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Genierose
10-23-2017, 11:39 AM
Hi Folks, My name is Sheila (AKA The Plant Lady) and my husband and I started propagating plants 4 years ago; last year we sold plants out of our driveway. We are what is known as a backyard grower and this year we converted our backyard into a sales area. We have a giant banana plant and it has turned out to be an attraction; it turned out that this year our best seller was the pips from this plant. We have no idea what kind it is, but it is hardy in our zone 7 with no protection whatsoever, not even mulch. It is purely an ornamental plant, now about 6 years old, and has never produced an inflorescence. I am told that if it does the bananas won't be edible. We want to have more varieties of banana plants, particularly ones that produce bananas. We do not aspire to become experts on banana plants but we do want to offer several varieties along with Elephant Ears and Cannas for a hardy "tropical" garden that our customers don't think they can have in our area of Tennessee. We have a hoop house and are thinking of building two more this fall/winter. One of them would be a sales house for these "tropical" plants as they look better when they are in the hoop house with automatic misting. Of course, we will also have a demo garden outside so people can see how the plants thrive exposed to the elements.
http://gandsgrowers.com/proposed-tropical-plants/
When I preview this is it does not show the link to my page with the images. I hope you can get this link though. G&S Plant Nursery proposed tropical plants (http://gandsgrowers.com/proposed-tropical-plants/)

sputinc7
10-23-2017, 10:36 PM
Welcome to the banana nut club.

P.S. It's likely a Basjoo (pronounced bazoo) banana. No other can take that kind of cold, unfortunately.

Genierose
10-23-2017, 11:29 PM
Thank you. I thought that must be what it is, but it is so much larger than what I have read for it, so I wondered. It is about 20 ft. and is a real conversation piece for people that come to our nursery. Wish I could find a list of short cycle banana plants... Do you have any suggestions?

Tytaylor77
10-24-2017, 06:26 AM
It’s is a Musa Basjoo. They measure bananas from the ground to the top of the pstem. Not the leaves. It is a very nice mat you have!

The only 3 short cycle bananas I can confirm are Musa Veinte Cohol which is the fastest. Musa Patupi and Musa Iholena Tigua.

In your area of TN I would start with VC before trying the more rare Patupi and Tigua. You would start a pup and grow it in the greenhouse over winter. After last frost for your area the pup should be 3-4' tall. Plant it out and hopefully by winter you will have ripe fruit. You would then remove pups from that plant and repeat the cycle.

I’m out of VC pups right now but may have more in a few weeks. Lots of small pups just not large enough yet.

HMelendez
10-24-2017, 10:45 AM
Welcome to the banana gang!......:2723::bananarow::2723:

cincinnana
10-25-2017, 04:37 AM
Welcome to the jungle.....:woohoonaner:

Have fun here..:08: