# Banana Plant



## Angie (Sep 4, 2003)

I just bought 2 banana plants here is a link to a picture and description of them. http://www.aquariumgarden.com/index.php?doc_base=plant_info.php&plantid=mi072
Has anyone ever had this plant before? They are very cool but the care for them is vague and I would like to hear how others have cared for and/or propogated this plant.


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## aquaverde (Apr 15, 2003)

They're pretty easy IME. Here's one under ~3wpg in a little 10 gallon (the large leaves lower in the pic). They get much larger leaves under good light/nutrients and a much lighter color, with the darker green vein pattern. The only lotus I know that will not overwhelm a tank.


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## ming (Dec 6, 2003)

They seem pretty easy for me as well. I just bury the bottom half of the banana and little roots will shoot off from the buried banana letting it stay in place. I only have 2wpg in my 29G tank


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

Bannana plants are great, I have two. Plant the bannana shaped root only half way, do not cover completly. They will send floating leaves up to the top of the water and you may even see a white flower appear. They require at least 2WPG. Depending on the amount of light you have the color of the leaves will be any where from light green to reddish. Mine are light green with dark green viens, very pretty.


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## greendragon (Jan 14, 2004)

I have one with the roots completly buried in about 3" of sand and it is HUGE. It has about 5 large light green leaves and two floating lillys. The bananas are all but shrivled up I would guess this is b/c it doesn't need them to store nutients b/c I usually stick a jobes stick under it every 3 months.


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## Angie (Sep 4, 2003)

At the link I provided in the start of the thread it quoted .... When planting, do not bury the "bananas", only push the fine roots into the gravel. Otherwise, if the "bananas" are burried, the leaves will grow very large and will reach the surface in a lily-like fashion. After 6 - 9 months in the aquarium this plant should be cultivated emersed for some time or it may die. 

I appreciate you all telling me that you plant half the bananas because I wasn't sure a out just planting the roots as there are only a couple small roots coming out between the stems and the bananas. My other question is about cultivating and emersing. Do you take it out of the tank once or twice a year and for how long and where do you put it? What is that about? 

Greendragon, you use the jobes sticks like from the plant section in the store, like what you put in a regular house plant?


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

Angie...I have had mine for eight months now in my tank and never have removed them. I know that some plants go through a dormant period and I have been told that during this time you can store them in your frig for about 3 months then replant them. However I have never tried this approach, so I don't know if it works are not.


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## pauline29 (May 2, 2004)

Some say the banana plant only bears 1-2 leaves monthly, but mine has been giving almost 3 new leave sprouts a week! Of course I only bury them 2 cm in the gravel and if your water is soft, they'll be very happy.

Growing them on an emersed state after 9 mths as recommended by Dennerle may not be necessary. If your plant looks drab even with fertilisation, then you just lift them out and let it float atop yr tank, otherwise have another shallower tank so that yr plant gets their leaves above water. Lighting is definitely a must.


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## Sundewd (Mar 15, 2004)

This plant is interesting. I got one about 3 weeks ago, and at first it sent out bigger and bigger green leaves. But then it started sending up deep purple/green leaves and the green leaves at the bottom all melted off. Can anybody explain this? I also read on the link that the plants will die off after sending up their leaves. Is this true?


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## Angie (Sep 4, 2003)

The root sprouts are very small and fine and seem to be coming from above the bannanas. Do I plant the bannana tips only or do I need to plant the center part where the leaves come in contact with the bannanas (where the fine roots are)? I get from most of these responses that it is the tip of the bannana's but there are just no roots there on mine. Maybe I need to let them float a bit more before I actually plant them. Any hints?


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