I just joined DG and am already totally enjoying all of your pictures knowledge! I have a Musa Lasciocapra (sp?), this is it's second year and it is about four feet tall. It has another plant sprouting out from under one of it's old leaf stems but on the main stock. This is not a pup growing up from a root, it is growing out of the stalk. Should I leave it? Or is it like a sucker and should be taken off. Thanks.....
Newbie with Musa question
Could be a bloom??
Hopefully someone that knows this species will be along soon.
Till then,Welcome to DG!!!!
Welcome to Daves. Can you post a picture? We all love pictures and it might help someone determine what you should do.
Welcome to DavesGarden Musaff:) I am sure you are going love this place.
I love Musas too, they are so beautiful and interesting plants. I dont really have very much experience with them, but maybe later:)
:)
-Mitjo-
I will try and speed up my learning re: my digital camera and get some pictures for you.....thanks.
You're talking about the Chinese Yellow Banana? Musella lasiocarpa? It is making a pup. It doesn't pup like the other bananas do, but sends babies up from the stem. I've seen twenty or more pups right around the base of the stem on mine, pushing out from under the leaves.
So how do you remove them safely, Cala? Sounds like an interesting banana.
I take a big sharp butcher knife and slice the pup free from the mother plant trying to get a teeny piece of the mother stem along with it. Then I stick them in the dirt in the shade and keep moist. They look ratty for a month or so, then when they start growing, I know they're rooted. Sometimes I think they're gone, just a black stub sticking out of the soil and then one day a little leaf sticks out of the center and it starts growing again. They are easy.
They usually lose all their leaves when they flower and the bloom is yellow. They look so funny in flower. If you want one, just let me know and I'll slice you a pup off. You can even root them in vermiculite or potting soil if you don't keep them too wet.