skip to main content

Removing Pups From Chinese Yellow

18 years ago

I have a 2 year old Chinese Yellow Banana ( Musa lasiocarpa) which has now produced about 8 pups all around the base. These range in size from 5 inches down to 2 inches. According to one of tropical books, I should remove the pups in order to give this banana a chance to bloom. My question is, how do I go about it? I am familiar with removing banana pups from fruiting banana trees, but this is different. I notice that the stem of the pups are deep underground very unlike fruiting bananas. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Lee

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

User
18 years ago
You don't have to remove all the pups. My Chinese yellow flowered this spring and summer (they last a long time). I separated a few of the pups that developed before and after flowering of the mother plant. I took those pups that had started to develop roots and left the others. All of the plants are doing fine. This is a great banana, I like it better than the Japanese basjoo.
0
Las_Palmas_Norte
18 years ago
I found that in my area during the hot dry spells of summer, M. lasiocarpa gets mites. All this dispite good watering and feeding. They cluster so tightly, removing one at a time is hardly worth the effort. It's overall size is much smaller than Musa basjoo and can't compete with the bold dramatic effect produced by basjoo.
A completely different take on the same plant. Mine are out for good.
0
Related Discussions
Another Chinese Yellow....... about to bloom
Q
Comments (15)
Austin, I feel sure you will indeed like Musella! Great banana because of hardiness and size. Doesn't require lots of space like the bigger species and hybrids. Tropicallvr, I fertilize only sparingly. When I do I use Peters triple 20 in water. The location of my plant is a long way from a water source too, so it has to exist mostly from rainfall. There were times though during September last year when I had to put a sprinkler on it and a nearby basjoo. Here is photo from today.... I didn't notice till looking closely, but the bracts are arranged spirally before opening. You can see it really well looking straight down on the flower. I'll post a shot of that in a bit.
...See More
Removing pups on A. Blanchetiana
Q
Comments (4)
Have the ones that are going into a decline bloomed already? Not sure why they would crap out otherwise, unless they are temperature stressed. A. blanchetiana is from coastal Brazil, and incidentally can take more salt spray than most broms, a good one for beachfront homes, but the closer you can approximate its tropical home, the happier it will be. For some reason, the first one I ever owned was really slow-growing and shy to pup. Now that we've got tons of them, they grow like weeds. For sure though, removing one pup will stimulate another one a lot faster than if you leave it on. You may eventually get multi-pupping plants, but if you're looking to increase your clump more quickly, I'd take them off.
...See More
Hawarthia cuspidata - removing pups?
Q
Comments (6)
Patrick, I'm w/ McHarris on this, was going to suggest you leave those pups on for a while. No hurry to separate them & they'll do better on their own once older as he suggested. Hey Stush, I've grown some Haws in my time (& still grow a few). May I pls correct some of your IDs? Your 1st pix IDed as H reinwartdtii isn't that, rather it's some kind of Limifolia hybrid. FYI: H reinwartdtii is a tall growing, columnar type of Haw., I gave away my last one yrs. ago. That 2nd pic of H attentuata (Smolleys) is not a variegate, that's just its natural pattern (I hate to think you paid Out of Africa $$$ for this, it's a very commonly found BBS Haw). Tho' the way the top of yours looks sort of 'wind-blown' is sort of different, makes me wonder if it's an Aloe/Haw cross of some kind. I still really like Haws & how very low maintenance they are, do GREAT w/ benign neglect. H limifolia being an old favorite, think I need to get me some cooperi. Sigh so many Haws, so little room.
...See More
Yellow pup coming up
Q
Comments (21)
Since we grow them in our house and outside during summer, they pup and bloom anytime they wish to. Also never remove this yellow pup from the rooted leaf because you hope it can produce enough green so it can stay alive. So far this plant is getting all it's nutrients from the rooted leaf.
...See More
fglavin
18 years ago
I would imagine that removing pups would slow down bloom time, not speed it up. I think that this holds true for any banana. If you kept the pups cut down to ground level periodically though, that MAY speed up bloom time. Seeing as you are in a zone 9, I'd just leave it alone. It'll probably bloom next year for you.
0

Related Stories

RED FOLIAGE Great Design Plant: Chinese Pistache

Versatile and easygoing, this tree puts on a guaranteed fall spectacle in the landscape

DECORATING GUIDES Pop Culture Watch: 12 Home Trends from the '80s Are Back

By Becky Harris

Hold on to your hat (over your humongous hair); interior design elements of the 1980s have shot forward to today, in updated fashion

GARDENING GUIDES Don’t Let These Excuses Keep You From Gardening

By Steve Asbell

Stop blaming your lack of experience, space, time and funds, and get on with the joy of garden making

ORGANIZING Decluttering Ideas From Around the World

By Leonora Sartori

Home organizers share their tips on how to think and live more clearly

DECORATING GUIDES The Most Helpful Furniture Piece You May Ever Own

By Mike Dietrich

Use it as a table, a seat, a display space, a footrest ... and indoors or out. Meet the ever-versatile Chinese garden stool

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: Butter Up a Cottage Kitchen

By Sarah Haywood

Look to accessories in shades of butter yellow to bring cheery brightness to a homey kitchen

FALL GARDENING 11 Trees for Brilliant Fall Color

By Marianne Lipanovich

Give your landscape the quintessential look of autumn with the red, orange and yellow leaves of these standouts

GOLD FOLIAGE Great Design Plant: Ginkgo Biloba

By Becky Harris

This ancient tree provides shade, tolerates urban planting conditions and explodes with golden yellow fall color

DECORATING STYLES 18 Ways to Bring English Country Charm Home

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

From topiaries and climbing roses to toile and tea, these design ideas can skew cozy casual or manor formal

DECORATING GUIDES The '70s Are Back. Can Ya Dig It?

By Becky Harris

No need to cringe. These 21 groovy blasts from the past are updated to look fabulous today

Sponsored

More Discussions

Anyone growing Musa Coccinea

0