Banana Tree Cultures

Description

• Although commonly referred to as trees, banana plants are herbaceous and more closely related to grass than trees. The trunk of the banana plant is closely wound leaves which unfurl from the top of the plant and arch similar to a palm tree. Bananas can reach a height of 30 feet tall but generally remain a bit smaller. Bananas grow from a fleshy root called a rhizome. The root produces one main trunk or "pseudostem" and several suckers. Suckers are generally cut away until the banana produces fruit. Once the bananas are harvested, the main pseudostem is cut at the base and one of the suckers is allowed to grow to produce the next harvest. Male and female flowers are produced in about a year.

Natural Growing Conditions

• Bananas are not frost tolerant and will die back if exposed to cold weather. Bananas need nine to 12 months of frost-free weather to bloom and produce fruit. With their large leaves, bananas are also particularly sensitive to high winds, which will shred the leaves. The banana leaves are necessary for photosynthesis which provides energy to the plant. Bananas need well-drained, loamy soil high in nutrients. Bananas grow naturally in places with a high percentage of moisture, or humidity, in the air.

Banana Varieties

• Bananas are divided into several groups. Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana are the oldest, wild varieties from which modern bananas are derived. These two bananas are still grown in some areas of the world, primarily New Guinea and South America. The Cavendish group is one of the most widely cultivated types of bananas and what you commonly see sold in supermarkets. This group has a wide variety of subgroups including dwarf bananas. Dwarf Cavendish grows to only 7 feet tall. Red Cuban, or Colorado has variegated purple and green leaves and reddish-purple to orange-yellow fruit.

Banana Care

• Generally, bananas grow well in frost-free areas with warm temperatures. If you are not that lucky, grow dwarf bananas in containers where they can be sheltered during the winter months. Although bananas require full sun, they do not tolerate temperatures above 98 degrees F and flower best between 84 and 86 degrees F. Bananas are heavy feeders. Feed regularly with a fertilizer high in nitrogen. Apply fertilizer when the new pseudostem appears and every two months until harvest. Bananas are not flood tolerant, do not overwater. Keep the soil moist, but not wet.

History

• Although bananas are found in every major supermarket and grow throughout the tropics, they originated in the Indo-Malaysian area and northern Australia. In the 16th century, explorers took not only the fruit, but the tree, to various parts of Europe and then later, into the Americas. Today, the leading banana producer is found in South America. Brazil produces over 3 million tons of bananas a year, according to Purdue University. Bananas are also found in backyards and growing wild in the warmer parts of North America such as Hawaii, Florida and California.