banana shrubs

I recently purchased two banana shrubs. One is doing really well while one only has two sad looking leaves left on it. I purchased them from a greenhouse in CT and called them to find out what may be wrong. I told them I put them both in new clay pots with Miracle Grow potting soil. The greenhouse informed me that tropicals do not like fertilizer such as Miracle Grow. Has anyone ever hear of this?

You might try posting this in Tropicals instead, and a picture would really help to figure out what's going on, as well as more description like sun/shade, how often do you water, have you used other fertilizer along with the MG soil, etc. I plant all my potted plants (including tropicals) in MG soil and have never had a problem, so I don't think that's the issue. Only things I don't do in MG is stuff in Proteaceae family because too much phosphorus will kill them, but everything else I've had no problems. There are better fertilizers than MG for tropicals, but the potting soil isn't going to kill them!

Miracle gro works on all of my tropicals. :-)

Thanks ecrane3d and Eclipse. I didn't think fertilizer would hurt, but they sent me another one and I planted it in good, rich soil right from the garden. Thanks for the info. I found out these shrubs are a member of the Chinese Magnolia. So far I haven't found anyone that's familiar with them. I post it in Tropicals. Thanks again.

Are you talking about Michelia figo? If so, you can probably plant them in the ground in FL. They grow very well around here; mine are in partial shade.

Of course, in CT they would be tropicals but here in the south they are just shrubs and I suspect something like Holly Tone would be better for them than the Miracle Gro. The smell is heavenly when they bloom.

Hi Ardesia,
You are the first one that has heard of these. You think they'll be OK if I plant them in the ground while there still so young? Thanks for the tip about Holly Tone, I had never heard of it before. Next time I go to Lowe's, I'll check it out. How long did it take for yours to bloom?

Well, I am guessing you bought them from Logee's and they ship fabulous but tiny plants so you might have to watch them carefully until they get some size on them. The ones I have were about 18" when I got them 5 years ago and they started blooming the following year. Each year there are more and more flowers on them.

Here is some info you might find interesting. http://www.floridata.com/ref/M/mich_fig.cfm

I had another thought--how big of a pot did you put them in? I buy stuff from Logee's all the time and their stuff always comes in those tiny 2.5" pots. When you repot, you're not supposed to go up more than one pot size or else you can run into problems (I think maybe it makes the roots rot easier if the pot's too big? I'm not sure the reason, just know that I've seen many places that you don't want the pot to be too big relative to the plant). I usually let my Logee's plants acclimate for a few days in the shade in the pots they came in (letting them sit a few days in a cool shady place is another important step for any plant that's been shipped in a box...did you do this with yours?), then I transplant them to 4" pots, usually with MG potting soil. I don't add any additional fertilizer--you don't usually want to fertilize something that's just been transplanted--maybe that's what the Logee's people meant when they said you don't fertilize tropicals?

I've bought fertilizer from Logee's; I think they meant not to use MG perhaps?

Ecrane is right, while it is a shrub, it is probably so tiny you probably should baby it for a while. This week Logee's had camellias on sale and the ones pictured were full of flowers. I wonder how long it would take a plant in a 2.5" pot to bloom.

I have 2 banana shrubs. They are about 5.5' tall & 3' wide. Each is just putting on a winter set of leaves. Did I mention that they are in the ground in Zone 8.
We grow them @ the Farm where I work & those are in bloom, make that full bloom right now.
I have to pass a line of them going up to the Sales office & they smell great.
What zones are ya'll in?

Good Morning Smockette,
My banana shrubs are still babies. I have one in the sun and the other is under a Live Oak. I'm in zone 9, north central FL. Is it a good idea to put them in the ground while they're still so small? I just transplanted them from a 2.5" pot. Do you work in a nursery? I can't even imagine getting paid for a job that isn't work to us gardeners, it's just fun.

I work 'at' a 25 acre treefarm/nursery, wholesale. I'm behind this computer all day, every day.
But,,,,,,,,,,,,,when everyone else is gone, I get a golf cart & go do my shopping. I just took 11 pots to mamajack this wkend. We met @ 6 Flags since I was coming fr Ft Worth & she lives east of Dallas.
It's pretty cool having all these plants around. I have to walk up to the Sales office to go pottie, so when I walk thru the driveway, I see orders that have been pulled for customers. I ask Sales what it is 'that plant' & then go ck it out after they leave. They are not very helpful to me when I need plants. They are both blonde & are jealousy of my hrs that I come in. But they never mention that I'm hear til 7:30-8 or 9 @ nite. Also, they didn't go back to school & get a degree @ 51!!! I've earned my hrs.
We do sell them in 3g but our best seller's is the 10g size. By that size they are ready for the ground.
Personally, I like the fact that they are evergreen, at least mine would be if the deer would leave them alone. I bought some pricey deer netting & have wrapped both so maybe I can get some leaves on the bottom 2'. My teenage deer eat each leaf as soon as it gets about 1.5" long. Must be candy to them.
I would baby yours a little longer just cause it is small. Is it in a gallon pot now? I would let it stay in that til Spring & then find it's home.
N Central FL, is that anywhere near Chipley?

Wow a plant that smells like Bananas!!! I think I may need one of these. I am off to research it a little. Although I am sure it is not recomended for where Iive.

Wow this is an expensive one. Smokkette what does your nursery typically sell them for. I was finding one gallons for around 45.00

Wow! They must be really proud of them out there!!!
Our 3 gallons are $10 & our 10g are $45.
Don't you dare pay that high dollar for it! I'd shake some of the dirt off of one & mail it, cheaper than that!
:~)

I know you can find it cheaper than $45 (as long as you're willing to start with a small plant). I'll have to try and remember exactly which mail order places I've seen it at, ones to start with would be Logee's, Kartuz, Forest Farm but if I can think of somewhere else I've seen it I'll let you know.

I would like to start with a 1 gallon at least. I will do some more checking on line a see what I can find.