bananaguy1

Hi. I live in Florida and have two banana plants in front of my residence. I have always noticed that, on full sunshine days (direct sunlight, no clouds), the leaves of both my banana plants fold so that the green leaf part on both sides of the midrib is just hanging straight down like a curtain. But when the sun goes down in the evening, the leaves spread and raise back up again. Even when I water them in the evening, the following day they still do that.

Is that normal behavior for banana plants?

cincinnana

Yes ....An internet search will reveal just how much the plants will modify themselves to dodge the sunlight.
They do the same thing when someone asks them to work....


Great post and observation.

__________________

Art_R

Thanks for your post! I've wondered about that myself.

__________________
Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

edwmax

I have stated this several times on the forum. The cause is lack of water or heat (including radiant heat of the sun); and or BOTH.


As stated above the fold down is normal. It is a survival response of the plant. Since you are in Florida you are describing 'radiant heat of the sun' when the air temps are in the upper 80s & low 90s. Sprinklers/misting will help to cool the plant and the leaves should open quickly. ... Above 100 deg. the leaves will stay folded down until the cooler air temps.


When I turn on my sprinkler the leaves will open in about 20 miniatures.


If soil moisture is low the leaves will fold down. Again sprinklers will hydrate the plant and add water to the soil.

__________________

cincinnana

Big box parking lot ......Florida.

.

Hot parking lot
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

__________________

edwmax

Yes ... Hot parking lot. If HD would put sprinkler/misters on those plants they would look like eager little puppies jumping up & down to go home with someone. Instead HD has sad looking puppies/nanas begging someone to take them to a better life. Please take me .... please take me away from here! ....hahaha

__________________

Sundra

The neglect and the results seen at most box stores makes me sad, especially since (depending on the contract) into the trash the unsold ones go. Even perfectly healthy ones.

LukeSkyWRX

As a grower in Phoenix, my plants spend more time folded in summer than open. They are fine.