A friend of mine has one of these banana's, and his is really tall, probably 10'-12' tall, and it started leaning to one side, so he supported it with a board, and it started leaning to the other side, so he has it supported on sides. I'm thinking the roots, for whatever reason, are not supporting it anymore, and this could be because it's not being fed enough, the soil is not supporting the roots, or it's getting ready to flower and die. If anyone has any thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them, and see if we can't help my friend out. I have 3 of these banana's, 2 in the ground, and 1 in a pot, but mine are not nearly as large as his is and I will say they are not the easiest banana to grow, but boy are they worth trying because of their beauty. Thanks for reading, and I appreciate any help anyone could give us.
Red Abyssinian Banana
I have the abyssianian nana too and it is beautiful. Mine is not that tall yet, but it probably is 8 feet tall. The wind has torn some of the leaves, but it is just as straight as can be, and does not seem to be top heavy. I love the red in the leaves and the stalk sure looks good. It is my favorite nana by far. I have had it for two years, and it has really grown this year. It likes lots of water and seems to like the fertilizer, or the miracle grow. Hasn't acted like it wants to bloom yet.
Is that the one that never pups? if so my firend had on and it did the same thing and it kinda died? and he through it on the compost pile and it grew again.
ely
Oh wow, reincarnated! I sure hope mine will have two lives. I am told that sometimes , after it blooms and dies, it will make new pups from the old root system. It sure is a pretty thing for sure.
how easy is it to grow red abyssian from seed? if easy, can you share where you buy your seeds? thanks
Vossner, I don't have any seeds, cause mine has not bloomed yet. It may not bloom, since our growing time may not be long enough for it to produce seeds and blooms. I would be glad to share any seeds, but don't have any, and may not get any. Our hot summer is winding down, but if I should get a bloom, with seeds, I will for sure remember you!
thank you very much, roz. I did a little more research and it appears growing from seed is iffy and since the plant blooms like once every so many years, then dies, then offsprings take over, you have to be there at right place, right time, to harvest. That is what makes this variety so special. enjoy your nana and many thanks for your generous thoughts.
you can always get it in TC though
ely
Well, you're only suppose to be able to grow them from seed, or tissue culture, and they're not suppose to send out pups, that's why no one trades them because there are none to trade. Ely..the plant probably wasn't completely dead like your friend thought it was and just got a second wind, so to speak. They are not hard to grow, just seem to kind of tempermental as far as water and food requirments. If you can figure this part out, then you'll do fine. They're suppose to be fed, like other banana's, 2-3x a week with a triple 20 fertilizer, and as much as I'd like to be able to follow through with this regiman, it just doens't happen around here. Too busy, I guess. They are beautiful, and worth growing at least one in your lifetime. I guess enjoy them while they're around, apparently.
Mine were beautiful, before Hurrican Ivan. I did not fertilize that often, but I sure will next year. I really did not want it to get too big and bloom and die. The trunk of this nana is really pretty. It is not dead from Ivan, just looks like Edward Scissorhands got a hold of it.
Roz, lives through your winters outside?
Also, on another subject, have you grown crotons outside in the ground? I want to plant mine but not sure they will come back after the winter...these are some of my fav plants!
Hi Connie; just saw this, my puter has been down. My abyssinian grows outside and overwinters. This year it has been really really cold, but it looks like the stem is still green; it is not squishy, and has not fallen over like the other nanas do when they are frozen. I have three now; I got one from Lowe's and I got one from the annual plant show they have every spring at our coleseum. The first one I got came from Home Depot three years ago, and it is really big. Except for the top, that is, and that part is frozen. Never tried crotons, and I am not sure I have even seen them anywhere around here. You know how it is though - soon as I find a plant that I thought I have never seen, then I see it everywhere! Last year at the New Orleans botanical sale, I got a pink flowereing nana and a red flowering nana; not sure if I still have one or not, cause it is very dead. I left it outside cause I just don't think I am going to have many things that I have to drag in and out each year. There is just too many things that will take the winter. By the way, I got a pine cone ginger - it is the neatest thing!
Weeds I tried crotons and ficus out side and they die. Even in a sheltered area.
Thanks Roz and Donna. Now I won't kill all my crotons by planting them outside. I guess most bananas survive the winters here too....
Haven't visited this thread in a while. Got lucky this fall and found an abyssian banana on sale. Yipee! Planted inground and I am happy to report it has beautiful leaves peeking after dying back this winter. Crossing my finger that cold spells are over for my area.
I have this banana growing in a five gallon container. I bring it into the basement for the winter. I t is watered minimal during its dormancy. It gets some artificial light from the fluorescent shop lights. Some leaves do get some brown spots as it is hard to maintain high humidity inside our home.
