Linda C.

ok so I have moved to St. Croix in US Virgin Islands. I live on the dry end of the island. Would like to know a good dwarf variety to grow in a pot. Still new at this. Any ideas?

Kat2

Will you be growing your potted plant outside? Do have yard space are are your limited to a balcony or interior room? What is your definition of dwarf? Are there nurseries nearby where you can purchase plants? Do any of your neighbors grow bananas? I don't have any recommendations; I hope my questions along with your answers will stimulate a conversation and result in you finding the perfect musa for your situation.

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Linda C.

Hi Kat2, yes it will be growing outside in a pot. I am renting where I live now, and may be moving in a couple of months. I have one neighbor that has a banana tree and a pomegranate tree as well, but everyone around here is gated off (vacation homes). I have seen 2 nursery's so far (still learning the island). What I mean by dwarf is to be able to move it if I find another house mid island. I really do not want a big plant that might be hard to move. Sorry but my knowledge on banana plants is very limited. I don't want to be sold the wrong plant because of lack of knowledge.

Gabe15

If you're going for fruit in a pot, it's going to have to be a fairly large pot, and even dwarf fruiting bananas are fairly large plants to move around. If you would just like a nice ornamental plant to keep around and maybe plant it in the ground one day later, it really doesn't matter what variety you get, you can control the size of the plant by keeping it in a smaller pot.

Any variety you get, just put it in a 5gallon (about 1ft across and 1ft deep) and make sure it stays well watered. It won't get very large and if you need to move you can take it with easily. You can ask neighbors for suckers from their plants, or get one at a nursery, but I wouldn't worry about trying to find the specific "best" variety for a pot.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Kat2

Okay, that rules out truly tiny and super dwarf varieties. Will you have help moving when the time comes? I can, with a lot of huffing and puffing move the ones I still have in what I call "tree" pots. Height could be an issue if you won't have a truck. How long do you plan to stay in your current rental? Will you be in a position to plant your musa in the ground at the next place or will she always be potted? I wish the guys who grow in pots would check in; I've planted nearly all of mine in beds.

Gabe posted while I was writing--listen to him.

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Linda C.

Thank you Gabe15, a five gal. pot I could handle. Ornamental is a good way to go. Haven't thought of that. I really appreciate your input. I guess I may just go looking Monday. If I don't get lost, it will be a good day!

JP

Well, I grow a few in pots. No choice here; it's too cold! I grow dwarf cavendish, truly tiny and super dwarf cavendish. They all do well in pots, truly tiny and super dwarf cavendish are a lot easier to move around. My dwarf cavendish is a lot heavier... I would recommend putting some gravel at the bottom of the pot and using a soil mix containing at least 40% sand. That's going to help for drainage and is very forgiving if you overwater.

JP

Get the names of the varieties available to you and tell us. We'll be able to help you out...

cincinnana

I had used this photo in another post but it can apply here too.
The plants are Dwarf varieties..

Small Bordelons in the rear are not dwarfs but they can be kept hobbled.

My plants are grown for landscape foliage only..If choose to attempt to flower these I would increase container size and fertilizer regiment.

Knee high Little Prince...sides
Waist high Truly Tiny...middle
Chest high Bordelon.....rear

This is an average size in my zone 5/6.....in your tropical zone they will be somewhat larger.....say 2-4x.

These plants are cute and look great in a weathered vase shaped Italian terra-cotta pot


.
Two varieties of the seven dwarfs collection
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

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Linda C.

Thank you all for your input! Tomorrow I will start looking around for what we have available on island.

Kat2

Don't leave us hanging but do tell us what ends up in your chosen pot. Variety would be really nice; I'd love to know what's grown there. BTW, we get really excited about pictures here so take some of your new plant and also beautiful St. Croix. Since you're going to be raising a musa (or 2 or 85), editing your profile to show where you live is very helpful.

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Linda C.

Thanks Kat2. Will do!