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Strange Flower on Banana plant

Purple QueenPurple Queen Posts: 4
in Plants

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Morning everybody - I am hoping someone out there will know what my banana plant is doing. Here are two photographs of  the large yellow 'flower-like' thing growing out of the top of it.   The flower thing has been getting bigger since I noticed it about 2 months ago. I have looked on the internet and think it is a flower, if so will it produce fruit? (in a greenhouse in Northumberland!).  I am not sure as to whether this signals the death of the plant and would be grateful for any suggestions on what it could be or advice  on how should I care for the plant from now on.

 P.S. I bought it  as a 2ft high house plant from Homebase on the Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, about 7/8 years ago.   I planted it in one of the beds in my brick based greenhouse, the soil is a mixture of garden soil and good quality compost and I feed and water it throughout the year. 

Contacted RHS and they just asked for my membership number - I am not a member but am a member of the HPS, would they know do you think?

Any help is much appreciated.

Purple Queen

 

Posts

  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 35,835

    Your banana is flowering as you discovered Purple Queen. Well done for getting it to do that and it may produce fruits but if it is one of the Musa species it will die after producing fruit.

    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 16,538

    It would appear to be an Ensete lasiocarpum or the golden lotus banana.

     Well done for getting it to flower.

    I doubt it will fruit , but you never know.

     If it does and that stem dies, don't throw it away, they usually throw up new stems from the rootstock. Bananas are not trees, they are herbaceous.

    Last edited: 02 September 2016 11:27:09

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,797

    Google reveals purple and yellow banana flowers.  

    This video is fascinating - you can harvest the flower and eat it after it has produced some bananas.  

    Let us know what happens.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAO2J7LJ3b8 

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Purple QueenPurple Queen Posts: 4

    Thanks fidgetbones for correctly identifying my banana as Ensete lasiocarpum or the golden lotus banana.  Thanks also Dovefromabove for the youtube link which was interesting.

    Now I know which ensete it is I can read up on how to manage the plant in the future. 

    I will definitely keep you informed on what happens next.

    Many thanks to all,

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 16,538

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