Off the wall question.

[120+]

Anyone have a banana tree? Does it do well? Evidently there's a version that grows/works in the Kentucky/Tennessee climate. I'm thinking about putting a couple around my pool for effect. Not looking for bananas, just the leaves and tropical look

 

[HuntressOfLight]

Anyone have a banana tree? Does it do well? Evidently there's a version that grows/works in the Kentucky/Tennessee climate. I'm thinking about putting a couple around my pool for effect. Not looking for bananas, just the leaves and tropical look

A Guide to Cold Hardy Banana Trees

A cold hardy banana tree can withstand below freezing temperatures and is great for people who live in areas with cooler climates. Read on to learn more.

www.thisoldhouse.com

 

[baknblack]

We've got several. Putting a row across the back of the house this spring for shade. We cut em down every fall and cover with plastic and hay. Don't know if we're doing it right or not but, they'll be 4 years old this spring and they're getting 8 to 10 ft tall.

 

[120+]

We've got several. Putting a row across the back of the house this spring for shade. We cut em down every fall and cover with plastic and hay. Don't know if we're doing it right or not but, they'll be 4 years old this spring and they're getting 8 to 10 ft tall.

Thanks. That's the answer I was looking for. I've heard similar stories.

 

[drakeshooter]

We've got several. Putting a row across the back of the house this spring for shade. We cut em down every fall and cover with plastic and hay. Don't know if we're doing it right or not but, they'll be 4 years old this spring and they're getting 8 to 10 ft tall.

What kind of output and quality of fruit?

 

[xbokilla]

This is a new one on me.

 

[HeadedWest]

A good high school friend’s dad has had them for as long as I can remember and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a banana on it.

 

[Fur Feather]

No banana's for me either. They must be really protected in the winter and watered during the dry times. They are nothing but water. You can cut a 4 inch stalk with a butter knife. It's amazing. They are very prolific as well. We started with one about 7 years ago, I think there's about 8 of them now.

 

[drakeshooter]

I was just reading they need 18 months of continuous growing to fruit so they don’t if they go dormant 4-5 months every year.

 

[KYDEERCHASR]

we got 5 or 6 from a friend prolly 5 years ago and put em around our deck. i just cut em down every fall as close to the ground as i can.
use to cover em with mulch but last couple years havnt.

last fall when i cut em down we had 42. almost all were at least 10 feet tall.

 

[bigbonner]

When I was a kid there was a small slaughter house in my small town and kin owned it. He had a banana tree that he put in the front during the winter and would take it out in the summer. He had it planted in a large tub and it did produce some bananas. They were not real big.
I know of a store that has banana trees in the front with large glass and it has a big long shoot with a big ball on the end and it is probably making bananas. If I go back there I will try and take a picture.

 

[Lady Hunter]

Hmmm..... Never thought of growing those here in KY.

I guess they'd be about like figs in terms of production. We had 8 or 9 figs that were rated for our area. One produced the 1st year we had it. Another produced the 2nd year. That was about 15 years ago & we haven't gotten a ripe fig since. They're still tiny & as hard as a rock when the 1st frost hits. I think we're down to only 4 shrubs now. Two of them produce amazing foilage & smell GREAT but it'd sure be nice to get fruit off of them.....

 

[Nock]

We got a couple as well. I don’t do anything but cut them off at ground. Never have covered them. Noticed couple days ago they are coming up.

 

[baknblack]

What kind of output and quality of fruit?

I don't think we'll ever see any fruit by trimming them back every fall. We haven't so far. They just put out huge green foliage every year. As I understand it this variety can stand some cold weather but, multiple days of sub zero will kill em if they're not covered up.
I don't even know the particular variety. The grounds keeper at kosair charities gave my wife the pups to get them started and told her how to take care of them.

 

[drakeshooter]

I don't think we'll ever see any fruit by trimming them back every fall.

Yeah you must have missed my post.

I was just reading they need 18 months of continuous growing to fruit so they don’t if they go dormant 4-5 months every year.