View Full Version : Which type grows the tallest the fastest?
MICHAELGRANT
05-14-2009, 10:29 AM
Hi all,
I live in Palm City, Florida (near Stuart) and would like to plant bananas along my back fence to block out our neighbors two story house. Which species grows the tallest the fastest?
Thanks,
Michael
momoese
05-14-2009, 10:56 AM
Even after they reach the desired height there will still be areas that you can see through. I'd recommend Bamboo for a screen instead. I would imagine Bamboo would hold up to the winds better and you never have to cut it down like you do bananas after they fruit.
Dalmatiansoap
05-14-2009, 11:00 AM
Hey Bamboo live fence! Great idea. Is Bamboo fast grower? How do U plant it?
:woohoonaner:
MICHAELGRANT
05-14-2009, 11:04 AM
Thank you for the replies. For me, bamboo is not an option, I need to stick with bananas. Which species will provide the most foliage cover? Doesn't need to be sold, just something to break up the big house and their kids looking into my living room. :ha:
lorax
05-14-2009, 11:20 AM
I'd go with giant plantains, personally. They go to about 20' and have nice, spreading canopies. Fairly fast growers above Z9, too. If you plant a full row, they'll give each other wind resistance.
Tog Tan
05-14-2009, 01:01 PM
I'd go with giant plantains, personally. They go to about 20' and have nice, spreading canopies. Fairly fast growers above Z9, too. If you plant a full row, they'll give each other wind resistance.
OMG Beth! What giant plantains are those? They originated here and they don't get over 8ft in p-stem and they are skinny compared to the normal Pisang. I am curious, names please?
Michael, well, something easier for you locate, maybe some Saba's which are pretty good eating or you want an easy to get species, the Musa balbisiana.
lorax
05-14-2009, 01:04 PM
Those would be the giant plantains grown all down the coast of Ecuador, Tog. They get friggin huge, both height and girth-wise, and then they throw 5 to 7 big big hands of super big fruit. They're called 'Platano Gigante' or 'Platano Macho' here.
Tog Tan
05-14-2009, 01:40 PM
Those would be the giant plantains grown all down the coast of Ecuador, Tog. They get friggin huge, both height and girth-wise, and then they throw 5 to 7 big big hands of super big fruit. They're called 'Platano Gigante' or 'Platano Macho' here.
I must really try to get them here to scare the crap out of the locals and the Thais. The Pisang Lang here gets approx 5 hands of fruits. Each fruit weighs about 1 kg each. Slender plant at about 8ft p-stem. This is the commercial version of the famed Pisang Tanduk from which all the plantains came from. It only bears 1 hand of 3 huge fruits well over 1kg in weight each. This is an obsolete heirloom cultivation which I must locate!
Sorry Michael for side tracking! :ha:
momoese
05-14-2009, 02:06 PM
I never give much thought to where everyone is even though I realize you are all over the place, but look at this thread!
Florida
Los Angeles
Croatia
Ecuador
Malaysia
That's pretty cool!
Dalmatiansoap
05-14-2009, 02:17 PM
I never give much thought to where everyone is even though I realize you are all over the place, but look at this thread!
Florida
Los Angeles
Croatia
Ecuador
Malaysia
That's pretty cool!
Yes, that is what I allways talk about. All over globe spirit!:ha:
:woohoonaner:
just j
05-14-2009, 06:02 PM
Hi all,
I live in Palm City, Florida (near Stuart) and would like to plant bananas along my back fence to block out our neighbors two story house. Which species grows the tallest the fastest?
Thanks,
Michael
might want to try ensetes they grow super fast and u can change it up a little put a maurelli a ventricosum a glaucum and keep it going like that will make a nice colorful wall all upright leaves i think i might do this lol
proletariatcsp
05-14-2009, 08:19 PM
I have to agree with Just-J, ensetes they grow super fast and u can change it up a little put a maurelli a ventricosum a glaucum probably the best screen and longest lasting. If, however, you want bananas for later fruit you will have to wait at least 12 months before they are tall enough to block the view from the neighbor. After fruiting the new pups will take over in their place, and you will be without privacy for a few months until they grow taller. If you buy a variety that is too tall, it will not provide much privacy at all.
