Flicking through the pages of a recent gardening magazine, I noticed this strange plant for sale in one of the advertisements. The plant was a Musella lasiocarpa, a cold-climate member of the banana family commonly called the “Golden Lotus” plant.

Yet discovering this plant wasn’t the greatest surprise – the price of it was far more overwhelming. Can you believe a hefty $315? Ouch! So, my detective skills had been piqued and I needed to know about this plant and why it was so darned expensive. Surely this was a typo?

The ad went on to exclude all the states in Australia where it was NOT available – including the great state of Western Australia. Apart from the quarantine restrictions it was even more limited because of the climates that it could grow within. Basically this allows for growth anywhere south of Sydney. This is fine for the number of people who can grow it as most of Australia’s population reside in Sydney or below but it rules out more than 80% of the actual locations within this country.
After reading on, this advertisement mentioned that the Musella lasiocarpa had taken 4 years to move through quarantine and was still only available in limited numbers. Hence the price tag. Further investigation led me to one article that explained that when this musella first hit the US it too started off exorbitantly priced but later dropped once cultivation increased.

So, the big question is, do you buy it now and spend a small fortune, or do you hold off in hope that prices would drop to a more realistic level? Fortunately, that predicament won’t be my decision to make as deliveries aren’t allowed to come this far west. But, if it were, I would probably tend to take the more cautious approach.
If you’re sitting there scratching your head and wondering what a Musella lasiocarpa plant is then let me explain and then you can make up your own mind as to whether this plant is worth the expense.

Musella lasiocarpa is a member of the banana family that originated in the highlands of China’s provinces. It’s also found in neighbouring Asiatic countries such as Vietnam and Laos yet it is believed to now be extinct in the wild.

Apparently the flower of this plant is the most bodacious feature. Firstly, the sheer size of its bloom with a diameter of 20-30cm (8-12in) suspended above a stalk than can reach up to 1m high, is incredible. But more impressive than this is that it flowers for almost 6 months of the year.

This musella’s foliage is similar to a bamboo crossed with asparagus and is a nice enough feature even when the plant is in full bloom. It will thrive in a location that is sheltered and enjoys morning sun and can even be grown as a pot specimen, either indoors or out.

Musella lasiocarpa propagates via suckers which can be removed and transplanted. It does produce seed but has proven very hard to germinate via seed-raising.
It requires regular watering (perhaps daily) and consistent applications of soluble fertilisers to flourish.

So, would you buy one? And at that price?