Did I purchase a water sucker?

jen · 08-26-2008, 08:52 AM

I have a ? So...when I go to a nursery and find a banana I want to buy and it's in a 1 gallon, 2 gallon, or 5 gallon how do I know if it was a sword sucker or a water sucker? Could my Dwarf Jamaican Red I just purchased in a 1 gallon have been a water sucker? Is there a way to tell once they are a little grown up? Are they not even worth planting?

Jen

Lagniappe · 08-26-2008, 09:04 AM

Hi Jen ,
Chances are good that they are neither . Most growers buy or produce cultured plantlets .

jen · 08-26-2008, 09:15 AM

Here it is...it doesnt' look very red either. I think I'm getting paranoid from too much information. Ignorance is bliss.

Jen

Dean W. · 08-26-2008, 09:17 AM

Looks great to me!

chong · 08-26-2008, 10:54 AM

Like Pete says, it looks like from tissue culture.

CookieCows · 08-26-2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jen

I have a ? So...when I go to a nursery and find a banana I want to buy and it's in a 1 gallon, 2 gallon, or 5 gallon how do I know if it was a sword sucker or a water sucker? Could my Dwarf Jamaican Red I just purchased in a 1 gallon have been a water sucker? Is there a way to tell once they are a little grown up? Are they not even worth planting?

Jen

Jen, don't feel alone! It started nagging at me too after learning about the water suckers!

Deb

Taylor · 08-26-2008, 11:43 AM

It is Dwarf Red like you said...and I don't honestly know what TYPE of pup it is, so I will stay on the safe side and agree with Pete.

By the way everyone, water suckers...although have less vigor, will produce fruit, maybe not as many as a sword sucker, but eventually your original plant will pup, and it is quite possible that they will be sword suckers which will produce more fruit.. So don't judge a banana plant by its leaf size!!!

Bananaman88 · 08-26-2008, 12:16 PM

I agree with Taylor 100% I don't let it worry me too much when I get a new plant from someone whether it is a water or sword sucker. I've never had any issues with either one.

Chironex · 08-26-2008, 12:47 PM

I am glad that you went and bought it! It will be fine. It's nice looking, too!

Richard · 08-26-2008, 01:01 PM

I've been reading that the shape of leafs in fruiting bananas, particularly in suckers is more influenced by the presence of minerals than anything else. "Spike-leaf pups" are a symptom of Calcium and sometimes Potassium deficiency. A soil test or leaf analysis (chemical) is needed to make an actual determination. A grove of bananas with predominately spike-leaf pups is often being fed with triple-15 and no micronutrients (e.g., no calcium supplement).

jen · 08-26-2008, 01:45 PM

Taylor I didn't even think about future pups. Good info.

Richard that is interesting and as always I'm amazed at your banana brain.

I fell so much better. I'm going to plant it today.

It actually looks even better than the pics and seems pretty healthy. For $9.99 I couldn't pass it up.

Thanks everyone.

Jen

Dean W. · 08-26-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jen

For $9.99 I couldn't pass it up.

Wow, great buy!

08-26-2008, 08:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
jen jen's Photo Gallery Zone: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 215 BananaBucks : 73,095 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 56 Times Was Thanked 174 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Did I purchase a water sucker? I have a ? So...when I go to a nursery and find a banana I want to buy and it's in a 1 gallon, 2 gallon, or 5 gallon how do I know if it was a sword sucker or a water sucker? Could my Dwarf Jamaican Red I just purchased in a 1 gallon have been a water sucker? Is there a way to tell once they are a little grown up? Are they not even worth planting? Jen

08-26-2008, 09:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lagniappe Lagniappe's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 2,111 BananaBucks : 262,250 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,378 Times Was Thanked 1,402 Times in 558 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 535 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? Hi Jen , Chances are good that they are neither . Most growers buy or produce cultured plantlets .

08-26-2008, 09:15 AM	#3 (permalink)
jen jen's Photo Gallery Zone: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 215 BananaBucks : 73,095 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 56 Times Was Thanked 174 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? Here it is...it doesnt' look very red either. I think I'm getting paranoid from too much information. Ignorance is bliss. Jen

08-26-2008, 09:17 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dean W. Dean W.'s Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Park, TX Zone: 8b Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,279 BananaBucks : 253,652 Feedback: 13 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,325 Times Was Thanked 2,130 Times in 972 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 300 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? Looks great to me! __________________

08-26-2008, 10:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,851 BananaBucks : 102,896 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,309 Times Was Thanked 1,702 Times in 759 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 991 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? Like Pete says, it looks like from tissue culture.

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08-26-2008, 11:43 AM	#7 (permalink)
Taylor Taylor 's Photo Gallery Location: VA Find me on the map! Zone: 8a Name: Taylor Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,084 BananaBucks : 244,468 Feedback: 15 / 100% Said "Thanks" 355 Times Was Thanked 662 Times in 334 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 283 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? It is Dwarf Red like you said...and I don't honestly know what TYPE of pup it is, so I will stay on the safe side and agree with Pete. By the way everyone, water suckers...although have less vigor, will produce fruit, maybe not as many as a sword sucker, but eventually your original plant will pup, and it is quite possible that they will be sword suckers which will produce more fruit.. So don't judge a banana plant by its leaf size!!!

08-26-2008, 12:16 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 : 239,196 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? I agree with Taylor 100% I don't let it worry me too much when I get a new plant from someone whether it is a water or sword sucker. I've never had any issues with either one.

08-26-2008, 12:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 131,311 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? I am glad that you went and bought it! It will be fine. It's nice looking, too! __________________ Scot

08-26-2008, 01:01 PM	#10 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 628,087 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,537 Times in 4,719 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? I've been reading that the shape of leafs in fruiting bananas, particularly in suckers is more influenced by the presence of minerals than anything else. "Spike-leaf pups" are a symptom of Calcium and sometimes Potassium deficiency. A soil test or leaf analysis (chemical) is needed to make an actual determination. A grove of bananas with predominately spike-leaf pups is often being fed with triple-15 and no micronutrients (e.g., no calcium supplement). __________________ Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

08-26-2008, 01:45 PM	#11 (permalink)
jen jen's Photo Gallery Zone: 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 215 BananaBucks : 73,095 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 56 Times Was Thanked 174 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Did I purchase a water sucker? Taylor I didn't even think about future pups. Good info. Richard that is interesting and as always I'm amazed at your banana brain. I fell so much better. I'm going to plant it today. It actually looks even better than the pics and seems pretty healthy. For $9.99 I couldn't pass it up. Thanks everyone. Jen

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