Bird of paradise is a really good choice, and they look very similar to bananas. Keep in mind, nearly anything you choose may or may not last through winter. Birds are very cold hardy and many bananas are not. Bamboo was also a really good choice and would provide an extremely dense screen that you cannot see through. Some bamboo is very fast growing and with all the clumping varieties you will not have to worry about it spreading under the fence to the neighbors side. Most bamboo are cold hardy but not all tolerate direct sun. There are a few species that will withstand hurricane force wind and grow to 50+ feet.
Bananas are a poor choice for privacy, instead, think clumping bamboo or some nice palms which will stand up to the wind and cold and provide you with a screen that will not die back in winter.
Chris in FL.
P.S. Let's suppose you do plant the nanners along the fence in the back, you wait 15-18 months for them to finally fruit, and then the bunch hangs over on the nieghbors side of the fence and they cut them off for themselves? I have seen this happen, and the people living on the other side of the fence found some nice bananas hanging right within their reach!
Rmplmnz
05-14-2009, 09:49 PM
Hi all,
I live in Palm City, Florida (near Stuart) and would like to plant bananas along my back fence to block out our neighbors two story house. Which species grows the tallest the fastest?
Thanks,
Michael
For Florida I would go with Saba...
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2855&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2855)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=3804&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=3804)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=5167&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5167)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=11553&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=11553)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2867&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2867)
Rmplmnz
05-14-2009, 10:04 PM
I have to agree with Just-J, probably the best screen and longest lasting. If, however, you want bananas for later fruit you will have to wait at least 12 months before they are tall enough to block the view from the neighbor. After fruiting the new pups will take over in their place, and you will be without privacy for a few months until they grow taller. If you buy a variety that is too tall, it will not provide much privacy at all.
Bird of paradise is a really good choice, and they look very similar to bananas. Keep in mind, nearly anything you choose may or may not last through winter. Birds are very cold hardy and many bananas are not. Bamboo was also a really good choice and would provide an extremely dense screen that you cannot see through. Some bamboo is very fast growing and with all the clumping varieties you will not have to worry about it spreading under the fence to the neighbors side. Most bamboo are cold hardy but not all tolerate direct sun. There are a few species that will withstand hurricane force wind and grow to 50+ feet.
Bananas are a poor choice for privacy, instead, think clumping bamboo or some nice palms which will stand up to the wind and cold and provide you with a screen that will not die back in winter.
Chris in FL.
P.S. Let's suppose you do plant the nanners along the fence in the back, you wait 15-18 months for them to finally fruit, and then the bunch hangs over on the neighbors side of the fence and they cut them off for themselves? I have seen this happen, and the people living on the other side of the fence found some nice bananas hanging right within their reach!
Bamboo can be a bear to deal with...the poles can get 40 feet and 200 plus pounds (with all the lateral growth), my neighbor complains incessantly about the leaves dropping. Not to mention the roots are like wood and will push over/out any fencing (I cannot begin to explain how much work it is trimming bamboo that butts against fencing..not to mention it will over power "any" type of fencing). I hate trimming our bamboo (the most dreaded garden task by far), between the telephone and cable lines..the neighbor's fencing....bamboo is best grown in the open when you can maneuver 360 degrees to trim. As a point of reference we grow Gigantochloa atroviola, Bambusa Vulgaris Vittata and Bambusa ventricosa "Buddha Belly"
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=10673&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=10673)
Some of thehttp://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9895&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9895) lateral growth has already been trimmed;'
After trimming a "truckload" of lateral growth:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9896&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9896)
Check out all the leaves (which drop constantly in our yard and our neighbor's yard)....the lateral growth is full of very strong dense bamboo sticks/poles
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9894&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9894)
Ask Chong or Tog about dealing with Bamboo....lots of "open" space required...
