should take place within 3 months. Grow on the plants for at least a couple of winters in the greenhouse before attempting to grow them outdoors. Division of suckers in spring. Try to get as much of the sucker's roots out as possible without disturbing the main plant too much. Pot the suckers up and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse until they are established.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Ensete ventricosum. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Requires a very sheltered sunny position in a fertile moisture-retentive soil[5].

This species is not very hardy in Britain but it succeeds outdoors on the Scilly Islands[1] and is sometimes used in sub-tropical bedding[6]. Plants can survive light frosts but they require ample shelter from the wind[7]. It should be possible to grow plants in tubs, keeping them outdoors in the summer and bringing them into a greenhouse or conservatory in the winter[K].

The leaves can be up to 6 metres long[8].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Ensete ventricosum. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Ensete ventricosum.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Ensete ventricosum
Genus
Ensete
Family
Musaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3][4]
Medicinal uses
Material uses & Functions
[1]
Botanic
[5]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
10
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
    Ecosystems
    Native Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Adapted Climate Zones
    None listed.
    Native Geographical Range
    None listed.
    Native Environment
    None listed.
    Ecosystem Niche
    None listed.
    Root Zone Tendancy
    None listed.
    Life
    Deciduous or Evergreen
    evergreen
    Herbaceous or Woody
    ?
    Life Cycle
    perennial
    Growth Rate
    ?
    Mature Size
    6 x 3 meters
    Fertility
    ?
    Pollinators
    ?
    Flower Colour
    ?
    Flower Type
    hermaphrodite

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    "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


    "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

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    References

    1. ? 1.01.11.21.31.4 Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. (1988-00-00)
    2. ? 2.02.12.2 Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (1984-00-00)
    3. ? 3.03.13.23.3 Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (1990-00-00)
    4. ? 4.04.14.2 Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (1972-00-00)
    5. ? 5.05.15.2 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
    6. ? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
    7. ? Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent (1990-00-00)
    8. ? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)

    "image:Starr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

    Retrieved from "https://practicalplants.org/w/index.php?title=Ensete_ventricosum&oldid=77046"
    Facts about "Ensete ventricosum"RDF feed
    Article is incompleteYes +
    Article requires citationsNo +
    Article requires cleanupYes +
    Belongs to familyMusaceae +
    Belongs to genusEnsete +
    Has common nameEthiopian Banana +
    Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
    Has edible partRoot +, Seeds + and Stem +
    Has edible useUnknown use +
    Has flowers of typeHermaphrodite +
    Has hardiness zone10 +
    Has imageStarr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg +
    Has lifecycle typePerennial +
    Has material partUnknown part +
    Has material useFibre +
    Has mature height6 +
    Has mature width3 +
    Has primary imageStarr 080716-9290 Ensete ventricosum.jpg +
    Has search nameensete ventricosum + and x +
    Has shade toleranceNo shade +
    Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral + and Alkaline +
    Has soil teclayture preferenceClay +
    Has soil teloamyture preferenceLoamy +
    Has soil tesandyture preferenceSandy +
    Has sun preferenceFull sun +
    Has taxonomy nameEnsete ventricosum +
    Has water requirementsmoderate +
    Is deciduous or evergreenEvergreen +
    Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
    Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
    Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +