Ornamental Bananas

21 years ago

Hi,

I understand that ornamental bananas aren't allowed in a large part of NSW and all of Queensland, but I was reading a couple of NZ articles about ornamental bananas and wondered what varieties are available in Australia.

I've got velutina, zebrina and ornata.

Is coccinea or mannii available in Australia?

Does anyone know any mail order sources?

Any other varieties recommended?

Thanks

Greg

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Comments (9)

weatherguy
21 years ago
Post this message in the banana forum...
ari_wh
21 years ago
I know coccinea is available in Australia as I have one in my backyard :). Not doing too good after cyclone Ingrid.... I got it in Darwin, but I am sure you can get them somewhere else too...

Regards, Ari :)
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grassface
21 years ago
Where is the Australian banana forum Weatherguy?

On this subject Im after some Ensete seeds if anyone can advise me please?
TonyfromOz
21 years ago
What about Musella -- I would love to grow that!

Concerning Ensete ventricosum, my father grew one in the garden in the 1950s in our northwestern Sydney suburb (frosty in winter). It set plenty of seed but my recollection is that we had to wait until the plant was in a senescent state after flowering, so your average tidy-minded gardener would have cut it down long before. We tried germinating the seeds under normal summer conditions without success, then put some over the oil-fired heater in his orchid house and got good germination. I have seen plants in Sydney garden centres recently, at excessive prices.
GregNichelsen
Original Author
21 years ago
I don't think Musella is around but it certainly looks great from the photos. There are a huge range of species and ornamental cultivars in the States and Europe. There are some New Zealand North Island nurseries that have quite a range too.

Ensete flower at about 5-7 years old and then die. Although they look spectacular when growing well they don't allow a lot to ground around them and leave a huge whole when the go.

There are a few places around Sydney that have them and some other ornamental bananas at more reasonable prices. The Friends of the Sydney Botanic Gardens usually sell Ensete ventricosum and Musa velutina tubes for under $10. They grow very fast.

Greg
Scott_D
21 years ago
Today I saw a plant called dwarf pink banana, but I can't remember the botanical name. It was at a nursery at Erina.

Does anyone know what this would be?
RugbyLeagueRocks
21 years ago
So where can I get some Ensete seeds or plants please?
GregNichelsen
Original Author
21 years ago
Scott, it's probably Musa velutina - less likely would be Musa ornata.

The Friends of the Botanic Gardens Sydney usually have Ensete and Musa velutina for sale.

All the best

Greg
RugbyLeagueRocks
21 years ago
Anyone?

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Ornamental Bananas

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weatherguy

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Ornamental Bananas

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