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Over a short period of time, beautiful paddle-shaped leaves
expand out of this stalk or raceme. Over a longer period of
time, a drooping, flowering stem emerges as a final structure
which flowers and gives way to fruits, which develop in groups
on this last stem. Each group is called a hand, and individual
bananas in the hand are called fingers. Once your banana has
fruited, you may cut it back to the top of the soil level; by
the time your banana has fruited, your banana will have already
sent up sucker plants from the corm, fruit, and then die back
successively!
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Banana Plant Care
When we ship your banana tree to you,
we generally cut all of the leaves off because they will die off anyway
when you replant it. The stump you get can range in size from about a
foot to 3 feet tall. It will grow new leaves very quickly in warm and
humid weather, much slower in colder climates. It is very exciting to get your first few leaves! Keep
soil moist but not saturated. Fertilize with a mild fertilizer (13-5-13
is ideal) at every watering. You can use stronger fertilizers like Peter’s,
Schultz’s, Miracle Grow, even Steer Manure and it generally will
NOT harm the plant. A good rule of thumb is: if you get less than
1 leaf per week, you are not fertilizing enough! It’s hard
to burn a banana with fertilizers. Use organically rich soil, in warm
to very warm and humid conditions. Protect from strong winds if planted
outdoors. Bananas shriveled to the ground by cold will re-sprout from the
underground corm when temperatures warm up. We now sell banana
SEEDS for one variety. Enjoy growing your banana tree from just a
seed. What a rewarding way to grow a plant, and at a fraction of the
cost. Banana plants and banana seeds also make a marvelous and
ingenious gift idea!
 A banana
plant can grow from 5' to 35' in as little as one year depending on variety
and growing environment. Of course a banana's growth will slow if temperatures
drop into the 50's. Even though your banana may look like a dead stump
in the ground in the Winter, do not remove it, unless you live in a part
of the country where the ground freezes solid. Instead, we suggest that
you purchase some burlap from any hardware store, and wrap the trunk of
the tree down to the ground, only allowing the leaves to be exposed. Of
course, do this before first frost appears. Leave the burlap on until
all fear of frost is gone. In Arizona, we would wrap our trees just before
Thanksgiving and unwrap around mid-March. You may want to refrain from
too much water or fertilizer during these colder months. If you are in
a colder region, you may just want to dig up your stump, including some
surrounding soil and keep it in a warmer place out of the elements, like
a garage, or basement, until warmer weather is near. Folks in the East
may even want to consider planting the banana in a moveable pot with a
saucer in the first place, keep it as a houseplant, and when it’s
warm and humid out, move the plant outside. Thank you for your purchase
and enjoy!
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NEW! Abyssinian Banana SEEDS ONLY
Musa Ensete ventricosum v. murellii
This is a marvelous ornamental banana from East Africa.
If planted in the ground, it can grow to 12 feet in just 1 year, but ultimately
grows to about 20 feet tall with a 15 foot spread. It will grow to about
1/2 of this size when grown in a pot. Ideally this plant should be
grown in a container and brought under cover in colder regions, but it can be
left in the ground year-round in Zone 8 and higher. Requires lots of water
and regular feedings. Full sun or part shade okay. Seeds have about
a 2 year or more shelf life. They are about the size of a dime, extremely
hard in texture, and dark in color.
Seeds
only 1.25 each
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Chinese Yellow Musella lasiocarpa
Still one of the "World's rarest bananas" -- from Yunan Province, China. There were less than 10 plants in U.S. in 1997. Its butter-yellow inflorescence is unmatched in show. It is very cold hardy, down into teens fahrenheit. Zone 7 and higher. Clumps tightly, does not run. Prices drastically reduced from last year as propagation has increased in numbers. (originally priced at $275.00 each
in 1997)
Banana plant
only 22.00 each
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Dwarf Red
One of the most beautiful of banana plants. A strong, vigorous plant which produces a medium size bunch of bananas that are a brilliant red and gold upon ripening. Fruit is very aromatic with creamy orange pulp. The dwarf matures at 6' (1.8m) to 8' (2.4m). Takes 20-30 months to bear fruit first time, then every year thereafter. Sometimes the red will mutate from red to all green resulting in Dwarf Green Red. It just happens and there is nothing that can be done to prevent it.
Banana plant
only 19.99
each
SOLD OUT
UNTIL LATE APRIL |
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FHIA-01 "Goldfinger"
Brand new variety developed at the FHIA Research Station in Honduras. Medium size plant 12' (3.6m) to 14' (3m) with broad leaves and outstanding fruit production. Cold tolerant and disease resistant. May be the next grocery store variety. Developed to be commercial export banana. Very strong plant with stout base. Excellent taste. Will never disappoint.
Banana plant
only 21.99 each
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Musa Giant Cavendish
A Central American commercial variety that can be found in American Supermarkets. A tall plant that grows 17'-20'. Produce large recemes of excellent tasting friut. Not as wind tolerant as some but does well in protected areas.
Banana plant
only 29.99
each
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Ice Cream "Blue Java"
Fruit looks exotic and when fully ripe, looks like ice cream, tastes like vanilla custard. Skins are silvery blue before ripening, then pale canary yellow. Grows 12' (3.7m) to 15' (4.5m) tall. A very popular banana variety.
Banana plant
only 19.99 each
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Musa acuminata "Super Dwarf Cavendish"
Forget about huge banana plants that need a lot of room. This unique super dwarf allows for growing inside the home, on the porch, or close confines of a patio. Has a very symmetrical and compact appearance: 2'-4' in height. Can produce tasty fruit inside or out. Has been used as ground cover around base of palms which provide strong vertical elements. Easy to grow in containers down to 8" in diameter. Because of its size, our most versatile banana. Zone 8 and higher.
Banana plant
only 21.99 each
SOLD OUT |
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Musa acuminata " Sumatrana" (Rojo ,Zebrina, or Bloodleaf)
A strikingly beautiful 6' (1.8m) to 8' (2.4m) red and green ornamental plant grown for its foliage. Leaves appear to be stained with burgundy wine. Unmatched for containers and small areas. Does great inside or outside. Makes dramatic statement when planted in masses.
Banana plant
only 19.99
each
SOLD OUT UNTIL LATE
APRIL |
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Red Iholene
Without a doubt, the most beautiful of the banana plants. It
has leaves with a burgundy-colored underside and an exquisite reddish-pinkish
pseudo stem. Grows to 10'-12". Like the White Iholene it is from Hawaii and has
slightly dryer fruit than the dessert bananas, but can be used for cooking or
eating out-of-hand. Also has very distinctive characteristic of fruit starting
out pale yellow. One must be careful to not pick fruit to early based on color.
Banana plant only 19.99 each
SOLD OUT |
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Rajapuri
One of India's favorites and one of the hardiest of bananas. Smallish, 6' (1.8m) to 8' (2.4m), is relatively cold hardy and wind resistant. Very sweet medium size fruit. First choice of homeowner for landscaping. Hardy. Very stout base. Easy to grow. One of our best tasting bananas.
Banana plant
only 21.99
each
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