A banana tree with flowers is a special highlight for owners of tropical perennials. There are certain points you need to keep in mind during the flowering period and when carrying the banana fruit.
In a nutshell
- Banana trees flower after two to five years at the earliest, depending on the temperature and the light conditions
- Care should not be changed during flowering
- Flowers can bloom for 80 to 180 days depending on location, warmth, and the amount of light available
- Fruit formation can be aided by removing part of the flower
- Despite good care, a successful harvest is not guaranteed in Central Europe
during flowering
Congratulation. You managed to get a banana tree to bloom. As soon as one or more banana blossoms in colors from beige to purple can be seen on your specimen (Musa), you have to consider an important point: do not change the care measures. Bananas will only bloom if they feel comfortable in their current location. That is, up to this moment you have done everything correctly that the banana tree shows you about its blossom. Nevertheless, there are some aspects that you now have to pay more attention to, as the crop has to expend more energy:
- don't let it dry out
- Don't forget to fertilize
- optional: administer potassium
Otherwise, banana plants are quite frugal during the flowering period and should not be taken out of their routine. Since a banana tree needs between two and five years to flower in this latitude, a sudden change in conditions would disrupt the growth rhythm. So sit back and, with a little luck, you might be lucky enough to get a piece of fruit.
Problem: fruits
While the flower enchants over a longer period of time, things can be completely different with the banana fruits. The biggest problem with perennials is the uncertainty as to whether the banana tree will produce fruit after flowering. After flowering, the banana tree must flower for a period of up to 180 days before fruiting can occur. For well-maintained specimens, 80 to 100 days are sufficient. The fruiting can be seen on small bananas, which are dark in color at the beginning. However, they do not guarantee that the harvest will be successful. To tell if you can end up harvesting the bananas, you need to keep an eye on the following signs:
- Fruit size: 10 to 15 cm
- light, greenish hue
- Plant weakens severely
- Plant loses leaves
Far too often the fruits rot directly on the plant or they no longer ripen. For this reason, you should check carefully whether the fruit is doing worse. In most cases, the care measures were changed during maturity or the amount of light was reduced.
Notice: If you are lucky and have enough light available, the bananas in the conservatory can even ripen over the winter. If this is the case, do not change the current care measures so that the banana tree has its rest.
cut flowers?
There is a way you can encourage fruiting in a banana tree. This one is all about pruning the rest of the flower as soon as you see the first signs of fruiting. Because this part of the banana is very sturdy, you need the right tool. Are suitable:
- hacksaw
- tree saw
- electric pruning saw
Do not worry. If you are careful, you will not damage the perennial or the young fruit before you can harvest them. The following instructions deal with the shortening of the flower:
- put on protective gloves
- Banana sap sticks to your hands
- Position the saw 1 to 2 cm above the blossom
- remove flower
Do not cut too far into the stalk to avoid damaging the young banana fruit. This method is entirely optional and should be considered if larger numbers of bananas are desired. You can use the same tools to harvest the bananas as they also grow on a sturdy stem.
Notice: When cutting off the flowers, be sure to pay attention to the emerging, clear plant matter. If this gets on clothing or other textiles, the resulting stains can turn a deep reddish brown.
Mother plant dies
A typical phenomenon is the death of the mother plant after the banana tree has developed flowers or banana fruit. But that does not mean the end of the actual plant. Before a banana tree can even flower, it usually develops children over the years. With these, the plant continues to multiply by itself. If there are spawning, transplant them into their own pots just before the mother plant dies off to allow them to thrive. If it dies, you can simply dispose of the faded banana tree.
frequently asked Questions
Which species form edible fruits?When choosing an edible type of banana, you have a small selection to choose from. The dwarf plantain 'Dwarf Cavendish' (Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish') is particularly noteworthy as a houseplant. The pink dwarf banana (Musa velutina), the winter-hardy Musa nagensium or the Darjeeling banana (Musa sikkimensis) should also be mentioned. Before purchasing, be sure to check whether the banana trees could become too large for your living space.
Can the flowers be used?If there is no hope of ripening fruit, feel free to harvest the banana blossoms. These are cut off one to two centimeters above the bottom of the flower and can then be used in the kitchen. The Asian specialty has to be freed from the petals like an artichoke, because only the core is edible. They are processed heartily, for example in stir-fries, salads or as a vegan fish alternative.
How long do harvested banana fruits have to ripen?After you have had a successful harvest, you should let the ideally still green bananas ripen. In this way, the flavor improves. The duration of the post-ripening depends on the temperature and the available light. A dark, warm room with temperatures between 15°C and 20°C is ideal. Add an apple or pear to the bananas. The ethylene helps the ripening process until they are yellow.