Ancient Musa basjoo from 1895!!!

Seba · Post by **Seba** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 1:40 am

Here is a picture of an Italian plant catalogue from 1895. It is dedicated to Musa japonica (actually Musa basjoo). Is is named as "Banano rustico", that means "Rustic banana". Notice the winter ambientation of the drawing, suggesting the cold hardy quality of this species.
Do you know further curiosities/news about the introduction of Musa basjoo in the western world?

Best regards,
Stefano

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 9:10 am

Interesting angle to take marketing wise.....

they are actually very cold sensitive up top.

sidpook · Post by **sidpook** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 3:49 pm

Very interesting. I see it is from a seed and plant catalog. Do you have access to the whole catalog??

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Thu Dec 15, 2011 5:11 pm

Thats cool!

Seba · Post by **Seba** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:49 am

sidpook wrote:Very interesting. I see it is from a seed and plant catalog. Do you have access to the whole catalog??

No I have only the cover picture. But it could be interesting reading the description inside that catalogue.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 7:56 am

No wonder we don't trust marketing...

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:00 am

This is what google translater did:

brothers ingegnqi milan

catalog of seeds of plants

I thought basjoo seeds were really, really hard to come by?

Seba · Post by **Seba** » Fri Dec 16, 2011 8:58 am

canadianplant wrote:This is what google translater did:

brothers ingegnqi milan

catalog of seeds of plants

I thought basjoo seeds were really, really hard to come by?

I've found that drawing in a 2010 Italian book entitled "I segreti del giardiniere" by Fratelli Ingegnoli (transation: "The secrets of the gardener" by Ingengnoli Brothers), the same Ingegnoli Family who published the 1895 catalogue with the Musa basjoo. Ingengnoli is a historic Italian company that sells seeds/plants. The corrects transaltion isn't "catalog of seeds of plants", but "catalogue of seeds AND plants". I presume they didn't sell Musa Bsajoo seeds, but young plants. I love ancient memories, I will try to ask Fratelli Ingegnoli more info about their old Musa basjoo business...