Coug99

I bought this about 2 months ago as a SDC, but as I look at everyone else's it does not look like the same plant. The leafs are dark green, small about 4-5" Very clustered together. One weird thing is that the leafs are hard and feel very waxy. Any help on this ID would be helpful. P.S. it has one mother plant with a large pup and since I have had it 3 more pups have formed.

THanks,
Chris

Attached Images

	IMG_6902.JPG (1.59 MB, 46 views)
	SDC.jpg (270.4 KB, 33 views)

Yug

Looks like one to me.

caliboy1994

I'd say either that or Little Prince. Probably SDC.

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Abnshrek

Looks exactly like my lil prince....

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trebor

Nice sox

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Coug99

Thanks for the replies, well if it is a little prince I am very disappointed as I was looking for an SDC that would stay small and actually flower and fruit. Anyone have a good picture for comparison. SDC vs Little prince.

Thanks,
Chris

Abnshrek

There's no red on the leaves I'd say no chance of being an SDC..

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Coug99

That sucks, anyone have a real SDC for sale? I am trying to show my girls that you can grow bananas (mainly trying to show my wife I don't kill every plant I get)
Chris

Gabe15

The red coloration on the leaves is common, but not always present. It looks like a formerly pot bound SDC to me. If you've been feeding it with synthetic fertilizers, you may want to stop and flush out the soil with clean water. It can build up salts in the soil and cause stunting and will likely not fruit.

For the best chance of fruiting, I think you should pot it up into a big container with up to about 50% high quality compost in the media, then maybe something like 25% peat or coir and 25% perlite, and maybe mix in a little slow release fertilizer if you wish, but it is not really required. Then only water it, do not add any fertilizer. This way the plant will have basically everything it needs nutrition-wise, and won't be set back by accidental over-fertilization which this cultivar seems particularly sensitive to.

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Abnshrek

I stand corrected.. almost no chance.. :^)

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Coug99

Gabe when I repot should I remove the three new pups it has formed since I have had it. I repotted it in a pot 2-3 times the size of the one I got it in but you think going bigger will help?

Thanks
Chris

Gabe15

You can either remove them put them into smaller containers to hold onto for awhile or choose one to go into the big container. It doesn't really matter which one you put into the big container, but you should put it in the container you want to to fruit it in right away, there is no real reason for potting them up gradually if you intend to fruit it in a container, it just puts stress on the plant to be repotting all the time. I would recommend a container at least 2ft wide and deep, maybe a little bigger if you can get one. The main thing to be careful of when putting a small plant in a big container is the amount of water, since the roots have not filled out the pot yet, it is easy to over water, so just wet the area around the plant until it really starts growing then you can start to water the whole container.

That being said, SDC is actually a somewhat more difficult plant to fruit because it is often prone to choking and dieback even if it is growing well. Definitely try it out, but you may also want to pick up a standard 'Dwarf Cavendish' which is a larger plant, but will fruit easier and still stays relatively small in a container, maybe 4ft pseudostem and ~6ft overall (w/ 2ft for height of pot, ~8ft total).

'Dwarf Cavendish' fruiting in pot

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Coug99

I was looking at the new smaller pups coming up on this plant and there growth form is very different from the parent plant. I will try to get a new picture tonight, I might just have to separate them and see how they grow independently.

Chris

amantedelenguaje

Gabe, I read your remark about over-fertilization, salts in the soil, and the banana not fruiting. I have several Dwarf Cavendish, which I have been fertilizing with water soluble fertilizer every 7-10 days since the weather warmed up. Should I stop? I don't fertilize at all during the winter. I thought I was helping my plants. I certainly don't want to cause them damage.

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Coug99

Where can you get cheapish 24" deep pots?