Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Found my pink velvet (Musa velutina) to be in the process of flowering. The thing is, it is only a foot tall! From what I've gathered online these should grow to 4 to 7 ft tall (~1.5-2m).

Do you think this small a plant can support inflorescence?

https://www.instagram.com/p/C722Z7vg...kw&img_index=1

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Musa Truly Pinkie

Musa Velutinito

Musa Velutiny


Figured I'd come up with some names for you cool genetically mutated plant!

Haha, I don't know if it is truly a mutation, but if it is, that is like finding a fossil of a dinosaur that hasn't been documented yet.

Congrats!:nanadrink:

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Thank you! All of those names are great!! I cant even pick one hahah

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Some pictures by a measuring tape https://www.instagram.com/p/C75LN44g...N6ZGN3eDJtOA==

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Congrats!

As for why it's flowering, several explanations are possible.

1) Like Foxhound suggests, it's possible that you've hit the genetic lottery. The question now is if it's a one-off instance, or if offshoots from it will repeat the behavior. Fingers crossed that you'll get lucky, and be able to share a novel mutation with other enthusiasts!

2) plants under stress will sometimes flower prematurely in an effort to pass on their genetics. Yours seems healthy enough, so I'm hoping this isn't the case.

3) it got cut back not long ago, after it had already decided it was going to flower. Gabe has a couple examples of this on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BWfrg7qA...RlODBiNWFlZA==

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Thank you! That's awesome! It did push out a sucker so I guess we'll see with that one. It's possible it was cut too - I can't be certain as I got it from a local gardener here a couple months ago but I believe it was a pup they pulled from ground and potted for me. Either way here we are!

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Got some hands popping through! https://www.instagram.com/p/C8DrmIEA...NuM3dkbWkyOTBk

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Looking good, is that your dog? German shepherd?

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Thank you yes shes a shepherd husky, shepsky!

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Quick video not so much an update per se as it has progressed a bit since i recorded this https://youtu.be/kbi2LrqSeoY

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

Liked the video. There used to be a small clump growing in Wilmington N.C. at the Arboretum gardens that flowered made fruit and seeded and had well over a hundred sprouted seedlings under it. J.C Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh has had a fruiting one there for several years. Both of those clumps flowered when taller.

Re: Shortest/Dwarfiest Banana to Flower?
 

I went to a little farm down here, and got some pictures of the Velutina they had.

They had atleast 8 varieties of cultivated bananas!

None Cavendish either, it was beautiful.

Going to upload and post once I get home from work today.

There was a dragonfly that landed on it, and since my daughter was with me I quickly switched to photographing the dragonfly lol.