mskitty38583
05-14-2009, 11:32 PM
i have noticed in tn where i live my basjoos came back before anything else did. my sabas( i got 2) are running a close second( they were heavily protected this winter) . where my oronico is running third( i have 3 pups....wahoo they were protected well too). my dwarf oronicos havent done anything as of yet(they only had 6 in of mulch-as my science project went) and my ornatas are running fourth. i have some other ornatas that havent even peeked out the ground yet and they had 6 in of mulch on them. my ee's that i got from randy4ut last summer... have finally came up( the purple ones). and my angles trumpets(brugs) i got from kylie are starting to come into some greenage( heavily protected) my green castorbeans are even coming back (these are the seeds i got from magicgreen).
momoese
05-15-2009, 12:49 AM
Chris, we have a screen of Alphonse Karr Bamboo that was planted with a plastic root barrier 4 years ago and has never created any problems. At the same time it has created an absolutely perfect screen from the 2 story house 2 doors down. I know that if I had bananas there that house would still be able to see into our yard and at this point i would have had to harvest and remove at least 12 full size banana trees by now. As you know that's not easy! I think the choice of bamboo is also very important, but it's still much less work as a permanent screen than any kind of bananas will ever be.
Lagniappe
05-15-2009, 01:04 AM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=5167&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5167)
This photo is a perfect illustration of a plant that has bloomed or is about to bloom. The meristematic tissue is evident in the center of the p-stem's cross section.
I hate to see it when I cut my plants down in the winter, but I'm sure that wasn't the case here.
Bananaman88
05-15-2009, 06:24 AM
Chris,
How long is that saw? 36"? That Saba base is huge!
My sabas and mysores both went from 1ft to about 14ft in 6 months here in zone 8 (southern NC) the base was 12" diameter when they were chopped this spring.
Rmplmnz
05-15-2009, 08:29 AM
Opinions will vary, in my opinion Bananas are much easier to deal with than bamboo (not to mention Florida gets significantly more rainfall than Southern California; which equates to faster and more lateral growth). Although this is probably a mute point as you have already ruled out bamboo. "For me, bamboo is not an option, I need to stick with bananas." (post#4).
Good luck!!
Tog Tan
05-15-2009, 08:44 AM
Opinions will vary, in my opinion Bananas are much easier to deal with than bamboo (not to mention Florida gets significantly more rainfall than Southern California; which equates to faster and more lateral growth). Although this is probably a mute point as you have already ruled out bamboo. "For me, bamboo is not an option, I need to stick with bananas." (post#4).
Good luck!!
I totally agree!
Whoever plants bamboo on a fence will definitely have a big fight with the neighbor, just how long it takes to get there.
I come from the land of bamboo. In terms of natural weeds here, #1 Bamboo, #2 'Naner species and #3 Gingers. Of the 3, bamboo takes over fastest and the rhizome is hard and very difficult to remove...and on top of that the bloody leaves!!!! The other side of the fence will curse you for it.
momoese
05-15-2009, 07:02 PM
I totally agree!
Whoever plants bamboo on a fence will definitely have a big fight with the neighbor, just how long it takes to get there.
Here in So Cal lots of people use Alphonse Karr along fence lines for screens. If a large plastic root barrier is used along with clumping bamboo there shouldn't be any issues. Leaves falling on the ground is another story, but hey, they make good mulch!
BIGDAWG69
05-15-2009, 07:25 PM
red tip photinia can get rather tall fast.
Rmplmnz
05-15-2009, 08:47 PM
Hi all,
I live in Palm City, Florida (near Stuart) and would like to plant bananas along my back fence to block out our neighbors two story house. Which species grows the tallest the fastest?
