Musa Ensete.—The noblest of all the fine-leaved plants yet used in the flower-garden is Musa Ensete—the great Abyssinian Banana, discovered by Bruce—the stem of which has been known to attain a diameter of more than 3 ft. at the base, and a height of from 13 ft. to nearly 20 ft. The huge leaves, borne nearly erect, are oblong in shape and of a beautiful bright-green colour, with a very stout deep-red midrib. In the open air they often grow nearly 10 ft. long and nearly 2 ft. broad. The fruit of this kind is not edible, like that of the Banana and Plantain (Musa paradisiaca and M. sapientum), but the leaves are magnificent, and they stand the rain and storms of our northern climes with little laceration, while all the other kinds of Musa become torn into shreds. It has hitherto been generally grown in stoves; but it is an interesting and, until recently, little known fact, that the finest of all the Banana or Musa tribe is also the hardiest and most easily preserved. When grown for the open air it will of course require to be kept in a house during winter and planted out the first week in June. In any place where there is a large conservatory or winter-garden it will be found most valuable, either for planting therein or for keeping over the winter, as, if merely housed in such a structure during the cold months, it will prove a great ornament among the other plants, while it may be put out in summer, when the attraction is all out of doors. Other kinds of Musa have been tried in the open air in England, but have barely existed, making it clear that they should not be so cultivated in this country. M. Ensete is the only species really worth growing in this way. Where the climate is too cold to put it out of doors in summer, it should be grown in all conservatories in which it is desired to establish the noblest type of vegetation. It also stands the drought and heat of a dwelling-house remarkably well, and though, when well developed, it is much too big for any but Brobdingnagian halls, the fact may nevertheless be taken much advantage of by those interested in room-decoration on a large scale. The plant is difficult to obtain as yet, but will, I trust, be soon made abundant by our nurserymen.
In September, 1868, I saw a fine plant of this Musa
that had remained in the open ground in Baron Haussmann’s garden in the Bois de Boulogne during the preceding winter. It was left in the position in which it grew during the summer of 1867, and in the month of November covered with a little thatched shed, the space about the plant being filled with dry leaves. All the leaves were cut off. In spring the protection was removed and the plant pushed vigorously. It had, when I saw it, 16 leaves, not one of which was torn or lacerated, although it was in an exposed position. It was not more than 5 ft. high, but was more attractive than much larger individuals of the same species, from being so compact and untattered in its foliage. As most people who grow it will have means of keeping it indoors in winter, and as it is so rare, this mode of keeping it is not likely to be taken advantage of with us at present; but that it can and has been so wintered is an interesting fact.
Other species are: M. paradisiaca (the Plantain); M. sapientum (the Banana); M. Cavendishii, a dwarf-growing kind, seldom exceeding 5 ft. or 6 ft. in height, and fruiting freely in a stove; M. superba, and M. zebrina. These, however, are all properly hothouse kinds, and do not thrive in the open air.
Nelumbium luteum.—This is perhaps second to none of its fine family in beauty. In the Paris Garden a plant remained in a fountain-basin, in a very sheltered position, for several years, flowering yearly. On the 11th of September, 1868, the petals of one of these flowers measured each 6 ins. in length! and consequently the flower fully spread out was more than a foot in diameter. The singular-looking disk within these great fragrant flowers is as interesting as the flower itself, and far more peculiar. The flowers are of a pale yellow, with a single deep stain of rosy crimson at the apex of each petal. The leaves push boldly above the water, are quite round, 12 ins. to 15 ins. in diameter, and of a peculiar bluish-green. If the hand be placed under one of them, so as to slightly raise the outer parts of the large plate-like leaf, a hollow will of course be formed; and if water be poured into this so as to cover exactly the centre of the stem which supports and feeds the leaf, a curious result will be noticed. Bubbles of air will rise rapidly one after another from exactly over the part where the leaf joins its stem. In this particular leaf this spot is marked by being of a much lighter green than the remainder of the leaf. This would be well worth trying in the southern counties on the margin of ponds, etc., where it would be fine associated with Nuphar advena, and the like. It should be put out early in May.