Taylor

One of my Orinoco sends out all sword. The other (the mother died) sends out all water suckers. The thing is...why? I think with a healthy mom, the pups can be sent out with more vigor because of a healthy root system of the mom and lots of solar intake. Make sense?

natedogg1026

Yea it does. Can't explain that T.

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MediaHound

Here's a couple pictures I just took of one sword pup and two water suckers on a stand of Jamaican Red that I have.
The water suckers are closer to where the last pseudostem was to bloom. I imagine they are attached to the remains of that pseudostem rather than this mother pseudostem that persists.





It's a strange angle to take a picture from, so you can't really tell, but the water suckers, or "umbrella pups", are only perhaps 8" tall while the sword is a couple feet already and still without a wide leaf.

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Simply Bananas

I guess they are called 'water' suckers for a reason.
Broad leaves have more surface area transpire more water, thus using(sucking) more water.

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JCDerrick

This thread has really taught me a lot about this subject, and the photo by pitangadiego was fantastic (and amazing to see the difference).

So I set out to try and ID my sword versus water suckers. And so far I'm having more trouble than I expected with IDing the sword leaves on all of my Basjoo; the Cavendish bananas are much easier. Some pups on the Basjoo are what appear to be obvious sword suckers, but others - like in this photo below - well I have no idea which are which. They are all so close to the parent they look like water suckers, but some resemble the sword leaves. What's the better indicated in basjoo? The shape of the leaves or of the p-stem itself? Help!

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JCDerrick

Here's another, circled in red. At first glance I'd say it's sword. But I can't tell with the Basjoo pups.

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Malama 'Aina



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bepah

It seems to me that the 'water suckers' are suffering from a lack of nutrition rather than some aberrant behavior of the mother plant. I would guess that if the NPK balance was adjusted to enhance root development that the 'water sucker' problem would disappear.

For those of you who get them, how often do you fertilize, feed? Maybe there is a clue there. If you feed, what do you feed? If it is strictly a high nitrogen application, it makes sense (to me at least) that water suckers would be the result.

Just some thoughts.....

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Bob

Big thanks to all who posted here and especially the pics. Pitangadiego's were especially helpfull since they are showing the roots. Since I'm somewhat new at this I'd have assumed the water suckers were the better candidates for propagation. Thanks again to all.

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momoese

My water suckers generally emerge a greater distance from the mother than the sword pups, and like Jarred, I believe they may be coming from a plant that was cut down long time ago, not the current mother plant. I have a Pisang Klotek water sucker right now that's about 2 feet from the mother. It must be growing from something I cut down long ago. Does anyone get them on first generation plants? I don't think I have.

MSmith

I suppose there is no way to know if that plant your buying from the store is a sword or water unless they mark the container?

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sunfish

Is it possible water suckers are developing of the root system,runners,and sword pups develop right off the corm.

Magilla Gorilla

Great thread. I thought I was the only one confused! This is just one example of how cool the forum is!

Thank you!

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Andrew

sunfish

Sometimes suckers from old, deteriorating corms have broad leaves from the outset. These are called "water" suckers, are insubstantial, with very little vigor, and are not desirable propagating material. "

ArchAngeL01

so whats a water sucker? the ones that grow off the mother corm? or the ones that shoot up from the roots and underground corm?

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Brad

Jack Daw

I was just curious, if I got a water sucker from my friend and wanted to have a banana plant, that would be primarily supposed just to give fruit...
Could I do it so:
Have the water pup from a little bit, then, if it has sword pups, remove sword pup to another pot/ground and let it grow...

Water pups can have sword pups, right?
Thanks...

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sunfish

From what I have read a water sucker will fruit. The thing with sward pups is they grow faster and will give a bigger bunch than water suckers. I don't see why a water sucker would not get sward pups. All the tc plants have broad leaves hardly any corm and they fruit and make sword suckers.

Jack Daw

Thought so, just wanted to make sure. Thanks to you, pal...

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Tog Tan

Layman's theory again; as most of these water suckers are from split or pieces of corms, I guess they tend to generate biggish leaves for photosynthesis from the start as an instinct to survival being not fed from the mother plant.

I have the bad habit of picking up these fellas as they look cute like a lil 'naner. I can always get it here after a fruiting plant has been cut off and no one cares for them. When I grow them, they will be very slow to start off. However once they have developed a good root system and are able to fend for themselves and with me giving them fert, they will grow like an ordinary pup. So far over here, it takes as least 7 mths or so for them to get the strength to grow well. In the meantime, they do pup like any normal plant after the 5 mth. I have yet to fruit any, but I let will let you guys know when they do.

I picked this ipod size corm flake which was embedded in about 2inches of soil. That was 3 weeks ago and now it is has put out many new leaves already. This is a DC aka Pisang Serendah.

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Tog Tan has sadly suddenly passed away 6/16/09. We will miss you Tog Tan.

Worm_Farmer

I think we should make this a sticky.

alexizhere19

second the sticky

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