Thanks,
Michael
My recommendations:
Saba
Praying Hands
Brazilian
Reds (you have the climate for it)
:bananas_b
shopgirl2
05-16-2009, 06:21 AM
why not try the southern Sweet Myrtle? It provides all the above to include height and the aroma is incomparably sweet! I have hedges now which are over 20 feet and full as well!
It provides me with seeds to make perfumed soap! The best hedge and non-invasive.
damaclese
05-16-2009, 07:25 AM
Not to be the voice of reason or any thing! But Bamboo is a tricky subject here in the USA. Remember guys and gals that for example: Stashis Nigra is band in most of the Continental United states for its invasive nature. Thats just one example. It's just my opinion but i believe that Bamboos are best observed in there native regions and not in my Neighbores back yard growing out of control. By the way your neighbore has ever right to bring litigation against you for the destruction of his property or your Bamboos invasion of his land. Lastly this ones probably hard for you younger people to think about. We all get older. That bamboo is going to be there longer then you are. do you really want to have to be out there trimming it when you are 80 years old?!
momoese
05-16-2009, 08:43 PM
That bamboo is going to be there longer then you are. do you really want to have to be out there trimming it when you are 80 years old?!
That's what gardeners are for!
BTW, when your 30 foot Saba falls on the neighbors fence, car, house roof, etc, etc, you will also be in trouble. When it flowers on their side and the flowers stain their concrete, or the fence, or their house, again your in trouble. I'm sticking by my thought that the right bamboo is better than bananas for a privacy screen.
Scuba_Dave
05-16-2009, 08:54 PM
My neighbor has some wild bamboo like plant growing - LOTS of it
It grows wild around here - up to about 8-9'
Most empty/vacant areas have it
I've dug down about a foot & put pavers down (fence line) to prevent it growing
I still get some shoots every year
Haven't finished the entire area yet
What is nice to one person is a nuisance to another
I almost consider black eyed susan's a weed - they grow & expand rapidly
momoese
05-16-2009, 09:01 PM
What is nice to one person is a nuisance to another
I almost consider black eyed susan's a weed - they grow & expands rapidlyI
I agree with statement, and that's why I've noted several times in this thread that you need to be responsible when choosing the bamboo and planting it using a root barrier. I have Alphonse Karr growing a foot away from a wood fence for over 4 years now, and never has a shoot come up on the other side.
saltydad
05-16-2009, 10:25 PM
"A weed is a plant growing in the wrong place"
lorax
05-17-2009, 12:07 AM
Really? I always thought the weed was the one that was hard to pull up, and the valuable plant just came out of the dirt on the first yank....
Rmplmnz
05-17-2009, 09:02 AM
I agree with statement, and that's why I've noted several times in this thread that you need to be responsible when choosing the bamboo and planting it using a root barrier. I have Alphonse Karr growing a foot away from a wood fence for over 4 years now, and never has a shoot come up on the other side.
Everyone has gotten your message, you prefer Bamboo as a barrier over bananas, noted.
Your climate is significantly different than Florida. I seem to recall you are in the Los Angeles area??
Total Seasonal Rainfall (Precipitation)
Los Angeles Civic Center, 1877-2007
Average since 1877 (130 years): 15.04 inches
Total Seasonal Rainfall 1877-Present (http://www.laalmanac.com/weather/we13.htm)
Whereas the average rainfall for Stuart, FL is close to 60 inches a year (4 times as much).
Normal Precipitation
(STUART 1 S Weather station, 1.85 miles from Stuart)
Annual Inch 59.53
Stuart Weather | Stuart FL (http://www.idcide.com/weather/fl/stuart.htm)
The extra rainfall causes bamboo to grow at a much faster rate in Florida in comparison to Southern California.
That's what gardeners are for!
BTW, when your 30 foot Saba falls on the neighbors fence, car, house roof, etc, etc, you will also be in trouble. When it flowers on their side and the flowers stain their concrete, or the fence, or their house, again your in trouble. I'm sticking by my thought that the right bamboo is better than bananas for a privacy screen.
