Musafied

I planted M. basjoo 'mother bulb' last week in a pot indoors, just because I want to be able to move it if necessary. Anyway, two shoots came up, one a good 1/3 taller than the other and twice the diameter of the 'trunk', both growing like weeds! Larger shoot has 4 leaves, smaller shoot has just the first two tiny ones. I just noticed something odd today upon close inspection (haven't looked too closely at the leaves as I've been inundated with other things), the first two little leaves on both shoots are green, but the 3rd & 4th leaves on the larger shoot have this pale, very subtle brownish red tiger-looking color pattern. I've grown several Musa basjoos before, years ago, but I don't remember ever seeing this color pattern in any leaves, not on any parent plant nor on any first-emerging leaves of new pups. I read somewhere that some bananas have this pattern in new leaves only when young, but I didn't know M. basjoo did. And yes, it's from TyTy, so now I'm wondering if it's even M. basjoo!

Is this common or has anyone seen this in M. basjoo? Or did tyty rip me off? Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

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Dalmatiansoap

Some might have redish touch in jouvenille stage. Pics would help.

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blownz281

Any wine markings are not Basjoo. Mine have a maroon color in pups on the underside of leaves then once larger it goes away.

robert0514

It could be a Musa Sikkimensis, they usually have red markings, but its most likely to be basjoo. The centre of my basjoo leaves are a reddish marron

Dalmatiansoap

Basjoo pup I separated today

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robert0514

Looks just like mine

Musafied

Thanks everyone for your replies and photos!

Dalmatiansoap (love your username!) - let me figure out how to upload pics here, I'll try to get a couple. I just have my pc webcam to take pics right now, so quality may be sad. Also, the coloration on mine is on the top surface of the leaf, bottom side is green. But something fun to learn for me just now was I stuck my face practically on the leaves to look real close and the leaves smell exactly like an unripened banana, haha! I watered a little too much, so leaves are ridding water droplets via guttation and I think this excess moisture enhanced the leaf smell, maybe?

Sorry, this is a little confusing. Isn't the maroon color a wine marking? Not sure what you mean by 'any' wine markings. Perhaps you meant wine markings are ok on pups? Anyway, I'm inclined to think this isn't basjoo based on color being on the top surface (though it's very subtle), I'm no banana guru to know for sure though.

__________________
oh yeah, I'm sane enough to talk to plants!
~ Dr. Julie

Musafied

Uhh, well, I'm now rather confused by all this red coloring stuff in both sikki & basjoo! What's up with that?? I've just recently gotten back into growing bananas, but about a decade ago I grew both of these without any problems and I never saw any of this red variegated coloring in either species at any stage to any degree...neither in my plants nor in others' with the same plants. Just seems like the market on these 2 has changed a bit over the years or something, but I'm rather ignorant compared to most banana lovers so I have lots to learn.

__________________
oh yeah, I'm sane enough to talk to plants!
~ Dr. Julie

JuniPerez

Did you say TyTy?!?!?!? Oh Lordy Lord Lord!!!! None of the basjoos I bought from them were basjoos... you'd think they would nail at least ONE, but no... not one.
Look for petiole wings (very defined thin flappy wings).

Musafied

yeah tyty, but you made me laugh.
petiole wings between the p'stem and leaf? any pics? (i know i need to read up on how to upload pics here, didn't do that yet, my fault). just want to make sure i know what i'm talking about before i answer. both my bananas, the M. basjoo and sikkimensis have narrow side flares coming off the petiole edge, if that's what you mean. but i'll go figure out how to upload pics...

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oh yeah, I'm sane enough to talk to plants!
~ Dr. Julie

Musafied

Ok, here's some pics of this M. basjoo (?) banana plant. Hope I did the url thing right. I know the pic quality is really bad, but that's the best I can do for now. I'll wait to see what you all think about the coloring in the two biggest leaves on the larger shoot and if there's any petiole wings.

Note: the brown & yellowish splotches on the edge of the left side of the largest leaf margin (top of the plant) are dead spots...not sure why or how it happened. The coloring is mostly central, spreading laterally to only about 1/3 to 1/2 on either side of the midrib, it does not reach the leaf margins.

Thanks a bunch! (of bananas!)

__________________
oh yeah, I'm sane enough to talk to plants!
~ Dr. Julie

Dalmatiansoap

Still to early to say but that doesnt seem like a Basjoo to me. Anyway put that pot somwhere in the full sun.

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JuniPerez

The reddish wine marks tell me it's not a basjoo, but lets see again once it gets bigger... it looks just like one of the ones they sold me as basjoo - which is now dead. It was suspected to be a cavendish. The other two I still have because I was quick to pot them up over winter.

Zacarias

It's not basjoo.

Musafied

Soooooo, likely not a basjoo seeing that 3 of you voted against it, though I'll take more pics of it in a month or so just to be sure.

Dalmatiansoap - well, full sun here in Arizona is so intense, especially after about 1:00 pm. This plant is in full morning sun until about noon, then dappled sun under the filtering of a mesquite tree's shade until about 5:00 pm when the sun's rays aren't quite so searing. Is that ok? Location in the pics was just temporary to take the pics. I get nervous about bananas in full sun here, even my M. sikki's leaves started to fold down rather limp-like in these same conditions just described as if trying to escape the sun/heat.

In fact, I've been growing my Ensete maurelii (rescued it from home depot for dirt cheap last Nov as the leaves were all badly sunburned) in full shade with light sun after 4:30 pm and although I had to later cut it off near the base after an unexpected frost last winter killed the leaves, it came back with strong growth when I brought it in (poor plant has been through the ringer and still does nothing but grow! ).

Thanks, all of you! I really appreciate your feedback and advice! I fear my banana plant addiction is getting worse, or these boards are working their banana magic on me! I just purchased Musella lasiocarpa, and I'll soon be on the hunt for Musa ornata (pink) after waking up this morning from a very vivid dream about one. Yep, I've gone bananas!

__________________
oh yeah, I'm sane enough to talk to plants!
~ Dr. Julie

Zacarias

I also just purchases a Musella Lasiocarpa and was going to purchase a Velutina but I'm first trying to start the Velutina from seed. I'm almost at a month and still no germination but I am worried about the seeds I got. I'll give them a few more weeks. If still nothing I'll probably give in and buy an actually Musa Velutina plant cuz they look so cool!
Z

Musafied

Oh man Zacarias, I almost bought M. velutina too when I got the Musella!! But stupid me decided to wait. Been mad at myself since! I've no excuse, it's one I've been ruminating "gotta have, gotta have, gotta have!!!" for a long time. I totally agree with you, way too cool looking to pass up! There's just something sweetly "happy" about them that permeates my being. Why you worried about your seeds? Curious if you end up with sprouts from them! Wanna sell any?? I admire anyone growing from seed, I'm too chicken.
(Sorry for being off topic, but had to reply )

__________________
oh yeah, I'm sane enough to talk to plants!
~ Dr. Julie