# My banana plant won't sprout?



## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

Nymphoides aquatica (banana plants) are big time root feeders; Make sure you have some root tabs underneath. Mine are doing very well in moderate-soft water (about 8 Dgh), CO2 injection from a compressed cylinder, and 2.5 watts per gallon CFL lighting.

++edit++ Thinking about it, when I bought mine, I got 4 of them but only 3 sprouted and grew. You may have gotten a "dud" . . .









http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pHosting/f/8485_DSC01207-minic.jpg


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

Strange...What do the roots look like? Mine has a single green stem-looking thing that it has had since I bought it, but never grew or anything. I had root tabs in the first tank it was in but it never grew to anchor itself or anything. 

I think I'll take it back to the store I got it from and get a different plant instead. I really wanted one of these guys but it doesn't seem that is happening.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Not sure if yours is just sitting on top of the substrate. But push the Banana's into the substrate about half way or slightly more then half way. Use a root tab under it. It will grow quite easy. 

They dont have to have crazy lights either. You could also be nutrient lacking. But ive seen some people try to just let them wander or sit on top of the gravel and once you plant then into the gravel with root tab. Give them about a month and you should see them growing.


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Your Banana Lily*



Bunfoo said:


> I've had my banana plant for what seems like forever. It had a teeny tiny sprout about 3 weeks ago. It grew only 2mm maybe and then stopped growing for a week. I accidentally broke it off at the end of that week and it hasn't sprouted again. Am I doing something wrong? Is there something I'm supposed to be doing for it that I'm not? They are getting approx 5.5wpg for 5 hours/c02/in a dirt tank. I am going to buy ferts Tuesday. Will the ferts help it sprout or is it just time I need?
> 
> It was a nice green when I bought it but has turned a bit darker. Still green though.


Hello Bun...

The Banana lilies I have require strong light. Your lighting is very bright, I think too much for the Banana. I have mine attached to a piece of floating driftwood with sewing thread. The driftwood floats to within a few inches of the light source.

Most of the aquatic plants I'm familiar with are tropical and used to long hours of daylight. So, I have my tank lights on timers set for 12 hours on and 12 off.

Since the Banana gets the bulk of it's nutrients from the water it needs water high in minerals, so the tank water needs to be changed regularly. I change out half the water in my tanks every week. 

Ferts aren't needed unless you don't have many fish. In that case, you need to dose a good fert weekly in dry, liquid or granules according to instructions. Never tried CO2, so I can't comment on that.

B


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Not to hijack or anything.....but....are there any other plants that are similar to banana plants (Nymphoides aquatica)?

The reason I ask is that I have some plants that appear similar in appearance. Leaves are smaller than plants I've had before. Definately way smaller than that pic above. They never send up a leaf/pad to the surface. Leaves are cup shaped. I've even trimmed off one leave to propigate it like the banana but it didn't grow. One of the plants did propigate itself by having a new plant form off a stalk just like the banana but only once so far.

Very nice plant


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

I've grown three plants by just tossing them in the tank with a plant weight on it. They seem to be very easy plants for me. Don't bury the bananas, I just let mine rest on the substrate and it grew roots to go in. I didnt have root tabs, ferts or high light. My experience!


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

Mine is just floating around on top of the substrate. I have well water that is pretty high in many minerals and I don't have fish or fauna in the tank right now (I am trying to use the same tank to grow HC and microsword) so I will be buying ferts on tuesday. I will try to push the bananas down into the substrate a little. I figure it can't hurt. 

I used to have the bananas in a tank that had about 1.5wpg 9 hours with root tabs. It did sprout in that tank, but the sprout didn't look like a leaf at all, was very bright green and stopped growing after growing about 2mm. 

What happens when I break the "bananas" off? I know they are nutrient storing "roots", correct?


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## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

Yep, the "bananas" are a stockpile of nutrients. Once the plant takes hold and starts growing like crazy, those will rot and fall off. In time, the new roots will become "bananas."

I'll post pics of my plant when I get home. It really is a cool Lilly, I hope you can get yours to grow!


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## sketch804 (Mar 2, 2011)

also have to remember that bannana plants aren't excatly a tropical plant from what I remember reading a while back. I believe they are actually native to my state or the one below me cant remember right now. And they also do eventually need a 'rest' period with colder water to keep thriving for years to come. They are however great plants and fairly easy to grow! I have had a few in my planted tank time but all died eventually because i never gave them a cooler water period.


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

I didn't know that! The water it was in was between 78-80F. Should I toss it in my goldfish tank and see if it sprouts there? It's between 65F and 68F throughout the day. 

Pictures of the roots will really help! I think it has one root out, but it's been there literally since the day I bought it so I don't think that's going anywhere lol. 

I'll grab a picture of mine tonight and maybe you guys can help me determine what it might be needing or if it is indeed just a "dud".


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## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

The red arrows point out 3 of my Nymphoides Aquatica plants. 2 huge ones and one little one behind the thermometer that I propagated via leaf clipping. For scale, this is a 72 gallon bow-front tank . . . so the plants are about 18" tall (and taking over the world  )









http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pHosting/f/9232_banana_2c.jpg


The red arrows point to the original "banana" root cluster that I got from the store. They are long dead and have basically rotted off. 









http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/pHosting/f/9231_banana_1c.jpg


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## reddhawkk (Dec 28, 2011)

I never knew banana plants got that big, mine always died.


