Banana palm, which trees do bananas grow on

There is something fabulous and fantastic in the words "home banana". People often think that growing banana trees at home is an overwhelming task. But no, a tropical plant straight from Africa can easily become an inhabitant of a home or garden, you just need to make a little effort. The article provides information on how to choose a plant variety for the home, features of care and difficulties that may be encountered when growing.

Is a banana a tree or a grass?

Residents of our country often wonder how bananas grow - on grass or palm? But the question of what trees bananas grow on is often asked by children to their parents. As a rule, they get the answer - on a palm tree, but this is fundamentally wrong.

Banana tree in the wild

The banana is considered the herb on which the fruits ripen. The plant, of course, looks like a tree, but by its nature it is grass.

Banana fell into the grass category due to the lack of wood on the trunk. The trunk itself is made up of leaves that grow overlapping on top of each other. Over time, they dry and darken, acquiring a brownish color, and indeed become like ordinary trees.

Green bananas

Dwarf varieties for home cultivation

All banana varieties are conventionally divided into 2 categories - decorative and fruit.

Ornamental species are most often grown in residential premises: their fruits are inedible, but they have a variety of colors and shapes. However, they do not grow to huge sizes. It is noteworthy that some amateur gardeners manage to grow fruit varieties at home that can be eaten.

Decorative (dwarf) varieties:

• Velvet Banana - Musa velutina.

A small tree, reaching 130 centimeters in height, usually blooms pink with yellow overflow, flowers. Produces pink fruits with a velvety texture, which are not only practical to pick, but also aesthetic pleasure.

Velvet pink bananas

• Purple banana - Musa violacea.

This variety reaches more than one meter in height. It blooms at any time of the year with bright pink-purple flowers, and the fruits acquire a rich lilac hue.

• Bright red banana - Musa coccinea.

Reaches one hundred centimeters in height and stands out favorably with a beautiful bright red bracts.

• Lavender banana - Musa ornata.

This species is especially appreciated for the delicate shade of flowers and fruits.

So, bananas are not just yellow edible fruits, but also bright flowers that stand out beautifully in tropical forests.

Features of caring for a banana at home

Any plant is demanding to care for, and a tropical one, which is trying to grow in northern latitudes, even more so. It is necessary to create a suitable microclimate in the apartment and carefully monitor the growth of the plant, then it will always delight with a healthy look.

Caring for a banana tree at home

• Temperature

The most optimal temperature regime for the growth of a banana is + 23-28 degrees, and in winter from +17 to 20 degrees.

Temperature and high humidity are the key to active growth.If the temperature drops to +15 and below, this will greatly affect growth.

• Lighting

Bananas grow naturally under the scorching rays of the sun. This means that an open sill on the south side of the apartment would be a great option for positioning the pot.

The place where the plant stands must be well lit, because a lack of light will affect growth and development.

• Watering and spraying

One of the main principles of good banana growth is constant moisture. In the warmer months, it is necessary to spray the banana leaves and the air around it at least once a day.

You can also place a bowl of water next to it to help it evaporate and maintain a humid climate. If a palm tree with bananas grows in the garden, you can arrange for watering and spraying it with a garden hose.

Features of watering bananas

It is necessary to take into account an important point - moisture should not stagnate in the pot, it is worth watering at the moment when the top layer of the earth has dried, by about two centimeters.

Pot and soil for a banana tree

The roots of a banana tree require space, so the pot must be selected based on the size of the root part. You should also remember that you need to make holes in the pot and put a 1-2 cm layer of drainage.

It is worth remembering that stagnant water is detrimental to any plant, including a home banana.

The preferred soil for the plant is neutral or slightly acidic.

You can prepare the ground for a banana at home, this will require:

• Bucket of soil (suitable for linden, walnut or acacia).
• Ash - 0.5% liter.
• Humus - 1 liter.
• Coarse sand - 2 liters.

Growing a banana in a pot

It is best to pour the resulting mixture of earth with boiling water to get rid of possible pests.

Plant feeding

The family of banana plants has always been characterized by vigorous growth and "appetite". Top dressing is necessary for the plant weekly in the summer and monthly in the winter.

Feeding can also be arranged by natural means, for this it is suitable:

• Cow humus.
• Ash.
• Green manure.

Features of caring for a banana in winter

During the onset of cold weather, you need to take care of the plant's insulation.

The root part should be covered with dried sawdust, and the ground part should be covered with a cardboard box. Then you can wrap everything with cling film and fix it so that the structure does not fall apart.

The main thing is to protect the roots from freezing. The main difference between winter care and the usual one is a decrease in the intensity of watering the plant.

How the banana tree blooms

It will take 8-10 months for a banana to start blooming. At this time, peduncles make their way from the tuber, which pass through the entire length of the trunk. At the time of flowering, something is thrown out that strongly resembles a large bud of purple or green color.

How the banana tree blooms

At the bottom of this "bud" flowers are formed, arranged in several tiers and divided into male, female and bisexual flowers. They all have the same flowering structure: three petals and sepals.

How the banana palm reproduces

You can grow a banana using seeds, or simply purchase a ready-made seedling.

You can also buy a ready-made seedling - you can find it in specialized stores. Such a plant, with proper care, will produce edible fruits, a large harvest, and will also delight the owners and guests with its appearance.

Growing from seeds

You can buy seeds at almost every garden store. It is important to remember that they are protected by a very dense shell, so scarification is needed before planting.

You need to plant seeds in small pots, up to 10 centimeters in diameter. The soil is composed of peat and sand, the seeds are planted superficially, slightly pressed into the prepared soil.

Next, you need to cover them with a film, put them in a bright and warm place. Watering and moisturizing occurs every three days.

Banana propagation

Growing in this way requires a lot of patience, because the first shoots appear only after 2-3 months of continuous care. That is why the method is not very popular - novice lovers of banana trees often do not wait for the shoots to appear, believing that the seeds have died.

Growing from a seedling

Initially, the seedling is placed in "quarantine" for several days, after which it is transplanted into a suitable pot with nutrient mixture for active growth.

Then the cultivation takes place by maintaining a suitable climate. Care is carried out according to the scheme described above.

Potential Problems in Banana Growing

There are a number of problems with growing a homemade banana:

• Growth has slowed down, foliage withers and falls off - an insufficient amount of nutrients affects. It is necessary to feed the plant and, if possible, transplant it into a larger pot.
• The foliage dries up, the young shoots wither - the air is too dry, more thorough moistening is needed.
• The leaves turn pale and decrease in size - the matter is in poor lighting.

The main problems in growing

• Soft leaves indicate a low temperature, unsuitable climate.
• If the plant “did not wake up” in the spring, did not start to grow, it is necessary to feed.
• Darkening of the stem or the appearance of soft areas on it is the worst danger to the plant. The stem begins to die from a large amount of moisture. Urgent action is required - first of all, reduce watering.

Of course, the banana palm is not the easiest plant to care for, but it is very unusual. A tropical plant can be a great addition to the interior of your apartment or garden, as well as surprise guests. The Green Friend will certainly delight you with its exoticism. And if you manage to grow a fruit variety, then households will also get edible homemade bananas.