That bloomin’ Banana

The banana, after two winters of wrapping it in Christmas lights, has finally started to produce a bud! I noticed a “flag” leaf comming out a few weeks ago. The flag is a small leaf that comes right out on the flowering stem. It looks like flag or the shape of your hand. I can’t wait to see the stem and the blooms. The bananas are not very edible because they are full of seeds but I am sure they birds and animals will enjoy them. I may also try to germinate the seeds, too.

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10 Responses to “That bloomin’ Banana”

shedoesliving Says:
January 18, 2013 at 6:43 pm | Reply
That’s pretty awesome I never you could grow them indoors. Do they require a lot of heat?
- Arthur in the Garden! Says:
  January 18, 2013 at 7:12 pm | Reply
  Here in Raleigh, NC, you just have to keep the trunk from freezing solid. So wrapping it with burlap or creating a cage of wire and filling it with straw usually will work most winters. Last winter was so mild that only the leaves were hurt but the trunks grew new leaves as soon as the weather warmed in March.
steven1111 Says:
January 29, 2013 at 6:10 pm | Reply
I”m sure your local wildlife loves you if you grow banana seeds for them to munch on. That’s very thoughtful of you! 😉 Good luck with it. We can’t grow them well here in Seattle. Take care,
Steve
- Arthur in the Garden! Says:
  January 29, 2013 at 9:06 pm | Reply
  Thanks, Steve. There is not much to a Basjoo banana. A little bit of pulp and very tiny seeds. I have discovered that the birds do enjoy ripping off strips of the “banana bark” to use in their nest!
micahlmartin Says:
February 17, 2013 at 3:19 pm | Reply
I’d love to see some pictures if you have any.
- Arthur in the Garden! Says:
  February 17, 2013 at 3:20 pm | Reply
  unfortunately I cannot not locate then. I am still looking and will post them. I hope to have another bloom this year as the winter has been very mild.
LubbyGirl Says:
May 27, 2013 at 4:52 pm | Reply
It would be so great to have a banana tree; the only place I’ve seen one around here is at the butterfly farm, where they keep the temps at tropical levels all the time. Hope you find the pictures soon!
- Arthur in the Garden! Says:
  May 28, 2013 at 2:28 am | Reply
  The basjoo species is very cold hardy but takes about a year of growth to bloom but they make fast growing ornamentals!
elenawill Says:
August 21, 2013 at 12:49 am | Reply
Cool gardening project!
- Arthur in the Garden! Says:
  August 21, 2013 at 9:20 am | Reply
  Thanks. I wish I could find the pictures but it was in the old days of film, ugg!