9' Raja has no pups?
 

Hi Guys, I have a 9' (to the top of the highest leaf) Raja Puri, and though it grows like crazy, and looks great, has never produced any pups. Weird huh?

I've got other 4'ers that have pups, but my biggest one has none! The stem in this one is large enough that I can't quite put my hands around the base.

Here's my concern. I think this one will probably flower soon, but if it does, and has no pups, it's a goner. I don't supose I can do anything about it, but has anyone else ever encounter this? Any advice?

Thanks!

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

I would try giving it a high nitrogen fertilizer or maybe a root stimulator. But banana plants aren't usually measured to the top of the leaf, they're measured by pseudostem height. It probably won't flower yet anyways.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

Good to know about height; based on that info then, it is just under 6'. The reason I think it's weird is that this is the pup of a psudostem that flowered (and froze) last year. I'm assuming that if this one is on a standard pace, it should have a pup by now and be on it way to a flower this season. I'll try some high nitrogen fertilizer and see if there is a response.

I did notice that the ground has become pretty compacted where it is planted; I wonder if it can't poke through?

Thanks for the info.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

Yes that is weird, Raja's only suppose to get 6-7 feet? should flower soon for ya. I have an orinoco almost 3 years with no pups. This year I'm gonna try a different planting location.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

If it doesn't make pups and flowers you can always dig up the corm and try to get it to sprout again.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

Are you sure it is a Raja Puri and not a Pisang Raja. Pisang Raja is a taller plant.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

Lack of pupping can be a result of poor nutrition. It can also be a result of genetics. Some varieties don't pup until after flowering, or close to it.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

Is it possible for you to post a picture?

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

I heard when a banana plant is in distress that plant produce more pups.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

I'll see if I can post one. I've fertilized it regularly (though not with a specific banana fertilzer).

With my limited knowlage of bananas, I would agree with rainforezt, anytime I've had a banana struggle, it's grown pups. I have a goldfinger that the dogs broke off at the ground when it was about 2' tall. This was durring the winter here in AZ, and it didn't do a thing all winter, now not only has the center regrown, but it grew 3 new pups all at once! I had a DC that got rootbound in a pot that was to small and it grew pups like crazy (it grew 4, vs the DC in the ground that only grew 1 in the same time).

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

Let's see if this works.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

My first Raja never pupped until after a good 2 yrs. in the ground. I'm pretty sure it was a water sucker.
But I've probably got 6 or 7 from that first plant now and they pup normal.
Bo

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

It looks like a happy plant to me. I'm not sure if Rajapuris are very strong puppers anyways.

Re: 9' Raja has no pups?
 

Might just be this plant. My other Raja pupped at 1/3 this size. This one has to fight a lot of wind, and full Phoenix sun, so given all that, I think it does pretty well.

Honestly, the picture really doesn't so it justice, it's a pretty large plant.