I emailed them and they responded quickly but tersely as well. They said I could return the plant for a refund if I wanted to. I followed up with an email with the same picture attached as above and asked if their grower would confirm that it was a dwarf jamaican red banana and they replied with a curt, "yes". Anyway, the plant was just ten bucks and the shipping would be almost as much, so why should I bother returning the plant? I would end up spending the same total amount of money and have nothing to show for it. I have read on Daves Garden that many people have a similar experience from this company (Hirts Gardens) or are dissatisfied with the quality of the plants and/or the customer service. I would cut your loss and never deal with Hirts again.

It sounds like banana plant is rotting. You can Probably try to cut down stalk below the rot to try and save it, but it might be easier to let the pups grow in the same pot as mom for awhile, they will grow very fast. No way to put it outside for the summer? They really need alot of sun to do well. Theresa

I am not a professional banana person but I know a little. When the most mature plant does produce fruit and those fruit ripen or are removed for ripening indoors. The plant that bore said fruit will die so best to go ahead and remove it leaving the several pups to continue growing and to produce there own crop when they are mature enough. Pruning a few leaves now and then will not hurt a banana tree especially if it is actively growing and making new ones. But I would think in your zone they would need regular fertilizing and watering to produce fruit continually. I have in my zone 8b garden huge clumps of orinoco and I never remove the pups unless I am digging to pot to sale or giving a start to someone else. Now of course I don't have a space issue, But there are bearing size and pups all through each clump. Actually I am eating fresh tree ripenend fruit this week. But as soon as frost or freeze warning hit I have a stalk of fruit to cut and bring indoors. Hope that helped some. James Maloy

Hi Tropicalgrower, It is a real variety that apparently is very popular in Hawaii. I actually found a source for it but it is going to cost me an arm and a leg to get it here. Hi Harry, Do you think that the fusarium wilt we be an issue for me growing it in NY, or is that a disease that is in all climates? I think I actually have heard of the vusarium wilt. Never have heard of the Sigatoka though. I will have to check these out. Thanks for the heads up! Andrew