Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Plantfiles for Ensete, 1 by bwilliams

bwilliams wrote:
Ensete flower this was one of my plants that flowered years ago. Also Growin on your question about Ensetes reproducing by suckers. Some species have been found to send out pups if cut down I have been trying when I have the heart to take a steal rod and shove it directly down the center of the plant. A hormone is released into the banana tuber when the meristem is damaged that causes it to pup out. This is also seen in Musa species and is a way to propagate Bromeliads as well. I know it sounds a bit crazy to tell someone to do this to there plants but it has been used on bromeliads for many years. I would think in TC the more you damage the meristems the more and more plants you will produce. In many cases this is used in TC to produce more out of one batch. Good luck.