KBinMD

WE got this from Lowes bargen bin. It came back ok after transplant shock. The leaves get these spots as soon as they begin to open. We transplanted in generic potting soil with original root ball. The bottom pic is a leaf getting ready to fully open. It didn't have a tag as to what kind it is.

Botanical_Bryce

Sun spots maybe

Gabe15

The plant is Ensete ventricosum.

I used to get those kind of spots when growing indoors, perhaps there is some specific reason but i do not know what it is, it seems for whatever reason the leaves would have thin tender spots like that which dried up, they would normally stop after the plant became more established and got better sun in warmer/brighter months. As long as the plant is still growing, i wouldn’t worry too much about it, it might be unsightly but if you can keep the plant alive through the winter, put it out in the spring and it should be fine.

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

MusaZombie

That sucks but the cause could be nearly anything. Too much salt, too little nitrogen, too much nitrogen (though I would generally expect to see the too much and too little show itself on the leaf edges), fungal disease --though that's usually smaller brown spots--, ...

However, that all being said do a google search for "Black Sigatoka" and see if that reminds you the most of what you're seeing.

Mark Anthony Phair

Hello there! The variety of your banana is the seed-producing (non-edible) Musa ensete 'Maurelii'. 'Ventricosum' is a lighter, lemon-green leaf (sometimes even a light powdery appearance)
with a wine-colored midrib. 'Maurelii' leaves are tinged with red on the upper surface, and along the edges. Their leaf stalk will be dark red.

It is hard to tell what is causing your leaves to dry and wither as shown in your photos.

However, the ensete 'Maurelii' appreciate very warm temperatures, full sun, good loamy soil with good drainage, and water is their fertilizer, as with all bananas, in addition to your fertilizing program.

Higher much warmer temperatures are favored, and give this banana a lot of side room. Their leaves can reach an outstanding fifteen feet in length and grow as tall or taller.

If you are in a climate with cool and cold(er) temperatures, place in a sunny southern window and water less throughout the winter until you plant it outside. These banana do not produce rhizomes or corms, so they cannot be stored as "bulbs" during winter.

Your ensete can live for several years, though it may not blossom except under fairly good conditions. Wintering over till late spring would affect this alteration.

My best guess is that the leaves were watered during bright sunshine, thus the water would magnify the sun's burning effects, and then the burn will spread out further within a close proximity of original damage. It shouldn't kill your ensete, however, I would re-evaluate your water schedule to early morning and sparingly during winter.

Once outside in full sun and in the ground, go to town on the watering as long as you have good drainage. Full sun is at the very least 6-8 hours per day.

One final thought, make sure your banana (or any non-aquatic plant) is NOT sitting in water. The foul odor from the root ball of the plant sitting in stagnant water drainage dishes will kill your plants --- it is methane gases caused by lack of oxygen, standing water, and the decomposition of the organic material and plant roots that are dying. That toxic soil should be discarded.

Best of wishes with your Musa ensete 'Maurelii'!

--- Mark Anthony Phair

duaneh

I agree it is ensentee maurelii however the leaves drying out and dying I normal for a plant kept indoors in a cold climate I have kept several for years the problem will disappear in the spring when it goes outside and and starts growing again just cut off the leaves when they turn mostly brown the plant will put out another to take its place during the winter about 1 leaf every 2.5 to 3 weeks

duaneh

forgot to mention do not over water I only water about every 6 weeks during the winter and sometimes even that's to much chect your potting mix before watering make sure its dry first if not skip watering for another week or 3

Gabe15

Definitely not Black Sigatoka. In addition to it not matching symptoms, Black Sigatoka is a tropical disease normally only seen outside under wet conditions, it is not a houseplant type banana disease.

The species is Ensete ventricosum. 'Maurelii' is just very red tissue cultured selection. The plant in question does not appear to be 'Maurelii' to me (this does not affect any recommendations on how to treat it), but could be and was just in a very shady nursery, but I wouldn't bet on it. 'Maurelii' typically has much more red especially on the leaf lamina, and the many of the common non-'Maurellii' E. ventricosum plants sold in the US still have red on the plant, typically just in the midrib.

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

edwmax

I have a Truely Tiny that developed similar spots on its lower older leaves in the past few days. I move the plant from its shaded outside location into the greenhouse for the winter as the night time temps were predicted to drop into the mid 30°s (actually 34° last night) and for frost protection. The spots appeared immediately after moving into the greenhouse, so I believe these are high temperature (day time) and environmental related. ... It is also interesting to note the spots on my plant occurred on the Wine Stains. So the red pigmentation must have something to do with these. ...???...

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cincinnana

My ensetes do the same thing....which for me is a nusience.

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duaneh

gabe I'm sure you are more knowledgable than myself however I do believe that i have maurelii and when indoors and out of the sun they lose most of the red coloring on new leafs just leaf midrib and edges remain red while you are probably correct just thought I would mention this




The species is Ensete ventricosum. 'Maurelii' is just very red tissue cultured selection. The plant in question does not appear to be 'Maurelii' to me (this does not affect any recommendations on how to treat it), but could be and was just in a very shady nursery, but I wouldn't bet on it. 'Maurelii' typically has much more red especially on the leaf lamina, and the many of the common non-'Maurellii' E. ventricosum plants sold in the US still have red on the plant, typically just in the midrib.[/quote]

KBinMD

If any of this info matters. We picked this plant up about 2 months ago from a nursery that was covered with black cloth that let the sun shine though. Then we kept it out in the bright summer sun for about a week. The inside in its current location in front of a east facing window. It's had these spot ever since we purchased it.

edwmax

From shade cloth nursery; to bright sun; to inside window location: those are sunburns on the tender parts/high parts of the leaf at the time due to lack of conditioning for bright, hot sun. ... New leaves will be ok.

See what extra info and small details can tell us!

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Iowa

[quote=KBinMD;311098]WE got this from Lowes bargen bin. It came back ok after transplant shock. The leaves get these spots as soon as they begin to open. We transplanted in generic potting soil with original root ball. The bottom pic is a leaf getting ready to fully open. It didn't have a tag as to what kind it is.

Had this happen to transplanted pups, more sun than it's use to can cause this.
It will grow out of it.

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Growing Musa Orinoco since 1993 - Added 2018-Basjoo, Zebrina' Rojo, Ensete Red Abyssinian - Added 2019-Goldfinger - Added 2020-Kokopo (Short Cycle), Double (Mahoi), Highgate, Super Dwarf Cavendish - Added 2021-Pisang Ceylon(Mysore), Musa Margarita, Ensete Ventricosum - Added 2023 - Siam Ruby

KBinMD

[quote=Iowa;311214]Should we be cutting off the leafs as they brown out and dry up? Or wait until they fall off on their own? It's sprouted 2 new leafs since it's been in front of this window and both had these spots. I'll let it do it's thing and monitor.
Thank you all for your suggestions