>A friend in Sergentsville NJ who believes bigger is definitely much, >much better when it comes to plants in his garden puts fencing about 8 >foot tall around his M. basjoo, fills with oak leaves, and covers with >plastic. His bananas easily reach 14 feet tall. No flowers / fruit. He >has also wintered Musiella lasiocarpa over the winter. Dear Judy, Tell your friend that if he is going to this much trouble why not grow one of the really taller species/cv and get over 20 ft in a season. Now that would be a show ! I've grown basjoo here for years, but the lazy way. I have a clump out in the garden - not near any protective structure - that is cut down in the fall and then a couple bags of leaves are dumped on top. A friend growing basjoo on the s side of a house in Kansas City KS does a bit more protection than I do, but the south facing and foundation gets his plants to the second story window each year. Lots of newer cvs have been rapidly developed and distributed via TC that small plants can be very cheap and a wide variety available with a few exceptions such as 'Ae Ae' (sigh ). Look beyond basjoo Jim W. -- Dr. James W. Waddick 8871 NW Brostrom Rd. Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711 USA Ph. 816-746-1949 Zone 5 Record low -23F Summer 100F +