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

Oh boy.  Those dead roots look the same color as the one I have now. A mottled brownish green. The one root that it had when I bought it looks like your roots but never grew. 

I'll just see if I can find the receipt and take it back to the store and get a different one. I have a feeling this one won't grow.


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)




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## sketch804 (Mar 2, 2011)

Bunfoo said:


> I didn't know that! The water it was in was between 78-80F. Should I toss it in my goldfish tank and see if it sprouts there? It's between 65F and 68F throughout the day.
> 
> Pictures of the roots will really help! I think it has one root out, but it's been there literally since the day I bought it so I don't think that's going anywhere lol.
> 
> I'll grab a picture of mine tonight and maybe you guys can help me determine what it might be needing or if it is indeed just a "dud".


Well with that pic you have taken, it appears that it will not recover. But don't throw your banana plants in just for a day, for like a month or so they need every once in a while, least once a year. If you do that it will help keep the bananas alive but you can keep them alive for a while with just roots! either way, I would try and get one again!



proaudio55 said:


> The red arrows point out 3 of my Nymphoides Aquatica plants. 2 huge ones and one little one behind the thermometer that I propagated via leaf clipping. For scale, this is a 72 gallon bow-front tank . . . so the plants are about 18" tall (and taking over the world )


WOW how did you do that, it interest me on that one! propagating plants is so much fun!


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

Hmm, thought so. I'll take it back to the store I got it from and see if they will replace it for a new one. I am determined to have one of these!


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## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

Yep, you can propigate these bad-boys by clipping a mature leaf and letting it float freely in the water. Eventually it will sprout roots and you can plant it as a whole new specimen. I even posted a pic of my handy-work to wikipedia! 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphoides_aquatica


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## sketch804 (Mar 2, 2011)

proaudio55 said:


> Yep, you can propigate these bad-boys by clipping a mature leaf and letting it float freely in the water. Eventually it will sprout roots and you can plant it as a whole new specimen. I even posted a pic of my handy-work to wikipedia!
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphoides_aquatica


Hey thats pretty cool right there! Will it ever sprout bananas like the orignal plant does? But I am not suprised that it does that but first time i have seen it done! Awesome!


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

I never knew that I must try it. How long before your grew roots?


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## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

It took 'a-couple-3-weeks' of free floating in the water. Then i just shoved the whole thing down in the substrate, works like a charm!  The namesake "bananas" are under the substrate, but I just like the fact it's a lilly and I'm not hung up on being able to see its root structure.

Oh, and obviously when it's free floating you'll need to make sure you've got free nutrients available because it's feeding out of the water column.


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## Patriot (Dec 22, 2010)

Which lily pads did it come from? My banana plants have the big green ones and the red floating ones. does it matter? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## proaudio55 (Oct 20, 2011)

Nope, I don't think it matters . . . I opted to use a lower leaf. (But I read on the internet those purple & green ones will work too)


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

Ho-lee-crap!

Okay, first, let me say, THANK YOU SKETCH!

I took the banana out of the goldfish tank today intending to take it back to the store, but I think it has started to sprout a root or a leaf! A wee little bump with a little white shoot coming out.


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## sketch804 (Mar 2, 2011)

cool dude! Glad to hear it! Hopefully it will flourish for you! Good luck with it all! Sometimes they just take a bit to take hold and get started, there are a good amount of plants that do this including stems, crypts, and many more.


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## So_Fishy (Jan 16, 2012)

I didn't know you could propigate them like that! I might have to give that a try. Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear yours is bouncing back Bunfoo!


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

Slight update. It has grown from a little white bump into a definite growth, pretty sure it's a leaf. Still VERY slowly. It hasn't grown more than 1/2" since 2/22. It is growling though, quite happy! When will it begin to send out roots? So far nothing resembling a root has shown.


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## Ddubtoille (Jul 26, 2011)

Definitely some root tabs or something for their roots, I had 2 and they both shot up a lily pad up to the surface within 3 days (about a 6-8 inch climb) and within a month I cut off some leaves and re planted them to grow more and then within another month i was constantly trimming them so I threw them all out they blocked off the light and my lower plants where struggling. 

I was using pure laterite for the roots

Here's a video of what my roots where looking like when i was pulling them out they covered the bottom of the tank. 


Just Ignore the radio...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP0Ejwz2Viw


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## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

james0816 said:


> Not to hijack or anything.....but....are there any other plants that are similar to banana plants (Nymphoides aquatica)?
> 
> The reason I ask is that I have some plants that appear similar in appearance. Leaves are smaller than plants I've had before. Definately way smaller than that pic above. They never send up a leaf/pad to the surface. Leaves are cup shaped. I've even trimmed off one leave to propigate it like the banana but it didn't grow. One of the plants did propigate itself by having a new plant form off a stalk just like the banana but only once so far.
> 
> Very nice plant


FWIW .... I did identify my plant as Nymphoides sp. 'Taiwan'.


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## Bunfoo (Jan 14, 2012)

I moved the banana to my plant trimmins tank for a couple days while my tadpoles work on the tank it was in, so far a new leaf shoot has appeared and the original leaf is starting to take shape. :icon_smil


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