Hardy Bananas
Well, I called all the local nurseries looking for banana plants, and all
that was on offer were Musa Zebrina "Rojo," Ensete ventricosa, and a "Dwarf
Banana," that was just labeled "Musa sp." Since I had already acquired a
Musa Zebrina "Rojo" (for $30, I might add!), and a Super Dwarf Cavendish, I
was rather disappointed. I stopped in at a nursery in Lodi just before they
closed the other day and asked about bananas. The nursery didn't carry any,
but the fellow there said someone had called to offer him some offsets, and
if I'd call him back the next day, he'd try to find the guy's name and phone
number. Well, I did, and last night I met a very nice young Puerto Rican man
who carefully dug up some offsets for me and bagged them up, gave me detailed
cultural information, and didn't charge me a thing! He said he was just glad
he could give them to someone who would appreciate them. He didn't know the
name of the variety, but said it was one that his family had brought from
Puerto Rico, where his aunt and uncle have a banana plantation. He said he
had probably planted thousands of them in his lifetime. When he originally
said offsets, I had in mind some nice, small-to-medium-sized, potted plants.
What I ended up with was one 10 foot tall banana plant (of "unknown"
variety), which I have planted out in my garden, and two smaller plants of
the same variety which I have potted up in large terracotta pots on my patio.
My patio is getting awfully crowded these days, but I can't seem to part
with any of my babies, so I'm just going to have to make more patio! I'm
thinking a 15-foot wide terrace that completely surrounds the house would be
just about right. That reminds me. My older brother who lives in Washington
State called the other evening as I was sitting out on the patio. He asked
what I was doing, and I said I was just admiring my new banana. He said,
"Isn't it amazing what medical science can do nowadays?"!!
Kurt Mize
Stockton, California
USDA Zone 9
