Banana Tree Care - Deflower - Ask Extension
So the Banana Trees die while producing it's batch of bananas. Creating bananas take a whole lot of energy and nutrients which comes from the tree. Th...
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Banana Tree Care - Deflower #247697
Asked May 27, 2015, 6:12 PM EDT
So the Banana Trees die while producing it's batch of bananas. Creating bananas take a whole lot of energy and nutrients which comes from the tree. This literally sucks the life out of the Banana Tree.
Now here's my question,"To keep my Banana Tree alive, could I cut the flower and the flower stem, which bears the fruit? What would happen if I did cut the flower and stem? Would it produce bigger and better bananas the next time it flowers? Or will it never flower again?"
County
Expert Response
Thank you for the question. Removing the flowers or flower stem will not allow the banana to regrow a new stalk or produce bigger or better bananas. The original plant will not re-flower. However, if you live in a part of the world where the temperature does not generally fall below 30 degrees Fahrenheit, you may expect your original banana plant to produce new plants from underground stems (rhizomes).
Bananas are perennial, tropical, herbaceous plants that grow from "tubers" or new daughter plants originating from rhizomes. Ornamental bananas can be be allowed to grow as close as you want them to with one another. However, bananas used for production should be limited to no more than 5 plants in a mat.
Wind and cold cause significant damage to banana plants. While bananas will tolerate most soil types, the soil they are grown in should drain well. Bananas should be harvested while still green and allowed to ripen off the plant. The entire bunch should be removed.
To speed up the ripening process, the green bananas can be placed in a sealed bag with an apple. The apple will naturally release ethylene gas which will promote ripening.
Bananas are perennial, tropical, herbaceous plants that grow from "tubers" or new daughter plants originating from rhizomes. Ornamental bananas can be be allowed to grow as close as you want them to with one another. However, bananas used for production should be limited to no more than 5 plants in a mat.
Wind and cold cause significant damage to banana plants. While bananas will tolerate most soil types, the soil they are grown in should drain well. Bananas should be harvested while still green and allowed to ripen off the plant. The entire bunch should be removed.
To speed up the ripening process, the green bananas can be placed in a sealed bag with an apple. The apple will naturally release ethylene gas which will promote ripening.
So if I cut it off the banana tree will live and I can remove the pups. How long could I keep this dwarf cavendish alive for? Will it definitely die after it fruits?
Once the parent plant produces fruit it will definitely die shortly afterward. But the underground rhizome lives on. The rhizome may be very productive, putting on new suckers for 4 or 5 years but many growers will replace the plant after a few years to achieve maximum production.
New suckers or "pups" spring up very close to the parent plant and grow quickly to replace the spent parent. This may give the appearance as if the parent is growing back or still alive but what you are actually seeing is the plant of a new sucker.
It is advisable to eliminate all but a couple of the largest and healthiest suckers. Suckers may also be removed from the parent plant and transplanted elsewhere. It is best to transplant suckers before they develop broad leaves. Use only suckers with a well developed root system, severing it from the parent by cutting into the parent tissue rather than cutting into the newly developing tissue of the sucker.
New suckers or "pups" spring up very close to the parent plant and grow quickly to replace the spent parent. This may give the appearance as if the parent is growing back or still alive but what you are actually seeing is the plant of a new sucker.
It is advisable to eliminate all but a couple of the largest and healthiest suckers. Suckers may also be removed from the parent plant and transplanted elsewhere. It is best to transplant suckers before they develop broad leaves. Use only suckers with a well developed root system, severing it from the parent by cutting into the parent tissue rather than cutting into the newly developing tissue of the sucker.
