banana information

Hello fellow DGer's, I grew some ornamental banana's this past summer and really liked them and had a lot of fun growing them. Now I am thinking about next summer, sure I pulled the ornamental's out and stored them accordingly, but having heard all you brag about growing and flowering and getting edible fruit, I would like to obtain some seeds of some of your favorites, could you please reccommend some neat banana plants and where to get their seeds. I started my last from seed indoors around March of last year and they did fine for me. I'm not real keen on buying from E-bay after hearing all the horror stories on people getting ripped off. Also, I hear that there are some that are winter hardy and don't have to be pulled out every year. last summers picture. Thanks for input!
Dan

Dan,

I am not sure where to get banana seeds, but WOW what a beautiful poolside! That is sooo pretty and tropical looking. Great job! I wish you luck with your quest for banana seeds!

I cannot tell for sure but the bananas look more like Ensete superbum or the new thialand species? Were the seeds about dime size?

Thanks AnaM149, I had a lot of fun with that side of the pool and the tropicals, the other side of the pool was all different brugs, a real nice floating experiance! Brian, the banana is a Ensete ventricosum and was purchased from Park Seeds and yes about the size of a dime, real hard too! but it is advertised as a ornamental, so I don't think even if it put out banana's they would be edible. It sounds like you have some experience with banana's, any reccomendations or reputable nurseries that carry bananas that I could contact, I know it is early, but I'm just getting information for the spring!
Dan

Well I am not sure what all I can say on the forums but I grow about 30 varieties of banana and about 4 varieties of Ensete. I think Basjoo should be one for you to look into if you mulch it heavily you should be able to leave it out all winter. Send me a email and I can get you more info on what I have. THANKS

Last winter I had sixteen banana seeds planted and only got one plant, they were from 2 different varieties. They say it can take anywhere from 1 month to 1 year for a seed to germinate, they are like palms. So last summer I did buy about 4 plants and planted they have done real good. The ones I like the best is Musa Basjoo, and the reason for that is it is hardy to my zone. I do have 3 in the house that I am over wintering and they are Banana Ice Cream Blue Java, Musa Williams Hybrid and the Hardy Royal Purple Flower Banana, the last one listed is the one I grew from seed.

I wonder if the Musa Williams Hybrid is one of Brian's?
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I now have four seeds of the Cold Hardy Chinese Banana - Musella lasiocarpa, that I am trying to grow, they have been planted since the first of Oct. and don't see anything happening. I have them about 10 inches from the light and sitting on a heat mat, planted in jiffy mix with the glad press n seal on top. Just need to give them time.

Dan, ask around for banana trades. Many of us who have bananas have no problem getting rid of some of the pups. In Ohio, they won't all winter very well though. Good new is, they also grow very well in large tubs and pots, especially the smaller varieties, and can be moved for the cold month. Some of the simple ones, like musa zebrina, have great colored leaves, so even if they aren't in bloom, their burgandy leaves make a great speciman. Ensete glaucum (Snow banana) is a bit more cold tolerant, and Abyssinians have more of an upright trunklike look to them. There are quite a few listed very inexpensively on Ebay, including the cold tolerant ones.

Brian- did you ever find your red leaved banana?

MerryMary

Nope I have a friend in Thialand who has one for me aparently but have not heard from him in sometime. It maybe a while before I get one.