Musa Acuminata (edible)

MUSA acuminata cv. "Dwarf Banana" - The height may vary from 6' - 9'. South China origin; edible yellow 5" fruits, wide leaved to 4 1/2' and suckers vigorously.The seeds are the size of a small pea. Tropical.

Musa acuminata is a perennial herb but the leaf sheaths produce several trunklike structures called pseudostems. Bananas are of Old World origin and are among the most important tropical fruits.

Blooming Time: Bananas may flower anytime of the year. The inflorescence is nearly horizontal or turned downward (becoming pendulous when fruit matures). About 100 days are required for a fruit bunch to mature after the young inflorescence bud first appears from the leaf sheaths.

Culture:Musa acuminata do best in well drained soils high in organic matter with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Banana plants need fertile conditions and an abundance of soil moisture for best growth and yields. The development of the plant in the first 3-4 months determines the weight of the bunch and the number of hands (fruits at the same node of an inflorescence). Young plants should be started with a fertilizer solution of 6-2-12 or similar formulation with 2-3% magnesium applied every 2 months until fruiting, 10 to 18 months later.

 

Musa Coccinea/ Musa Uranoscopus (non edible)

MUSA coccinea - Banana of Indochinese origin, grown mainly as an ornamental with good wine and pink color in the flowering bracts. Height 8'. The seeds are the size of a small pea.Tropical.

This beautifully red banana species grows to 3 meters and prefers a shaded place under trees.

 

Musella Lasiocarpa/ Banana Chinese Banana / Golden Lotus (non edible)

BANANA Chinese banana / Musella lasiocarpa - This rare plant is also called "Chinese yellow banana". It is a desirable ornamental grown for its huge waxy, yellow flowers which are upright on erect stems and can last up to 6 months. The overall height of this hardy plant is 5' - 6'. It produces an abundance of typical banana leaves which evolve from a short stalk. Presents a very tropical appearance and can be grown indoors if you provide light and warmth. Its outdoor cultivation is the same as the Musa Basjoo banana.

Musella is endemic to South West Yunnan and the places it grows are high mountains up to 2500 m altitude where winters can be quite frosty. The banana, formerly one of the sacred flowers of local Buddhism, has become very rare as it served a food for people and livestock during harsh times.

 

Musa Ornata/ Musa Rosacea/ Bronze Banana (non edible)

MUSA ornata - Sometimes known as M. rosacea. A very attractive ornamental having a flowering inflorescence of very bright pink. This native of Burma may grow 5' - 9' asnd prefers filtered sunlight. Underside of leaves is usually a maroon color.The fruits are a light green and seedy.

Common name: bronze banana.
Family: musaceae (banana family).

A small banana plant growing up to 9' tall; originally from south-east Asia, also growing in Suriname.
Bronze banana has glaucous green leaves, 6' long. The inflorescense is erect, consisting of purple - to lilac bracts with yellow tips.
The flowers are orange-yellow.
The edible fruits are yellowish when ripe; however the flowers must be pollinated and fertilised for the full development of the fruit.

Hardiness: USDA zone 9 A - 11.
Propagation: vegative.
Culture: partial to full sun; rich moist soil. Needs high humidity.
Can be grown indoors in a container.
For reasons of pollination, it is best to have more than one bronze banana plant.
Can be used in tropical cut flower arrangements.

 

Musa Zebrina/ Blood Banana (sometimes edible)

MUSA zebrina "Blood banana" - This ornamental banana grows to 4' and is known by its colorful leaves - green with mottling of wine color on top while the underside is maroon. Grown in filtered sunlight. Seeds are the size of a small pea.

 

extra info:

...very easy to germinate and need up to 1 month to sprout. I soaked the scored seeds for 48hours in warm water initially. Then i put them into a ziplock bag with dampened peat and kept them in the airing cupboard (about 30 C). The first sprouted in just 1 week but they were still coming up to 4 weeks. All but 3 seeds (out of ten) germinated.