Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

Hey everyone,

My Ice Cream has started leaning really noticeably in the last few weeks for no reason. It's on it's second year, and it's growing in a very large pot. I wasn't sure if it was a quirky thing bananas do occasionally or an early sign of flowering soon (it seems like quite a few people have had the angle of their plant change during flowering). It's set in a place where it gets fairly even sun light, so it shouldn't be growing that much towards the sunlight. I was just curious--haha I'm hoping for a flower soon! Thanks!

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

:pics:

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

Not so. I have lots of leaners that won't flower this year

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

My dog :doggyandnaner: is a leaner and he will never flower :ha:

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

My "Ice Cream Namwah" leans a lot after the flower has emerged, but not before.

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

haha!:ha:

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

Thanks, that's really helpful!

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

The flower just emerged from my Namwa banana on the side opposite it is leaning and the pup. It has been leaning slightly since 70 days after I planted it but it is not noticeable and the lean was unchanged before flowering.

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

I have had Ice Cream lean before flowering, but not because it is about to flower necessarily.

Leaning can be the result of pup removal, new pup pushing the parent to one side, loss of roots, etc.

Some varieties, and Ice Cream seems to be one of them, seem to stop producing new roots around the time of flowering, and as the existing roots die out, the plant leans and may even fall over around the time of flowering.

Which applies in your case?

The easiest way to tell if a plant is about to flower, assuming proper care (water and fertilizer) is whether the pseudostem is at flowering height. If culture and care is consistent, flowering will occur at nearly the same height every time.

Ice Cream does tend to have a lack of roots near flowering, and will tend to lean and/or fall over. Propping is essential.

My current bunch, hanging for 9 months, is finally beginning to ripen with temps near 90F.

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

I think they lean so it is easier to pick the fruit

Re: Leaning Banana Plant = Soon to Flower?
 

Yeah, leaning is probably not related to proximity to flowering. I would just rotate the pot 180 degrees and it will fix itself.