jack hagenaars

Saw a Musa 'Little Prince' at our local Home Depot...Anyone know anything about it?

xavierdlc61887

they are like any other banana plant except they grow superrrrrr slow and dont really do anything :P hahaha its an ok plant, out of a 10 i give it a 4

jack hagenaars

What do you mean it does not do anything.....No dancing?

Gabe15

It is a tissue culture sport from 'Dwarf Cavendish' which is extremely dwarfed. In the ground or in a large container, I've seen them get about 1ft tall, in smaller containers mine usually stay around 8in. I've never seen or heard of one fruiting, I'm sure its possible that they can try to flower but the plant should not be grown for fruit as it would likely not make anything really harvestable (if anything at all), its an ornamental for sure. They make good bonzai-type plants though in a small container.

This photo is of a larger plant grown in a 5gal container, I bought it that size so I don't know how old it is. The pseudostem was about 1ft tall.


This photo is of a smaller plant in a ~1gal container, it is about 2 years old in this photo and has about an 7-8in pseudostem, very bonzai like.

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jack hagenaars

Thanks Gabe...kind of an odd looking banana! I have heard it does not flower or fruit but is hardy to about zone 7.....thats all I know.....I am afraid size does matter...I like em big!

Jack Daw

Actually, its like this (largest to smallest):

Giant Cavendish sports
Dwarf Cavendish
Super Dwarf Cavendish
Little Prince

I use little prince as banana bonsai. It never fruits, so it's small and green banana forever.
And besides that, when properly cared for, it can be planted along with other bonsai palms, trees and plants in a small bonsai garden.
That's what I have it for.

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Patty in Wisc

Gabe or Jack, between Lil Prince & Truly Tiny, which one grows biggest? When I got my T Tiny (3 yrs ago) she wasn't sure if it was L Prince or T Tiny. The p stem is 7 1/2 inches @ just over 3 yrs. Here's a pic taken 8 weeks ago.
My Truly Tiny swelling at base
This is the first year it has some reddish coloring in the leaves.

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saltydad

Hey Jack, I'd love to see the bonsai garden you speak of with nanas, palms, etc. Post some pics man.

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LilRaverBoi

Yeah, they're kinda cute, but definitely an ornamental. If you want fruit, get a dwarf cavendish at least or something larger. Otherwise, if you just want a cool plant that won't get large for that tropical feel, you'll enjoy the Little Prince.

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Gabe15

I've personally never seen a full grown Truly Tiny so I do not know how large they get, but I think you plant looks like Truly Tiny, as a Little Prince that big has a different growth habit.

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jack hagenaars

I am begining to think that my; cavendish my be a truley tiney...it is about 11/2 feet tall it wont flower or fruit....I have had it for about 5 years...

Jack Daw

Haha, it's just being built. I intend to place it in our hall as it is quite sunny, with the dimensions (length, width, height from the floor level) about 1,5x1x1meters (5x3,3x3,3 feet). I already have several sago palms ready as a bonsai form at my friend's (he specializes on cycad and palm bonsais), also my Eucalyptus globulus (7 year of growing, I started the first slight trimming a year ago) and several other subtropical and tropical plants are being prepared.
Little Prince is still very little, not like Gabe's...

It's just my intention, I've already planned it all, but the problem is, that for any bonsai at least 7 years are necessary to make it look good.

I inspired myself after reading this article and many alike:
Growing a Palm Bonsai

Will post pics when there's something to post. To construct a design pot from ceramics or other materials and wooden table with bonsai shapes, that will be the real problem.

But lots of work ahead of us.

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Thnx to Marcel, Ante, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar and Francesco for the plants I've received.



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alexizhere19

As a grower of said Little Prince, as well of may other bananas, I personally think it is a unique plant. It is an ornamental though, so don't expect fruit. People should take it as an ornamental and from my stand point is a greatplant, especially as a conversation starter around here. I grow min in 5 gallon pots like any othe banana, and have it at about a foot now. I overwintered indoors.

alex

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Patty in Wisc

Hey Jack, I'd love to learn how to do bonsai. I have a small sago palm that I'd love to start but don't have a clue how to. I've even seen bonsai grape vines with grapes! How cool is that?!!

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Jack Daw

There's some books I have about bonsais, basic techniques, prunning, shaping etc. If you want some, PM me your e-mail and I will upload it somewhere for you.

Regarding the palms and other bonsais, I've been reading something, catching on with pictures etc. there just isn't any material for this kinda of techniques. There's only few large companies in Indonesia and they keep their techniques for themselves. It's hit and run.
I will germinate about 20 to 30 coco palms this year and the experimenting will begin (to germinate cocos I need my fireplace woriking, so sometime around december...)

I should probably show what I mean by palm bonsai. Those sago palms are just a tip of large iceberg only few people can shape, others just watch with their mouths open prunning damn juniperus.

This is Cocos nucifera, infamous for beig the palm everyone wants to grow to maturity.
Let's look at old plants then (my plant, that is much younger, already is 2m high):



And now for something different. Is this second pic showing something well-known?
What about Hyophorbe? Do you recognize the trunk yet?

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Thnx to Marcel, Ante, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar and Francesco for the plants I've received.



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Patty in Wisc

Very cool!!
PM on the way

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alexizhere19

This is a pic of my little prince



BTW it has slight red blotches on leaves

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woo woo woo in the county jail

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Jack Daw

How old is this pup of yours? Mine is 8 months and is 10cm with only 12 leaves...

__________________
Thnx to Marcel, Ante, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar and Francesco for the plants I've received.



Zeitgeist - Corporatocracy 101 (~2hrs)

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alexizhere19

It is technically a year and a half but i wintered it indoors so it was setback a little. P-stem is 6 inches and full height is a foot.

alex

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woo woo woo in the county jail

just a good ole boy never meanin no harm

Abnshrek

I got swindled. I ordered a Raja Puri and recieved a Little Prince instead. I have a pretty established one. I water and fertilize it regularlty so its near 2 ft. ?? I don't much care for a banana unless its going to grow @ least to 6ft.

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