Bonsai Banana

niblicksrus · 08-30-2009, 12:00 PM

Just for the fun of it, I potted up a bunch of SDC and I'm growing them as bonsai's. The plant pictured here has been a bonsai for a year. Pseudostem is 8" and it has three pups. The container is 10"x8"x2".

These would create a pleasant tropical setting at work on the desk top or look nice as a focal point on a table. I don't know if they will ever bear bonsai fruit, but that would be an added plus!

Rick

JuniPerez · 08-30-2009, 12:07 PM

Hmmm... I would have never thought bananas could be bonsai'd since it's technically not a tree, but an herb. I'm going to have to try this. Thanks. = )

jmoore · 08-30-2009, 12:11 PM

I'm intrigued how do you go about bonsaiing something?

niblicksrus · 08-30-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmoore

I'm intrigued how do you go about bonsaiing something?

James,

The trick to bonsai is in root pruning. I have not pruned these yet, but roughly once a year about a third of the roots are pruned, new soil is added, and it is repotted.

Rick

Gabe15 · 08-30-2009, 01:52 PM

Banana roots prune themselves, they only remain active for about 4 months in the ground (probably longer in a container, but the concept is still there) before being replaced with new growth, so to control the size of the root system it is best to do exactly what you have done and just limit how much soil it can grow in.

I tried this with a 'Little Prince'. The plant in this photo is almost 3 years old in an 8in pot and has about an 8in pseudostem.

niblicksrus · 08-30-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15

Banana roots prune themselves, they only remain active for about 4 months in the ground (probably longer in a container, but the concept is still there) before being replaced with new growth, so to control the size of the root system it is best to do exactly what you have done and just limit how much soil it can grow in.

I tried this with a 'Little Prince'. The plant in this photo is almost 3 years old in an 8in pot and has about an 8in pseudostem.

Gabe,

That's a great-looking plant! Has your 'Little Prince' ever fruited/do you expect it will fruit?

Rick

LilRaverBoi · 08-30-2009, 04:49 PM

Very cool! I hope you are able to keep it going. I suspect it might get a little larger than you want, though. Once it gets older the leaves will be much larger and you'll have to chop the stem off to keep it short. At that point it might start to look disproportional. Very cool idea, though...just keep us informed on how it's doing!

Bananaman88 · 08-31-2009, 01:22 PM

'Little Prince' is a much better choice for "bonsai-ing" in my opinion. It naturally grows smaller than SDC, which I've seen get to 4' tall even in a pot.

niblicksrus · 08-31-2009, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bananaman88

'Little Prince' is a much better choice for "bonsai-ing" in my opinion. It naturally grows smaller than SDC, which I've seen get to 4' tall even in a pot.

Brent: I actually use Novak, I think Truly Tiny is a sport of Novak?

Rick

Bananaman88 · 09-01-2009, 06:40 AM

'Novak' is the actual cultivar name of Super Dwarf Cavendish. I think Super Dwarf Cavendish is just a marketing name coined by the nursery industry. I'm not sure if 'Truly Tiny' is a sport of 'Novak' or not-could be.

08-30-2009, 12:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
JuniPerez Puerto Rican Gone Bananas JuniPerez's Photo Gallery Location: Rochester, NY Find me on the map! Zone: 6b Name: Juni Perez Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 313 BananaBucks : 77,544 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 153 Times Was Thanked 202 Times in 117 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 13 Times	Re: Bonsai Banana Hmmm... I would have never thought bananas could be bonsai'd since it's technically not a tree, but an herb. I'm going to have to try this. Thanks. = )

08-30-2009, 12:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
jmoore jmoore 's Photo Gallery Location: Lowestoft, UK Zone: 8a Name: James Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 766 BananaBucks : 118,911 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 192 Times Was Thanked 799 Times in 373 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 71 Times	Re: Bonsai Banana I'm intrigued how do you go about bonsaiing something?

08-30-2009, 01:52 PM	#5 (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 : 13,339,530 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,237 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Bonsai Banana Banana roots prune themselves, they only remain active for about 4 months in the ground (probably longer in a container, but the concept is still there) before being replaced with new growth, so to control the size of the root system it is best to do exactly what you have done and just limit how much soil it can grow in. I tried this with a 'Little Prince'. The plant in this photo is almost 3 years old in an 8in pot and has about an 8in pseudostem. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

08-30-2009, 04:49 PM	#7 (permalink)
LilRaverBoi Nanner Time! LilRaverBoi's Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bryan Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,937 BananaBucks : 114,013 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 534 Times Was Thanked 2,243 Times in 1,245 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 855 Times	Re: Bonsai Banana Very cool! I hope you are able to keep it going. I suspect it might get a little larger than you want, though. Once it gets older the leaves will be much larger and you'll have to chop the stem off to keep it short. At that point it might start to look disproportional. Very cool idea, though...just keep us informed on how it's doing! __________________ BANANA RAVE! Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top! lilraverboi@genxglow.com RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you! I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

08-31-2009, 01:22 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 216,772 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Bonsai Banana 'Little Prince' is a much better choice for "bonsai-ing" in my opinion. It naturally grows smaller than SDC, which I've seen get to 4' tall even in a pot.

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09-01-2009, 06:40 AM	#10 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 216,772 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Bonsai Banana 'Novak' is the actual cultivar name of Super Dwarf Cavendish. I think Super Dwarf Cavendish is just a marketing name coined by the nursery industry. I'm not sure if 'Truly Tiny' is a sport of 'Novak' or not-could be.

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