Musa mannii,one of the smallest fruiting banana

[Dave Brown]

This is what I was sold as Musa laterita.

I've had it for over a year now but didn't do well last year.... maybe because I hadn't repotted it This year it is going for it

Multipupping

[Mr List]

to me that looks just like a sikkimensis.

we could do with some detailed topics on the differences and points of interest of different banana species because they all look pretty samey to my eyes.

[Dave Brown]

to me that looks just like a sikkimensis.

we could do with some detailed topics on the differences and points of interest of different banana species because they all look pretty samey to my eyes.

It's tiny compared to a Sikki. Sikki is the same size a M basjoo. Sikki has red undersides of the leaf, where as this one has a red midrib and a green leaf, both sides.

[Palmer]

Hi Dave, sorry to say but that isn’t laterita
Laterita doesn’t have any red, just normal green with a grey wax coating.

I had trouble getting hold of laterita myself… ordered it from two different suppliers and both times I was sent the wrong nana, however I do have laterita now bought two seedlings from jmoore on the B.org and I also bought one from Himalayan gardens.

Whatever you have I like it! I’m sure it isn’t a sikki they don’t pup like that at that size, my best guess would be velutina but TBH I’m not sure… would you be interested in swapping a pup from that nana for a zaifui pup? I have velutina from Himalayan gardens and I will take a picture of that and my laterita's later.



Tony

[Palmer]

Here are the pictures Dave, the first is M.velutina from Himalayan gardens… the red isn’t anywhere near as red as it is on your plant!
This is the two laterita from jmoore.

And the laterita from Himalayan gardens.

In this picture you can see the grey wax on laterita, I should also mention that laterita produces pups on long rhizomes like the Mekong giant so it’s a runner but your plant looks like a clumper.



Tony

[Dave Brown]

Tony, I think you pics are not right

The Musa velutina from Himilayan Gardens looks very similar to my small Colocasia gaoligongensis

I'll start a new topic on the 'unknown' Musa I was sold as Latarita, as it has become clear it is not what I thought it was. I'll happily do a swap of a pups for a Musa Zaifui. I checked the pot yesterdayand the pup next to the edge of the pot has a full set of it's own roots, even though only about 20cm tall. Whatever it is, it is a tiny dwarf in the Musa world

[Palmer]

Sorry about the mix-ups with the pics Dave… I will take some more today.
And a big yes please with the swap.

[Dave Brown]

I was going to add this yesterday, but didn't somehow

Here is and update and pics taken yesterday.

Notice that the petiole wings dry off and go papery, which is quite distinctive. I wonder if that makes an ID easier

Tony, I will detach a pup today The largest one is the one next to the pot side, so that is the favourite. and the whole clump is then scheduled for a repot

[Palmer]

Those black papery petioles are a dead giveaway for Musa mannii… or at the very least a hybrid mannii! You do get a lot of them. It’s also one of the smallest flowering species so that ties in well with the description of your plant.
And it’s one I don’t have

Here is a pic of the two laterita from James


And also a pic of my velutina… if that’s one you don’t have Dave I can also try take a pup off for you!


I will eventually be able to give you a laterita Dave, as a pup is starting to show itself on one of them.

[Dave Brown]

Tony, Here is the pup I separated last weekend for you. It has a few roots and has not wilted since being removed, even though no leaves have been taken off

[Dave Brown]

An update on one of my favourite Musa.

I was talking to a guy from Alabama on fb, and he grows them in the ground. They get frosted to ground level when the snow and freezes come in winter, but regrow from the roots in spring. Sounds great in terms of hardiness, but I think our winters are too long to contemplate that here. However, what it does show is that it will be fine in a frost free greenhouse.

Mine was kept, in leaf, the Lunar Module which went down to 2C, but brought into the conservatory to kickstart it in late Feb. It has now put out a new leaf on all the stems.

It currently stands 4ft (1.2m) tall in its pot, and is a very manageable size

Pic taken this evening

[JBALLY]

Very nice looking banana and a very manageable size, looks ideal for pot culture and stays small enough to fit in average size greenhouse.

[Palmer]

It’s become one of my favourite nanas too Dave, I like the fact it’s small and an easy one to accommodate in the house in winter!
The one you sent me has spent the winter on a windowsill and now has three pups

[Palmer]

Hi Dave, I sent you a pup from this Musa velutina last year, how is it doing? The mother plant spent the winter in the loft and the main p-stem died but a couple of pups have survived http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy22 ... /022-1.jpg
I cut away the rotting main p-stem today only to find... if the stem had survived it would have flowered this year, the p-stem was only three and a half foot.

[bananaking29]

Very nice Dave!

Can i get a pup for exchance/buy buy by you?

Gilian