Is this a banana?
 

My husband broke his finger doing some work and we were going to a CVS store at 9 pm to look for some bandages.While my husband was looking in the pharmacy section I was checking the flower section. I found outside the store a very bad looking plant that looked to me like a banana. It had all leaves dried up with the exception of the middle one. It had no label ,no price. When i brought it inside to ask about it the cashier did not let me sit it on the counter because was looking so bad. I got it for $4.
As soon as i got home i cut all dried leaves and i found a little pup coming out. It was so dry that it took me 2 days of watering t make the soil moist. Since I bought it 2 weeks ago it grow 2 more leaves and another pup is showing up.

The question is: Is this a banana ? what type? A super dwarf?? It is 21" from the soil line to the top of the cigar leaf.
I know is not a cavendish since is smaller than my cavendish I bought a month ago and it does not have the redish stripes on leaves either.

Re: Is this a banana?
 

I think it looks like a banana. I'm no expert.

I would have rescued it too. I have a soft spot for neglected unwanted plants.

Re: Is this a banana?
 

Definitely a banana plant! Also, a great buy for the size of the plant. Most "variety" stores sell Dwarf Cavendish or Basjoo banana plant. At this stage, it's hard to tell. But with the absence of wine coloration, it may be Basjoo. You will know better at maturity because of its height. Cavendish is shorter than Basjoo.

When I find a badly dehydrated plant, I usually soak the pot in a tub or bucket large enough to fit in and tall enough to get water at least 3/4 the height of the soil in the pot. I would fill the tub with water while the pot sits inside it up to the height of the pot. A few minutes (20 minutes +/-) later, I would go back and add water to the tub and let it set for at least an hour. After that, I would take the pot out of the tub and drain the tub, then put the pot back in to drain. After it is thoroughly drained, I can then put in in the spot where I would keep it.

When the soil in the pot dries up completely, watering the pot directly will not assure you that the soil will be wet because the water will run through the bigger gaps in the soil and run down the pot. Flooding the pot will only wet the top 1/2" of the soil and gaps because the water will run quickly through said big gaps in the soil. These gaps are developed in the soil as the soil/medium shrinks as it dries out. When you pour water over the soil and it ponds, the bigger gaps will allow the water to flow much faster than the soil can absorb the water, so that the between the gaps will continue to be dry. The other thing to note is that dry soil tends to repel water until it is saturated. That is why soaking the pot is the best way to water a thoroughly dried out pot.

Re: Is this a banana?
 

Its a supper dwarf cav, definitely not basjoo and also not a dwarf cav as the red splashes on leaves would still be seen at that height.

Re: Is this a banana?
 

Not Basjoo. It's a cavendish family by the stalky look and short fat leaves. Sometimes even little plants don't show wine marks till alittle bigger. After the plant gets alittle bigger they go away. My little prince has no wine marking on any of the plants.

Re: Is this a banana?
 

It kind of looks like this one that I have. This banana plant doesn't produce bananas. It did flower once. It pups like crazy. I think it is a Super Dwarf Cavendish.

Re: Is this a banana?
 

Thanks everyone for conforming my believes that it is a banana tree. I was hopping will be fruiting one but i am happy to have it