School Wants Banana Plant for Greenhouse
 

Hello banana forum,

We are a Montessori school in New England who has just built a greenhouse, and is looking for a banana plant to put inside. We were thinking of Gros Michel, but with the long amount of time it takes to bear fruit, it might not be the best choice. Can anyone recommend a banana plant type or provide one to us that would grow for us? The greenhouse roof (dome shaped) is about 7-12 feet high, depending on the location.

Thank you!

Re: School Wants Banana Plant for Greenhouse
 

Hi, a fast banana plant that is also not sensitive to cool weather more or less is the veinte cohol. From a young plant to producing a stalk of bananas is only about 6 months & another month for the bananas to ripen....at least under good conditions (not too cool, etc). Most other bananas take 10-12 months or more depending on location. A very hardy banana is the raja puri....at least under Phoenix , Arizona conditions....hot dry summers & temperatures with frost in winter. Leaves get killed by cold, but with a little protection, the stalk produces new leaves when the weather warms.

Re: School Wants Banana Plant for Greenhouse
 

A veinte cohol planted outside after danger of frost in April can actually produce bananas by October in colder areas, but New England may have too short a growing season for that. But a container plant could be brought inside before frosts.

Re: School Wants Banana Plant for Greenhouse
 

This company has some Viente Cohol pups (and other hardy varieties) available. I just got a huge Rajapuri for $10 + shipping and it was a large healthy plant! and pretty incredible for the price. Also great customer service.
Yellow Banana Co. - Yellow Banana Co.

Re: School Wants Banana Plant for Greenhouse
 

I couldn't figure out exactly where you are located, but Logees in Danielson CT might be fairly close, though they do have a large mail order business. They have a half-dozen varieties in stock and other tropical fruit and their prices are fairly moderate. I love to stop there on trips to MA from PA.

Re: School Wants Banana Plant for Greenhouse
 

Thank you so much, everybody. I called Yellow Banana Company in FL and they were a wealth of great information. I think we found the plants we are looking for. Veinte cohol and dwarf red seem like the route we're going.

Re: School Wants Banana Plant for Greenhouse
 

Glad it worked for you! Besides the price and plant quality, I found that company to be delightful as well. I wish I had room for more plants just to do business with them.