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View Full Version : My Plantain Inflorescence Partially Emerged Then Stopped - Huh?


BracBananas
11-08-2013, 03:25 PM
Hi. Looking for help trying to understand what seems like a strange occurrence with my plantain.

I've been growing bananas for nearly two years in the Caribbean with some pretty good results. My first plantain, at about 16 feet and a good canopy, popped about two weeks ago… the inflorescence started coming out, just like the bananas, but instead of forming a big 'bud' it extended about 4-5 feet, and just stopped. It's pointing upwards at about 60 degrees and is not very thick.

In comparisons, my bananas usually develop a fat bud that is hanging down and revealing the first hand within a week.

Rain has been good, temperates good, good sun, and the plant looks healthy. The neighbouring bananas are all healthy and most are hanging bunches.

The only anomaly with the plantain was in the last few leaves. The last 8 inches of two of the last three leaves were slightly deformed (bent and slow to unroll). I attributed that to the bud having ascended to near the top of the plant.

So, is this normal for a plantain.. or anyone seen this before?

http://www.aquashots.ca/Banana1/Plantain-Bud-Stopped.jpg

Thanks in Advance!

lmswayne
11-09-2013, 07:17 PM
I don't know anything about plantation growing but I have a male plant that has done
the same thing I just let it do its own thing.

BracBananas
11-10-2013, 03:31 AM
I never heard of male banana plants. All plants produce female first (with edible fruit) followed by male flowers on tiny useless fruit. No one registered here grows plantains?

lmswayne
11-12-2013, 06:50 PM
There are you just have to find a thread to find them. When I said male plant that is what happened the long skinny leaf took a long time to open then had short leaf then tiny fruit that fell off.