Hi everyone!

I have a Dwarf Cavendish Banana plant that I am growing in a pot indoors. It is a BEAUTIFUL plant. When I got it last June, it had three leaves only and was only a foot tall. Now it has nine leaves, three of them are a foot long! However, I do have one question. It has stayed at one foot tall for MONTHS now, and the person I got it from said it would grow only to 8 feet, and it hasn't been growing taller at all, only more leaves. Is this normal? If not, can you tell me how to fix this?

Thanks!

Jared

Can we see a photo of it, Jared?

Hello!

Wow, THAT was a fast reply!

Here is the plant when I first got it,




Here it is now.



Jared.

Your plant looks great to me! I think growing all those leaves in a short time is wonderful. Outside they need full sun to grow well, and they usually grow quickly to 8 or even 10 feet. Can you give it more light? They do like water, too. I'd water at least once a week, depending on how dry the media is. You could feed it with some very diluted fertilizer. I normally only do the fertilizer during the Spring to Fall.

Hello!

It is hard to give it more light for two reasons: First, The days are getting shorter where I am at in North Idaho. Second, it WAS in a great spot with a TON of light and warmth, but we had to move it to a dimmer spot because we had to make room for our Christmas tree. I was just curious if it was going to get any taller, maybe not! I don't know!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention two things. First, this is a tree that can produce bananas. Second, there are about three smaller shoots coming out of the trunk, THEY are the ones growing fast, not the mother plant!

Jared

You probably need a larger pot and more light. It is possible to grow banana plants indoors but you will need to provide what the plant needs - warmth, lots of good light (artificial light if sunlight is not available), regular watering and ferilizing.
Good luck.
http://www.weekendgardener.net...

Hello!

@greene, thanks for the link! I just looked at it and it was VERY useful! Thanks!

Jared

Jared, Your plant looks great to me too! Since it hasn't grown much taller, I wonder if perhaps it isn't Cavendish Banana (Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish') but rather the smaller variety Dwarf Banana (Musa acuminata 'Super Dwarf Cavendish')

Hello!

@plantladylyn, Thank you so much for the information! I actually think you are right, It hasn't grown taller AT ALL since I got it except for leaves. Maybe it is a Super Dwarf Cavendish! Regardless, it is a beautiful plant. Thanks so much!

Jared

This is my first year to have bananas planted in the ground so I'll be watching your progress with your house banana plant. Gotta learn from each other.

I have a Blood Banana (Musa acuminata 'Zebrina') plant that I got about 8 years and it's only grown to about 4 feet in height but the container it's potted in sits in a heavily shaded area; it would probably enjoy a sunnier spot.

Hello!

@greene is right. We got to learn from each other! This is my first banana plant also. I CAN share one thing that works really well for the Banana plant and many other plants! You see, Me and my family were in Seattle, and we were in a restaurant that had a MASSIVE Money Tree and cactus. we asked what his secret was for the plants, and he told us, "Whenever I clean out the aquarium, I give the filthy water to the plants! Natural fertilizer!" We do that at home with our fish tanks, and it works EXTREMELY well on our Banana, Meyer lemon, Key Lime, Parlor Palm, Peace lily, Pitaya cactus, and more! It WORKS!

Jared

Jared - also growing a dwarf Cavendish here. Outside during the warmer months, inside during the colder months. Received small plants (actually pups) from fellow forum gardener. Was told to remove the pups growing at the base of the plant or the "mother" plant would die. I've since removed 3 pups who've gone on to grow very fast and strong. And mother plant still survives.

Hello!

Thanks for the information, @Shadegardener! I never new that! I was told to keep them on! Thanks!

Jared

Hello!

I forgot to ask, Should I remove the pups at the base? If so, how?

Jared

Jared - if you want to keep the pups to grow on as separately potted plants, you'll need to unpot your mother plant, check to see if the pups are growing some of their own roots. If they are, you can carefully sever the pup from the mother plant where they're joined, usually below the soil surface. You shouldn't have to disturb the roots and surrounding soil too much. You can plop the mother plant back into the same pot, adding some soil if necessary. Pot up the pups in separate containers or discard or give away. Mother plant may slow down a bit in growth temporarily but should be putting out some new leaves soon. The last pup I had was left to grow too long and was outgrowing the mother plant. A little TLC for the first month or so and they'll all be happy.