Ice Cream Banana 'Ice Cream' (Musa acuminata)

Watch Reply
More
Mark unread Print Skip to new
trois Santa Fe, TX(Zone 9b) Jul 09, 2004

Ice Cream Banana 'Ice Cream'
Musa acuminata

15 feet and growing. Delicious fruit.

Thumbnail by trois
Post #943985
Quote
WalterT San Diego, CA(Zone 10a) Jul 10, 2004

I would like to know where this plant is growing. Excellent photograph, BTW. WalterT

Post #945566
Quote
trois Santa Fe, TX(Zone 9b) Jul 10, 2004

It is growing in my yard, 3 miles North of Santa Fe, Texas. (20 miles Northwest of Galveston) We had this plant for 15 years in Houston and it produced a good bit of fruit. It reached to about 25 feet there, and I had to use a 15 foot ladder to reach the ripe stalks. We gave a lot away, froze about 50 pounds, ate all we could.

We dug up a couple of pups when we moved here.

Last year after 6 years it had fruit, but only a few. This year no blooms yet, but looking good.

Thanks for the compliment.

Post #945587
Quote
tovis Dorr, MI Jul 13, 2004

I have 6 right now growing in pots in my front yard, in Michigan. Wow, they are shooting up fast, I plan on taking them inside my apartment in a month or 2 when temps start to fall, but had no idea the spread was so huge, I hope I can fit them in the door.

How do you go about pruning these?

Post #949485
Quote
trois Santa Fe, TX(Zone 9b) Jul 13, 2004

A light frost will do that very well, back to the main trunk. If you keep them in pots and don't over feed them they will stay fairly small. You can feel the main stalk and cut it off at the junction of where it feels soft and where it feels firm. It can then be stored dormant if necessary.

This message was edited Friday, Jul 16th 9:49 PM

Post #949532
Quote
tovis Dorr, MI Jul 13, 2004

What do you feed them with? I've been mixing 1/2 Miracle Grow and 1/2 Miracid. My california hardy banana plant shot up after this. Also how often should I fertalize in pots?

Its kind of neat having a southern plant growing in an upper state. I'll add pictures of mine to the database as soon as I get them in better pots.

Thanks.

Post #950256
Quote
trois Santa Fe, TX(Zone 9b) Jul 13, 2004

They are Nitrogen hogs if you want them big. No feeding will keep them fairly small.
I had an Uncle that grew about 50 plants in Southwest Oklahoma, and produced a good bit of fruit. After the first light frost, he dug them up and stored them in a Garage till spring.

trois

This message was edited Jul 13, 2004 6:25 PM

Post #950442
Quote
tovis Dorr, MI Jul 18, 2004

Wow these are really interesting to watch grow. The new leaf starts to come out with a string like thing that comes out from the top. Then the new leaf once out looks like a cigar almost then it opens and a day or so later another string like thing comes up from the top. Is it usual for small plants lower leafs to dry up, I've been just cutting them off when they do.

Post #957445
Quote
trois Santa Fe, TX(Zone 9b) Jul 18, 2004

That is normal.

Trois

Post #957469
Quote

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
Back to Forum Homepage

More PlantFiles Pictures Threads

Go to all PlantFiles Pictures threads
BACK TO TOP