Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

If my little Siam Ruby wasn't so puny this would almost be funny.
Way back in, oh, last summer 2007 sometime I forget exactly when, I brought my Ae Ae that I had planted out into the yard to see if it survived the winter of 2006 back into the greenhouse to plant it in a better spot I had cleared out, where it would have a full 20 feet to grow up to the roof. Then in Feb 07, I bought a Siam Ruby from Brian's Botanicals for $35 and decided that I thought that these 2 would look really striking planted close together. So I did this:


These 2 plants have gotten the exact same water, fertilizer, and light. The Siam Ruby is still virtually the SAME size as it was when I got it. It lost all its red color overwinter, but is regaining it back, and it is also suckering. But the Ae Ae is on steroids. It has one leaf that has almost hit the 20 ft ceiling already. The first older leaves start emerging from its stem at about 4.5-5.0 ft up, and the growing tip where new leaves are emerging is at 6-7 ft. The trunk has more than quadrupled in thickness. Its too big for me to take a single photo of it, so I divided it into 3 pics, top, middle and bottom. It had a single pup attached when I brought it back in, but that pup didn't survive the transplant.






I can't figure out why this Siam Ruby is such a wimp. Maybe its just genetically weak. This is a photo of a second Siam Ruby I bought locally this last March 2008 for only $10. Its a far stronger superior plant

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

Wow, that's one heck of a greenhouse - now I am green with envy!!!
So cool looking, you must be quite proud of it - deservedly so.
Thanks for the pic's. No clue about your first Siam Ruby. Maybe the Aeae has a stronger root system and has overtaken the nutrient uptake from this area????

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

I think it could be a corn versus tissue culture plantlet issue we have here.

What you yall think?

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

thats what i was thinking. that the tc one was a little weaker then the ae ae. i know that the basjoo i had was tc and i put it outside at the same time as my regular basjoos and the tc one died. all i know is that i love your gh. and i too am green with envy!:2123::2700::2710::2140::2688::2188::D:2623::2732::2127::27 81::2239::jalapenonaner::bananajoy::banana_ve:pepper2nana::2124: lol. look at all those lovely plants and nanas.

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

Ok I'm jealous I have been asking the wife for permission the build a green house for 2 years and now I see this.

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

My Ruby is a PDN tc. I bought last year, wintered it, and stuck it out about 2 months ago. It's got great color, popping out a leaf every 4-5 days, but is still rather small. I wish it was bigger but I'm just happy it made it through winter. Keep in mind they only get 6-8' tall.

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

thanks for the pics, that ae ae is so beautiful!

Siam rubys can loose their red colours in a greenhouse, maybe that is it why he's a bit greener?

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

Thanks for the kudos guys, appreciate it.
Dablo, they are BOTH in the greenhouse and one has much better color than the other, so that's not the reason. Besides I was talking about size not color.

My greenhouse gets enough full sun to cause shade palms to "wash out" and turn pale instead of keeping their deep green coloration so I don't think the Brian's Botanicals plant is puny because of poor light. If it was the light, the Ae Ae wouldn't thrive, nor would any of my other full sun plants.

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

To me the 'Siam Ruby' is way to close too the AeAe. Lilith , by the look of your Greenhouse you know how to grow plants so why would you plant two Musa six inches apart ? By now the Siam Ruby is getting little feed and little light. My Brian's Botanicals 'Siam Ruby' is doing great has always done great and has produced about twenty pups in the last year.Siam Ruby is very fast growing for me but it is not a huge musa, pups tend to out grow the main stem in terms of speed. Siam Ruby produces fast growing short lived leaves that are pretty delicate and prone to damage. I think comparing the two Musa is like Apples and Oranges , they are so different in every way that it makes little sense to compare them . The poor 'Siam Ruby' by the AeAe is still trying , there is a pup or two there judging from the pic. Just dig the poor little thing up and move it.
Later
Steve

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

i too grow both and my siam is also from brians and my ae ae is from stokes, got them about the same time the siam a little earler than the ae ae and the ae ae is smoking the siam,just seams to be a slower grower to me but doing great, great color on both....and like Steve says the siam pups like crazy, wish the ae ae would!!!!!

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

Actually there is MORE than two FEET of space between those 2 plants. I don't buy your reasoning.

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

No problem Lilith , you figure it out , no need to shout . I just think Brian (Aroidgrower is his handle here) sells good plants and there seems to be a hint that a 'Siam Ruby' for 35 dollars should do better. I think mine was 75 bucks or something like as it was one of the first ones , happy to have it happy to pay top dollar for a rare plant.Anyway , just move the ' Siam Ruby ' and enjoy the plant, no big deal. :nanerelectricguitar
Best Wishes
Steve

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

I don't think really it's because your siam ruby was a tc. I have one that's not a tc that I got from Jason--and it's been a real dog for me. It didn't grow any at all last year, it was about 1.5 feet tall all summer into fall and all winter and only now it's started to grow and it's about 2 feet. I have some tc's that I got in February they were 2 inches tall (really!) and they've caught up with it! I just can't figure it out at all.

Re: Differences in growth rates of bananas-AeAe vs Siam Ruby
 

Well Steve in France, there was actually no "hint" of that. I believe in giving the source for plants that do well, and also for ones that don't do well. The price is irrelevant. The one that is doing really really well was $10 and came from Bob Smoley here in Florida. Lots of folks don't like Bob Smoley (he sells succulents, epiphyllums, hoyas and lots of other stuff) but I have the opportunity to buy from him in person a few times a year at Festival sales and his stuff is really top notch. It seems to be his mail order stuff that people complain about, but that's not any problem for me. I recommend him highly. Others think he is the spawn of the devil.

I have purchased several plants from Brian's Botanicals in the past and most have done extremely well for me, but this banana is a flop. I think its just a weak plant.

And please, don't keep telling me to dig it up and move it. That's not an option, and your advice is simplistic when you have no idea of the intensively planted growing space requirements I have to deal with. Giving it 2 FEET of space:eek:was a real sacrifice in the first place. You don't need to repeat it again. I saw it the first time you wrote it, and ignored it then, so why say it again?

You obviously believe you have read something into my post that isn't actually there. Common fallacy of the internet.