Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

My ice cream nanners made it through our winter unscathed. The oldest stalk grew tall. Then came the flag leaf...then the flower. Only a single row of nanners started to grow...but before they developed the whole stalk died.

The plants have several other stalks growing from them, most are taller than the one that flowered. The flowering stalks are all approx 6' tall (but now dead)...the large ones are twice the diameter and 12'+ tall.

I'm a noob...what did I do wrong?

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

Got pics? They help a lot with things like this.

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

I will take some when I get off work tomorrow. It's like the fruit never developed past pinky finger size, and only one hand worth at that. The flower I just looked at was dropping all of the undeveloped flowering hands out from under its petals.

Rest if the plant is huge and green.

I know...pics. just bummed out as I was excited about finally having some ice creams to eat.

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

In your opening post, you said the "whole stake died". Your last post, you stated the "Rest of the plant is huge and green." ... Is the entire plant dead?

If you are referring to the Peduncle/rachis stalk as being dead, then it is either broke or something had eaten into the peduncle stalk. ... Pictures of the stalk will help.

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

Sorry for my use of incorrect terminology. ..

The stalk that had the flower on it basically just browned out and died. The rest of the plant has 2 or 3 more stalks growing out of the ground that are huge .

I suspect that the 3 weeks of no rain, and my lack of knowledge to feed the plants heavily....along with the fact that there are 4 to 5 pups growing as well.. ...I think I starved the darn thing.

Only one row of female flowers developed, male flowers just fell off as I believe they are supposed to. I think maybe the darn thing just developed the fruit as far as it was going to with the nutrients (lack) it had and as I believe they are supposed to....died after flowering.

Pics this afternoon.

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

That's a bummer. Hopefully one of your pups offset the setback :)

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

Sounds like a plausible diagnosis.
In addition I am wondering if you have the real Blue Java/ Ice Cream. Might be a totally different musa. Where did you get your original plant from?

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

Flowering at 6 feet for a blue java...is that even possible? To be "underdeveloped" to that extent and get fruit to me would suggest maybe dwarf namwah? But I'm a relative noob as well just regurgitating what I've read :)

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

I do a lot of that regurgitating what I have read stuff...

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

Good I'm not the only one!

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

These are the pics. Bought as blue java/ice cream from a local nursery. The fruiting stalk was a survivor from winter...the other 2 or 3 are new growth this year (double the size?)

When I bought them they were a single stalk around 6 feet tall in a pot.










These last 2 pics are of a (to me) unknown plant that makes some sweet fruit ever year. They are much shorter than the first plants, with the stalk topping out (so far) around 7 feet.

Re: Ice cream ->flag leaf->fruit...then dead?
 

From the 4th pic down, it appears to show the main stalk has broken. I suspect this is from the recent storms in Florida. The other pics do show a lot of ragged/split green leaves which also indicates wind damage. ... That stalk is spent. Chop it up and use for mulch at the base of the other banana plants. It has a lot of nanner nutrients.