Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow!

Jeff · 09-10-2005, 11:09 PM

What bananas have you tried growing that have not done well for you or have died?

African Rhinohorn, Ele Ele and Burmese Blue are a few that I tried growing and they all died in the middle of the summer for no apparant reason. They all grew to about 6-7 feet and then died. This happened a few years ago and I haven't tried them again since.

I have also bought Ensete maurelii 3 times from 3 different sources and all 3 plants died. Everyone I know in this area that has tried one has lost it. Not sure if it's the humidity or what. I think this is one of the most beautiful ornamentals and it pisses me off that I can't get one to grow!

bananalover · 09-11-2005, 02:40 PM

The only banana plants I have had die on me were Velutina. I grew them from seed and they did real well all through the summer. They were maybe 8 inches or so of stem then over the winter they died in the greenhouse. I think it was probably the soil I used and the fact that the greenhouse was just too wet inside that winter.

pitangadiego · 09-12-2005, 12:01 AM

Burmese Blue struggles and dies back, but pups enough to keep repeating the cycle. EleEle did well, until I removed a couple pups. Then the parent died and all but two of 9 pups. Never had that severe a reaction with 70+ other varieties. Rhino Horn has been fine. No others with problems. Sometimes a pup will grow a while, struggle and die, the the succeeding pups are fine. I have had that cycle with 3 or 4 plants.

Jeff · 09-12-2005, 07:42 AM

Has your Rhino Horn fruited? I have heard that the fruit can be almost 2 feet long and weigh over 2 pounds each. That would be amazing to see.

tlturbo · 09-12-2005, 07:53 AM

I can't seem to get Ensete maurelii vent. to grow. I've tried 4 and lost all of them.

Terry

Southern-Grower · 09-12-2005, 08:33 AM

super dwarf cavendish

saturn · 09-12-2005, 11:30 AM

I had 2 ensete maurelii and they both died. People told me they were 'easy' to grow. These things looked good for a short while then went downhill fast.

I also had 2 mysores die after a year of living in pots.

My first SDC did really well and made a lot of pups, but since then I have found them to be hit/miss, and generally hard to get thru the winter.

saturn

pitangadiego · 09-12-2005, 05:13 PM

No baby Rhino's yet.

bananalover · 09-12-2005, 06:23 PM

This was some really good information. There were a few on this list that I wanted that I am not sure I want to try now. I do understand that bananas seem to grow different for everyone but I might not risk a lot on a few of these now.

tropicalkid · 09-12-2005, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

Has your Rhino Horn fruited? I have heard that the fruit can be almost 2 feet long and weigh over 2 pounds each. That would be amazing to see.

My parents have grown these at their home in Puerto Rico.The plantains from these variety can indeed grow to those proportions, but they tend to curve and loose the "banana-boomerang shape" when they grow that much, and they tend to keep growing in a spiral fashion.The peel itself is a lighter-green than the common plantains.The only catch is that the bunch only yields one or two hands of fruit at the most.They tend to like full-sun, at least in tropical climates.I'll ask my dad to send pictures if there's a bunch growing at the moment in order to post them here.

tropicalkid

Gabe15 · 09-12-2005, 08:43 PM

I cant get Musa beccarii var. beccarii to grow an inch, im on my second one too. If I could ever get a Musa beccarii var. hottana then I think that would do better, but like Im ever going to get one of those!

Jetstream · 09-13-2005, 07:18 PM

I haven't killed anything yet, but it did take just over two years for my Pisang Ceylon to fruit. It doesn't look like they're going to be anything special either...Z

pitangadiego · 09-14-2005, 12:53 AM

My Pisang Ceylon is just starting to push out its' flower.

