View Full Version : Question about banana plants flowering
blownz281
01-12-2009, 08:23 PM
In zone 8 would I still have to dig up an bring in the hardy nanners in order for them to fruit? They are in the greenhouse now as last winter when i lived in Ohio I stored them in the basement and they died back to far,as we were moving and brought them with us. but they all came back and are decent size now.
Chironex
01-12-2009, 08:38 PM
They might be able to fruit, but ripening them is another thing. It really depends on a lot of things, like how long the season lasts, when they blossom, nutrition, watering and other conditions.
Best of luck! Perhaps some of our other zone 8 members can be more specific.
jack hagenaars
01-14-2009, 10:51 PM
I have grown Musa Basjoo in zone 8 for the last 10years....Generally they will fruit in the late summer months,..so they dont have enough time to fully ripen. I would say they reach about half their maturaty before the first frost here. However,I have had a plant bloom in early May and start growing fruit,again until the first frost. That is the picture I have posted in my pics...that photo I believe was taken on a foggy October day. The last few years we have had cool and wet springs..so the bananas were just growing. In the fall of 2008 one of the mature plants was just about to start sending a flower...you can tell when the centre of the plant begins to bulge and you get a small leaf coming out..just before the flower stock. I think that if you lived in a zone 8 that is drier than ours,then you would have a better chance of fruit...especially if you get a lot of sunny warm summer days. Alas,I am growing Musa basjoo for the large tropical leafs,which I love....the flower and fruit ofcourse is a bonus...I have also used the leaves to make huge stepping stones...they are fabulous...heavy,but fabulous!!!!And the large leaves seem to attract lady bugs...so that too is a bonus for pest management. Hope that helps.....
blownz281
01-14-2009, 10:57 PM
okay thanks for the heads up and info!
dablo93
01-15-2009, 02:00 PM
unfortunately you cannot grow edible nanas unprotected in zone 8, maybe that orinoco will flower when you protect it in summer.
blownz281
01-17-2009, 10:06 AM
well i guess i could always protect some.
Simply Bananas
01-17-2009, 03:36 PM
I think you could get Orinocos and perhaps even Ice Creams to flower for you if they were planted next to your house. The house should give off heat in the winter and protect the plant from cold winds. Feed and water it alot this summer. Thick P-stems hold up really well in zone 8, and that, I believe, is the key to getting blooms.
jack hagenaars
01-17-2009, 05:02 PM
What are the ice cream bananas?????latin name please..thanks
buzzwinder
01-17-2009, 05:23 PM
Check out the Wiki, lots of info.
Musa Ice Cream (Blue Java) - Bananas Wiki (http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Musa_Ice_Cream_%28Blue_Java%29)
Simply Bananas
01-17-2009, 06:55 PM
What are the ice cream bananas?????latin name please..thanks
Musa häagen-dazs.
Chironex
01-17-2009, 07:32 PM
What are the ice cream bananas?????latin name please..thanks
Jack, it is a cultivar and not identified by species naming conventions, i.e. Linnaean nomenclature. It is thought to be an offshoot from Orinoco or Saba, and is an ABB triploid.
jack hagenaars
01-18-2009, 03:18 PM
Thanks guys I learned something new today......ok now where do I get one???
Chironex
01-18-2009, 03:22 PM
They are available at many of the online stores and of course ebay, Wellspring Gardens, and via many of our members. There will be some this spring I am certain. I bought mine from Wellspring Gardens last spring. It was a TC plant and is doing great! I don't have any pups yet to offer, but many people are growing it, so you should have no difficulty finding one. Sending it to Canada is another issue and I don't know the answer.
Inoneear
01-18-2009, 03:49 PM
Jack ,I picked one up from Frederic "Gambadeur".
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.