Where do 30 foot Sabas grow?
I have had many big Sabas fall w/o damaging a neighbors fencing (what type of fencing is damaged by falling banana plants?) The Bamboo can reach 40 feet and over 200 pounds for one pole.
The quantity of leaves dropping from Bamboo is truckloads annually and is constant. The leaf drop from one Banana bloom every 18 to 24 months is minor.
If you have a gardener that is willing to trim your bamboo he will not do this as part of routine yard maintenance, not to mention the damage he could do to the fencing during the trimming process.
If someone on the the board is interested in learning more about bamboo, following is a nice post from another website:
Introduction to Bamboo (http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1168/)
Thank you for the replies. For me, bamboo is not an option, I need to stick with bananas. Which species will provide the most foliage cover? Doesn't need to be sold, just something to break up the big house and their kids looking into my living room. :ha:
Anyway, hopefully we have provided Michael with some good recommendations and properly welcomed him to the Banana Board.:02:
musaboru
05-17-2009, 10:05 AM
Not sure if mentioned already, but if you do go with bamboo, make sure you start with big divisions that show big culms (sometimes these will be cut for repotting). Preferably something 5 gallons or larger. Even though bamboo does grow fast, it will take a while to get established, like 2 or 3 years for a small gallon plant to grow those huge culms. So its better to start with a larger size gallon.
lorax
05-17-2009, 11:04 AM
OK, back to the original question, from Michael who does NOT want to grow bamboo. You can attach lattice to your boundary fence and grow passionflowers and grapes and other vines up it. This works very very fast for privacy, and then you're not worrying about fruiting into the neighbour's yard or dropping zillions of leaves or having to chop pseudostems.
Scuba_Dave
05-17-2009, 11:43 AM
I did the lattice route
I have clematis growing, plus honey suckle & kiwi vines
I only did the lattice at 8', but you could go higher
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/Daveywb/Plants/Columbine.jpg
lorax
05-17-2009, 12:27 PM
Gorgeous Aquilegias!
Scuba_Dave
05-17-2009, 12:51 PM
Thanks
Sure, make me look that word up :ha:
Funny, but when I 1st saw these growing I thought they were weeds
I actually pulled some up & threw them out
Luckily enough were growing to keep growing
I now let things grow until I know what they are
Perhaps lattice on the fence
And some bananas several feet in front until the vines grow in?
Then you could move the bananas
momoese
05-17-2009, 08:02 PM
Everyone has gotten your message, you prefer Bamboo as a barrier over bananas, noted.
Your climate is significantly different than Florida. I seem to recall you are in the Los Angeles area??
Total Seasonal Rainfall (Precipitation)
Los Angeles Civic Center, 1877-2007
Average since 1877 (130 years): 15.04 inches
Total Seasonal Rainfall 1877-Present (http://www.laalmanac.com/weather/we13.htm)
Whereas the average rainfall for Stuart, FL is close to 60 inches a year (4 times as much).
Normal Precipitation
(STUART 1 S Weather station, 1.85 miles from Stuart)
Annual Inch 59.53
Stuart Weather | Stuart FL (http://www.idcide.com/weather/fl/stuart.htm)
The extra rainfall causes bamboo to grow at a much faster rate in Florida in comparison to Southern California.
Where do 30 foot Sabas grow?
I have had many big Sabas fall w/o damaging a neighbors fencing (what type of fencing is damaged by falling banana plants?) The Bamboo can reach 40 feet and over 200 pounds for one pole.
The quantity of leaves dropping from Bamboo is truckloads annually and is constant. The leaf drop from one Banana bloom every 18 to 24 months is minor.
If you have a gardener that is willing to trim your bamaboo he will not do this as part of routine yard maintenance, not to mention the damage he could do to the fencing during the trimming process.