09-10-2005, 11:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jeff Member Jeff's Photo Gallery Location: Costa Rica Find me on the map! Zone: Tropical Highlands Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 244 BananaBucks : 95,547 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 60 Times Was Thanked 424 Times in 87 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! What bananas have you tried growing that have not done well for you or have died? African Rhinohorn, Ele Ele and Burmese Blue are a few that I tried growing and they all died in the middle of the summer for no apparant reason. They all grew to about 6-7 feet and then died. This happened a few years ago and I haven't tried them again since. I have also bought Ensete maurelii 3 times from 3 different sources and all 3 plants died. Everyone I know in this area that has tried one has lost it. Not sure if it's the humidity or what. I think this is one of the most beautiful ornamentals and it pisses me off that I can't get one to grow! __________________ Jeff in Costa Rica

09-11-2005, 02:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
bananalover Senior Member bananalover's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 186 BananaBucks : 76,570 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! The only banana plants I have had die on me were Velutina. I grew them from seed and they did real well all through the summer. They were maybe 8 inches or so of stem then over the winter they died in the greenhouse. I think it was probably the soil I used and the fact that the greenhouse was just too wet inside that winter.

09-12-2005, 12:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,489 BananaBucks : 176,326 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,732 Times in 930 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! Burmese Blue struggles and dies back, but pups enough to keep repeating the cycle. EleEle did well, until I removed a couple pups. Then the parent died and all but two of 9 pups. Never had that severe a reaction with 70+ other varieties. Rhino Horn has been fine. No others with problems. Sometimes a pup will grow a while, struggle and die, the the succeeding pups are fine. I have had that cycle with 3 or 4 plants. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

09-12-2005, 07:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
Jeff Member Jeff's Photo Gallery Location: Costa Rica Find me on the map! Zone: Tropical Highlands Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 244 BananaBucks : 95,547 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 60 Times Was Thanked 424 Times in 87 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! Has your Rhino Horn fruited? I have heard that the fruit can be almost 2 feet long and weigh over 2 pounds each. That would be amazing to see. __________________ Jeff in Costa Rica

09-12-2005, 07:53 AM	#5 (permalink)
tlturbo WUTSA V8 tlturbo's Photo Gallery Location: Bokeelia, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Terry Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 365 BananaBucks : 158,012 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 87 Times in 51 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! I can't seem to get Ensete maurelii vent. to grow. I've tried 4 and lost all of them. Terry

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09-12-2005, 08:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
Southern-Grower Senior Member Location: Ga. Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 228 BananaBucks : 182,362 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 21 Times in 15 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! super dwarf cavendish __________________ Happy Growing, SG Enjoy Life as it's too Short

09-12-2005, 11:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
saturn Member saturn's Photo Gallery Location: NC Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 94 BananaBucks : 55,350 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 24 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! I had 2 ensete maurelii and they both died. People told me they were 'easy' to grow. These things looked good for a short while then went downhill fast. I also had 2 mysores die after a year of living in pots. My first SDC did really well and made a lot of pups, but since then I have found them to be hit/miss, and generally hard to get thru the winter. saturn

09-12-2005, 05:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,489 BananaBucks : 176,326 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,732 Times in 930 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! No baby Rhino's yet. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

09-12-2005, 06:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
bananalover Senior Member bananalover's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 186 BananaBucks : 76,570 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 12 Times in 7 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! This was some really good information. There were a few on this list that I wanted that I am not sure I want to try now. I do understand that bananas seem to grow different for everyone but I might not risk a lot on a few of these now.

09-12-2005, 08:43 PM	#11 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,449,090 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,244 Times in 2,201 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! I cant get Musa beccarii var. beccarii to grow an inch, im on my second one too. If I could ever get a Musa beccarii var. hottana then I think that would do better, but like Im ever going to get one of those! __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

09-13-2005, 07:18 PM	#12 (permalink)
Jetstream Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 18 BananaBucks : 21,003 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 8 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! I haven't killed anything yet, but it did take just over two years for my Pisang Ceylon to fruit. It doesn't look like they're going to be anything special either...Z

09-14-2005, 12:53 AM	#13 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,489 BananaBucks : 176,326 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,732 Times in 930 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas I've tried and just can't seem to grow! My Pisang Ceylon is just starting to push out its' flower. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

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