I usually trim off the brown leaf areas. I spray water and insecticidal soap regularly.
Mine is really growing now - came back great from the winter and is already putting out lots of leaves. I got one last year at the plant show at the coliseum - think it is going to be pretty soon again. I think I paid about 12.00 for it and it was a pretty good size. Then I got another one from Lowe's for 15.00 and then one year before last at home depot for 20. That is probably my favorite nana. Weeds, mine comes back every year. Another thing that surprises me is that a Queen palm that I got from my daughters house in Orlando last year took the winter just fine. I think a lot of palms will take the winters here that are not supposed to.
Roz, the Queen and Washingtonia palms here took the Christmas freeze like troopers, it was the Cuban Royals, Foxtails and Triangle Palms that took a beating. My Abyssinian is really starting to take off too.
Have your Chinese Yellow bananas started to put back out yet Roz? I thought they were supposed to be real hardy. Mine are just stems with a leaf here and there.
Suzie, my Chinese yellow nanas are just great - I have a bloom on one. It came at the end of Nov. and is still there and not frozen at all. It is something! Four years ago, I hauled a Triangle and Foxtail and a Walking palm back from Key West Florida, and I put them in the greenhouse. Last year, I got them out and , even tho it lived all winter in the greenhouse, the triangle palm dropped dead outside. I don't know what I did, except maybe shocked it. The Foxtail is still alive and not so well, but it is fine, and I left the Traveler in the ground, thinking it would make it. It is green at the base, but the leaves are dead. It does not seem soft, but neither did the Triangle. Time will tell. Even though we had a rough winter, with much longer periods of cold weather, I still have stuff popping up all over. All three of my Abyssinians are coming out, with already big leaves. I got a velutina and some kind of red flowering ornamental nana last year in New Orleans and they are popping up too. I got them late, and did not plant them until the end of Sept. so I don't see any pups yet, but I think they will make pups. The ele ears are going to be great again this year!
Suzie, do you think the Bird of Paradise will come back? I had one planted that went everywhere, and really added color to the tropical bed, but they are not coming back at all, I dug up one and can't tell much about it, except it is not soft and squishy. The thing spread all over by underground runners. Sure would be a shame if it don't come back - it was pretty.
Hi Roz. I've been busy and not been to this forum much lately. Hope everything is going well for you. It's good to see you here. I'm going to try to get one of the red bananas this year. That is if I find the space for one. LOL! Bet your place is really starting to grow well now.
Roz, I don't know anything about the BOP and what will happen if they freeze to the ground. Mine made it thru the two nights of freezing weather and are blooming again. I can try to dig you one out of the massive clump at the front of the house.
Brugie, I thought all was lost this year because it was cold for longer periods, but everything is beginning to look good. Hoping we do not get another frost, but if we do, it will onlyh kill the top of the plants and they will come back again. I know they are ALIVE!
Suzie, my BOP is not the real one, but the fake BOP, I think that is what it is called. It is not as dramatic as the real one. I dug some up and they look alive, but time will tell. You already have blooms? Wow, to live in your zone! Don't try to dig any up - it is hard digging, and yours will be prettier if they are full. I can always pick up one at Lowe's if mine does not come back.
I have had problems with some bananas leaning... bananas don't have large roots and get top heavy easily... in jungles they tend to lean on other foliage, but we don't tend to grow them in jungles. Also, in jungles, there is virtually no wind. Here in LA there is tons of wind and with those water-laden heavy leaves, it doesn't take much to loosen up the rootball and tear it loose. So you will probably have to prop it up from now on. Seems to be a big problem if planted in really sloggy, clay soils where the roots don't like to go very far from the bulb. Never had an abbysinian get to tall, but many Esentes I have grown have blown or just fallen over, and they weigh too much to upright again and save usually.
Doesn't appear leaning is big problem with too little water... bananas just sort of dry up a bit and actually get lighter... and leaning is less of a problem... it's overwatering in sloggy soils that's a big problem. It shouldn't lean because it's getting ready to flower, but they will often lean once the flower (flowers weigh a ton, too, and pull bananas down). ... and if fruit forms well, you HAVE to support them.
When bananas get pups, this helps to anchor them. I don't remove any pups from mine till the clumps consist of three good size plants and I don't have much trouble with them leaning even with our winds.
I meant to ask "Roz, what is a fake BOP? I might need one."
This message was edited Feb 23, 2005 3:30 PM
The label says False Bird of Paradise; don't know what that means, but thats what it says on the label. But it is not plastic!