Tropicallvr

Has anyone had any luck germinating musa seeds in a truly tropical climate? They seem like they need the temp fluctuation, but is it possible in the summer, or even in the winter? And what species have worked for you?
Thanks

Tropicallvr

Update, have sprouted 8 Ensete superbums(14 days), and one Ensete glaucum(15 days), and one Musa initerans(in about 10 days!) near Puerto Vallarta Mexico. Now waiting on a few others to pop their heads up.

Dean W.

Kyle, did you do anything special with the seeds? I have some that I'm working on now.

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Dean

Tropicallvr

I basically just did the regular 3 day soak, and have the seeds in a one gallon community pot outside that gets morning light until noon. I did do one thing that is kinda freaky and I'm a little bit embarassed admitting it, a friend told me that in some new age book she read it talked all about plants life force, ect. She knew I was into germinating seeds and told me about a part in the book where it said that if you hold the seeds in your mouth while thinking about why you want the plants to grow then they will grow better. I did it with Musa initerans and forgot all about it until they sprouted after 10 days. I'm not sure if that's why, but I really wanted them to sprout, so I thought what the heck, and they set the record for me, so I may try it again sometime. (It's weird I know)

Update, now 4 Musa initerans(of 10), and about 15 Ensete superbum, one Ensete glaucum, and 3 Musa violescens. M.initerans is now my record holder for the fastest sprouter of any banana in 10 days.

Dean W.

Lol!!! Hey, it worked! Congrats on your seeds germinating! I noticed today that my Snow Bananas are germinating. I have them in a community pot. They were outside in full sun untill some flowers (Marigolds) fell ontop of them providing shade. Seemed to have worked.

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Dean

Chironex

There might be something to that idea of putting them in your mouth. Think about the enzymes and acids in your mouth, and the mouths of monkeys. Hmmmm, I will definitely give it a try. How long were they in your mouth? One never knows what might trigger some of the tough-to-germinate-bananas.

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Scot


"Grow 'em if ya got 'em!"

Dean W.

Scot, just make sure you wash them off well first! LOL!!!

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Dean

damaclese

uck but if it works id try it lol as Scot stated allot of seed only germinate after going throw the digestive track of a particular animal IE a symbiotic relationship so maybe the saliva has a beneficial affect but as previously discussed many Musa and Ensete seeds lack embryonic structures so no mater what you do they simply can not germinate
its grate to hear that some one is having such good success with thire seed congrats!