Musa ACUMINATA

Musa ACUMINATA - Pointed banana, Cavendish banana, Wild banana, Acuminata banana.

Banana is a genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the family Musaceae, uniting about 70 species, the greatest diversity of which is observed in the tropics of Southeast Asia and on the Pacific islands.

Representatives of the genus are herbaceous plants with a powerful root system, a short stem that does not protrude above the ground, and 6-20 leaves whose sheaths form the semblance of a trunk. The height of the plants varies from 2 to 12 meters (6.6-39 ft). Around the main stem, numerous lateral shoots are formed, one of which subsequently replaces the previous one - in this way, reproduction takes place. The roots are numerous and fibrous; in fertile soil they extend up to 5 meters (16 ft) sideways and up to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) deep.

The leaves are large, soft, smooth, oblong or oval, arranged spirally. Their sheaths are rolled into a dense, multilayered, fleshy tube called a pseudostem. As the plant grows, young leaves emerge from inside the bundle, while outer ones gradually die off and shed. In good weather, this process continues at a rate of approximately one leaf per week.

In cultivated bananas, leaves reach 275 cm (9 ft) in length and 60 cm (24 in) in width; they can be completely green, green with dark maroon spots, or green on the upper surface and purple-crimson below. When the banana is ready to flower, a long peduncle develops at the growing tip of the short stem, passing through the pseudostem and emerging outward following the leaves.

Flowering occurs 8-10 months after active plant growth. The inflorescence is a raceme on which large female flowers are located at the base, followed by smaller bisexual ones, and small male flowers at the tip. All flowers are tubular. In cultivated bananas, the flowers are white, with bracts that are purple on the outside and dark red on the inside.

Fruits develop only from female flowers. The size, color, and shape of the fruits can vary significantly depending on the species or cultivar, but most often they have an oblong cylindrical or three-sided shape, straight or curved. Fruit length varies from 3 to 40 cm (1.2-16 in), and thickness from 2 to 8 cm (0.8-3.1 in). The peel color can be yellow, green, red, or even silvery. The fruit pulp is white, creamy, yellow, or orange. When unripe, it is firm and sticky, but as it ripens, it becomes soft and juicy.

In cultivated forms, the fruit is often seedless and the plant is capable of reproducing only vegetatively; however, in wild-growing plants, the fruit pulp is filled with a large number of rounded or pointed hard seeds 3-16 mm (0.12-0.63 in) long.

The pointed banana is a relatively small species, growing up to 1.5-2 meters (5-6.6 ft) in height. The leaves are gathered in terminal rosettes; the inflorescence is drooping. It is grown for the sake of its luxurious leaves, which indoors can measure 70-100 cm (28-39 in) in length and 30 cm (12 in) in width, splitting into fibers with age, giving the plant even greater ornamental appeal. It is valued for its relatively slow growth. It can bloom only after three years, provided all care requirements are met. Fruits can only be obtained in greenhouse conditions.

Seeds are preliminarily gently scarified and soaked in warm water for 2-3 days, then sown in a loose fertile soil (a mixture of sand with peat or coconut coir) to a depth of 1 cm (0.4 in), moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in the light, but not in direct sun at a temperature of 27-35 °C (81-95 °F). Seedlings need ventilation. Waterlogging and desiccation of the sowings must be avoided.

Seeds germinate unevenly and slowly, from 1 month at a temperature close to 30 °C (86 °F) to 6 months with temperature fluctuations, and sometimes more than 12 months.

© Greeniverse. All rights reserved.

Banana can be grown as an indoor crop, for greening large, bright rooms, terraces, and conservatories. Growing it at home is not difficult at all. But for this, it is necessary to know certain characteristics.

For successful growth and development, a consistently high temperature of 25-32 °C (77-90 °F) and sunny exposure are required. During the summer period, the plant can be placed on a balcony or taken out into the garden. In winter, supplemental lighting with a grow light or other daylight lamp will be required. Photoperiod - at least 14 hours per day. Under indoor conditions, it needs a slight temperature decrease in the winter period. Some species require cool wintering and even tolerate short-term temperature drops down to -10 °C (14 °F).

In summer, during the growing season, generous watering with warm settled water is necessary. The root ball should not be dried out, but excessive watering can also lead to decay of the root system. The soil must always be slightly moist. In winter, watering is moderate. It is desirable to maintain high air humidity. It responds well to regular spraying with warm water.

It prefers loose, fertile, well-drained soils rich in nutrients. Initially, a large container should be chosen for planting. In the first year of life, banana grows very rapidly, and more than one repotting may be required. Thereafter, growth slows down and repotting is carried out as needed. Fertilizer is applied from April to September once every 7-10 days, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers.

Propagated by root suckers and seeds.