If someone on the the board is interested in learning more about bamboo, following is a nice post from another website:
Introduction to Bamboo (http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1168/)
Anyway, hopefully we have provided Michael with some good recommendations and have properly welcomed him to the Banana Board.:02:
Chris, there have been many people chiming in that don't live in Florida, but thanks for the info and your opinion anyway.
momoese
05-17-2009, 09:11 PM
For anyone wanting to grow a privacy screen in "Southern California" I'd like to show this.
First picture is a completely overgrown stand of 20-30 foot tall Hawaiian Apple Banana plants. Notice the blue sky and 8' wood fence behind them.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m161/momoese/screen100.jpg
In this picture we have Alphonse Karr clumping Bamboo planted with a very heavy duty root barrier 1 foot away from the same type of wood fence and approximately 15 feet from the Bananas in the other picture. As you can see there is no blue sky or fence showing. Both bananas and bamboo were planted at the same time and I can tell you that my back hurts from trying to maintain the bananas, but I've never once had to do anything to the bamboo. I think the pictures speak for themselves if you want a real privacy screen.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m161/momoese/screen101.jpg
Warning If you live in "Florida" this may not work for you due to your annual rainfall. Please plant Bamboo with caution and respect to your neighbors.
Now please excuse me from recommending anything. I'm done here.
PS: Chris, just how much do you figure a full grown Saba weighs vs a full grown "ALPHONSE KARR" in Florida? Oh and have you Ever grown Alphonse Karr? :2141:
Scuba_Dave
05-17-2009, 09:45 PM
For me I just want partial blocking
Altho we have a business off to one side that has spotlights on all night. Only one shines onto our house = since a big hollow Maple was taken down. Our hot tub is against the house/sunroom corner which gives us privacy (greenhouse is on the 3rd side & lattice)
If you want bananas go for it
I like the look
Rmplmnz
05-17-2009, 11:58 PM
For anyone wanting to grow a privacy screen in "Southern California" I'd like to show this.
Now please excuse me from recommending anything. I'm done here.
PS: Chris, just how much do you figure a full grown Saba weighs vs a full grown "ALPHONSE KARR" in Florida? Oh and have you Ever grown Alphonse Karr? :2141:
Mitchell,
You are too funny..you said you were done..yet you had to edit your post to throw in one more barb directed at me by name. This post started out as a new member's request for recommendations on tall rapidly growing banana varieties (this is a "banana forum") and even after the member stated that bamboo was not an option the debate continued. I vacillated on responding to your post as I know it will result in yet another reply, as it is painfully apparent that you will need to have the last word on this. Hopefully one day we will have the opportunity to meet (I look forward to that day), I am sure you would have a different perception. I will add that your pic of the tall red was very impressive. This will be my last post on this thread as I am sure everyone else (this is the new member's first thread/post) that is following it is tired of seeing yet another thread digress in to a totally off topic "lively discussion". Hopefully some other members can make some recommendations to accommodate the request:
Hi all,
I live in Palm City, Florida (near Stuart) and would like to plant bananas along my back fence to block out our neighbors two story house. Which species grows the tallest the fastest?
Thanks,
Michael
Thank you for the replies. For me, bamboo is not an option, I need to stick with bananas. Which species will provide the most foliage cover? Doesn't need to be sold, just something to break up the big house and their kids looking into my living room. :ha:
I am still trying to understand why this thread went so far off-topic (it started with so much potential).
harveyc
05-18-2009, 01:36 AM
I personally would not hesitate to plant either the Saba banana or the Alphonse Karr bamboo. I like them both and have saw Mitchel's yard in December 2007 and was impressed with both his bamboo and bananas. I am also impressed with your big Saba's Chris.
One thing I wondered from the beginning of this thread was how important the permanence of the screen is since the bananas would get cut down every so often and the screen would be reduced unless there's enough room for several generations of plants.
I've planted several rows of Coastal Redwoods around my property, somewhere around 100 of them. I'm not about to recommend them to anyone in this thread, though! :P
Cheers,
Harvey
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