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Often times the rhizome of a variegated banana will start rotting from the bottom and because only a small portion of the upper rhizome is necessary for the plants healthy growth, I always remove most of the rhizome when repotting. We do the same thing when field planting pups, which is referred to as paring.

The lower part of the rhizome causes more problems than it's worth, but it can have value, so before discarding consider potting it separately.

And this is the portion of the lower rhizome of a Variegated Tani I potted a few days ago. Got a double this morning.

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Jeff zone 8 N.C.

Great info!

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If anyone needs a brief explanation on how to efficiently elongate a rhizome just ask.

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It's been 24 hours but feels like it's taking forever for these leaves to unfurl.

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Jeff zone 8 N.C.

Please do tell us how you elongate a rhizome. I think I know your method but lets get it here for the record.

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This is a beautiful VDN and if the new owner wanted to propagate the plant without damaging it this would be my advice.





The current soil level was at arrow 1 and the main growing point at the red triangle slightly above. By gradually raising the soil level to arrow 2 the main growing point will also move to the red triangle slightly above arrow 2. After the plant moves it's MGP the rhizome in the photo will no longer be necessary for the continued health of the plant and can be separated which will activate it's multiple auxiliary buds.

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all43

That's very cool!

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This is the mother plant that was removed instead of being killed.



These are the first two offshoots removed.

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Jeff zone 8 N.C.

Thanks for this insight! In your growing climate how much time do you take to gradually raise the soil level? Do you wait for roots to form at the new growth point before severing it?

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It probably doesn't matter that much but I prefer doing it gradually in a pot and all at once when it's in the ground.

If you pay attention to where the auxiliary meristems start to form on rhizome that information can be very useful.

Here's an example of double ratooning, a variegated mother plant growing in the ground produces a beautiful offshoot. Once that offshoot passes the stage of starting to form it's own auxiliary meristems is when I would raise the soil level. This will move the apical meristem in the offshoot, once it's far enough away to safely remove I'll separate it above where it's auxiliary meristems are. Because it's auxiliary meristems are still connected to the main mother plant their growth rate is going to be amazing. They are going to grow so fast that their plant tissue is going to be noticeably less dense.


Waiting for the roots is the safest way because it's the first indicator of where the meristem is.

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The cincinnana technique is going to be used to propagate this banana because of it's girth. It's a quick way to move the apical meristem in large bananas.

Most banana growers have experienced this technique and usually not by choice.

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Jeff zone 8 N.C.

Thanks for the clarification! This also sounds like a good technique to try in late summer for people in colder areas that want to leave a more cold hardy banana mat in ground over winter but propagate one to save in a greenhouse or indoors over winter.