I live in a zone that is too cold to grow bananas outside and live in a house that is too short for anything over about 8 feet. Any suggestions on varieties and sources?
Want small sized bananas that produce fruit suggestions?
this is a good one. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/532/
Thanks! I will add that one. I had been thinking about that particular variety but wanted to get other opinions.
years ago, way before i moved to florida, i found one in a st.louis nursery. it lived with me until i moved and i brought it to florida with me! it seemed silly, bringing a banana to florida but i was attached to it. i left it at our old house in the keys when we moved up here. i should have brought a pup with me to keep the tradition going......oh well.
Just FYI, I've yet to get either of my DC's to produce fruit - two years in the ground and two winters in pots in a warm growing environment. I may get them next year. You may also consider the Dwarf Orinoco (about 8' max). It's also a lot good bit hardier and tougher than DC - DC do not overwinter well. Dwarf Namwah (6-7' max) is another nice banana.
There is another on the tip of my tongue. If I think of it I'll edit this post.
Thanks Keonikale, that is why I asked here. The garden companies all make them sound good because they need to make sales. I wanted the voice of experience to help guide me. I do have one banana that I got at a roundup several years ago but do not know what it is. Always have to chop it off at the knees to bring it inside. This year the company I work for agreed to let me keep it at the office for the winter but it was getting too tall for the lower set of offices. The owner of the company walked in the other day and I caught him off guard and asked if I could move it to his office because "it was not happy where it was at" He agreed and was kind of surpised at how big it was. Anyway, I sent him the pic you had posted on another forum of the thousand fingers banana telling him that was a pic of the mature plant. You should have seen the look on his face before I 'fessed up that I did not know what it was and that it should not get that big. LOL
LOL. Bananas have quickly become one of my favorites. I frequent bananas.org and have found a wealth of info their in addition to Dave's. You might consider peeking in sometime. Some folks know more about nanners there than you'd ever imagine. I went from 3 species of bananas to over a dozen varieties this year - didn't even know I could grow that many in my zone (and there are plenty more I can add to my collection). You can never have too many banana plants :)
I have Namwah and love it. In the ground, mine has only got to where the roof meets the house on a ranch home. About 8 ft. The fruit are small lady finger type but so sweet you can snack on them whenever. I also like that it slowly ripens from top to bottom so you don't have to cut the whole stalk at once. There are other dwarfs also. I started some from an Agri-start co-op last year. They are still potted but will be going in the ground soon. Fortunately, we seldom have a freeze/frost here so I can plant them anytime.
I have a variety called 'truly tiny.' Was something I got as a tissue culture plug last year in a co-op. Mine hasn't made fruit yet and I have it in the ground (although it is recommeded as an excellent container variety), but maybe a good one to consider.
Thanks for your suggestions! I have the winter to investigate and find them. If this works out we will have a nanner party in MO when they start to fruit. :^)
Raja Puri tops out at about 8'. You might want to try that one.
As a bonus, it fruits in about half the time of most bananas, and it's quite attractive.
I have somewhere between 15 and 20 bananas (outside, mainly in the ground), but that one's my fave. And the fragrance on the bloom is just outstanding.
Thanks Carolyn! With the climate here it would be SOOO exciting to me to grow my own bananas. We have warm summers but for a large part of the year it is cool to cold. I know that I can go to any grocery store to purchase some but it is not the same as having the satisfaction of growing your own.
I understand the appeal of growing the exotics. Definitely try the Raja then. It produces a fine quality dessert banana, and it's a pretty tough plant.
A winner all around.
Here only a few days away from our first frost/freeze is it possible that I have the beginning of a bloom?
Christi
It is indeed! Congrats!
Oh Wow! Guess I'm glad that at least I have a picture. Doubt it will survive the coming week.
Thanks.
Christi
Tetley, don't buy any dwarf bananas, I've got 'em and I'm 25 miles away.
Cool! You would for sure know what would grow well here! Thanks for chiming in. :^)