Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

I have a Red Abyssinian that appears to have two pseudostems splitting from the main pseudostem. Is this common? I've searched all over and haven't been able to find anything else on the web.

I'll know for sure if this in the case in a few days after the new leaves grow fully.








Thanks!

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

Wow, that's pretty cool! I look forward to seeing how it grows. :drum:

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

I seriously doubt it. I think what that is, is for some reason or other the emerging leaf got blocked on its way up the pseudostem, then popped out the side. I have had 3 or 4 bananas do that to me this Spring, most likely because of the cool May we had here. Probably a bit of rot set it in the middle, and the emerging leaf could not push out, so it broke out the side of the pseudostem.

Of course, I could be completely wrong! If you notice that one of the new leaves isn't growing at all and the other one is, then I am probably right. I hope I'm wrong, and that you do have a 2-headed ensete! That would be really cool :cool: .

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

I thought it was a blocked leaf as well at first, however, after watching it for a few days, both emerging leaves are growing steadily at the same rate.

I can see what looks like the top of two new leaves coming up through the middle of both leaves but I should be able to tell for sure some time Sunday.

I'll keep you updated.

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

That's pretty cool. Can't wait to see how it progresses.

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

I think what happend is that 2 shoots grew from the same peice of meristem while in tissue culture. Since 'Maurelii' can only be propagated by tissue culture, it makes sense that this would be the case. In tissue cultured Musa, you will notice they can often make lots of small pups when still extremely small plants. The reason they seem to be growing inside of eachother is because pups dont always form on the outsides of the corm, they can occasionally form on the topsideand thus grow thru the present pseudostem, if positioned right, this does not always damage both shoots and they can still grow to a certain point, however, usually one eventually will outgrow the other and kill one of them. But as everyone else has been saying, it will indeed be interesting to watch.

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

Here are some updated photos. This was growing normally for a few months. One oddly rolled leaf then appeared rolled on both sides followed by two leaves within each side of the rolled leaf.

Also, there are some bigger Red Abyssinian bananas for sales at the Lowes in Pineville, NC if anyone in the area is interested. The are $17 which I thought was a little expensive for a TC'd banana.

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

That is cool! Please post pictures as it grows!

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

So where are you in NC. I am from the High Point area in the Piedmont.

Zac

Update: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

I'm just outside Charlotte, NC and the bananas and palms love this hot weather we're getting! I'm not, however, so I've been enjoying my plants from the window inside my nice cool house with a beer in one hand and the remote in the other :)

Anyway, I now have two large Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' plants.

The first bunch of leaves eventually split and turned brown. I remove them revealing two plants. I think I'll separate them this fall when I bring them inside for the winter.

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

Gabe, you said above: Since 'Maurelii' can only be propagated by tissue culture, . What would happen if I chopped up a maurelii corm? A green plant? No new plants? Assuming I reach that stage, I hate to just let my only ensete wither and die.

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

I shoulda been clearer, they only really commercially propagate 'Maurelii' by TC, you can do the corm chop method on it and it should work fine. Some nurseries do it too but most all the ones you will find are from TC.

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

Oh ok. Have you ever been to any of the NC Palm Society, or Southeastern Palm(Formerly and Exotic Plants) Society meetings? There are a ton of people in the area growing palms and most of them grow bananas as well. We(the NC group) had a meeting in Charlotte in April at the home of John Denti in Downtown.


Zac

Re: Double-headed Red Abyssinian
 

I haven't made it to a meeting yet. I would have gone to the one in charlotte but I was out of town on vacation.

I visit the hardy palm and subtropical board daily and have been growing palms at my home and at my house in North Myrtle Beach for three years or so now.