They perform best in USDA growing zones 9-10, but can grow in zones 8-11. Still, it’s best not to test their cold tolerant status too much. That’ much, much colder than other bananas can take! In fact, they’re so cold tolerant that they can survive with a protective wrap down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. So be sure your bananas get ample amounts of sunlight.īlue java bananas are much more cold tolerant than other banana varieties. While they can tolerate partial shade, they just won’t grow as vigorously. They prefer 8-12 hours of sunlight a day. You’ll definitely want to provide full sun conditions for your banana trees. Read through to figure out the best conditions for your plant! Sun and Temperature Source: StarrĬaring for them is pretty easy as long as you give them the right start. Blue Java Banana Care The banana leaves are long and very large. In California they average 12-15 feet tall, and in tropical regions can reach heights of 20 feet. While there are many dwarf banana species, this is not one of them. Once the fruit turns yellow and ripe, the false stem can be cut back to the corm, and one of these new pups can take over for the next growth spurt. Around the outside of the blue java plant, more offshoots or “pups” will form from the corm. Ice cream banana plant can take 15-24 months after planting to put up its first main stem. At this point, the remaining flower can be cut away so that the plant can focus on its fruit. Each hand of ice cream bananas will form under its petal until no more petals open. As they grow, they’re blue bananas, really pretty on the plant. Those are what eventually become the fruit. Each petal will gradually peel back and form a shade for the small collection of banana flowers underneath. It is on this true stem that a single large flower will develop. This grows through the center of the main stalk and then out, hanging off to one side. When the blue java banana is about to fruit, it sends up a thick stem called the true stem. This stalk is actually a cylinder of tightly-packed banana leaves that grow directly up from the corm. The rhizome produces one main stalk called the false stem that forms the “trunk” of the banana “tree”. This base extends about 18” into the ground before producing roots. It’s reputed to be a vanilla custard type of flavor, and definitely worth eating!īlue java bananas grow, as all bananas do, from a rhizomatic corm. It’s often called the ice cream banana because they taste like ice cream. Still, with Musa acuminata in the lineage of the ABB group, the blue java banana does get a delicious dessert flavor. So it’s interesting that such a gooey and rich dessert banana would come from that stock! Musa balbisiana is the species used most commonly for cooking bananas such as plantains. Musa acuminata is more commonly known as the Cavendish banana, or any number of Cavendish-related cultivars thereof. They take one set of chromosomes from Musa acuminata and two from Musa balbisiana. Three letters are used to indicate how much of each species is present in the hybrid.īlue java bananas are part of the ABB group. These are classified into groups that reference either Musa acuminata or M. Leaf spot, Panama disease, banana bunchy top disease, banana mosaic virusĪll edible bananas are hybrids of two species: Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Well-draining, pH 5.5-7.0, free from fusariumĨ-10-8 to 10-10-10 for growth, 10-10-15 for fruitingĪphids, spider mites, thrips, root knot nematodes, coquito, mealybugs, black weevils Musa acuminata x Musa balbisiana, ABB group Source: Starr Common Name(s)īlue java banana, ice cream banana, Hawaiian banana, blue banana Quick Care Guide Before they’re ripe, the blue java banana has a bluish tinge to its fruit. Good Products At Amazon For Growing Blue Java Banana: So let’s talk about the ice cream banana plant and how to care for it! The flower is astounding, and the fact that you get fresh fruit from it so much the better. These plants are a fantastic addition to any food garden, but they’re pretty amazing even if you just want a tropical paradise in your yard. While they grow naturally in Hawaii or other tropical regions, more and more people in warm climates are starting to grow their own blue java bananas. Slightly gooey in comparison to other banana types, these are rapidly gaining popularity around the world. And did I mention that it tastes like vanilla ice cream? An ice cream banana is initially blue while on the plant, but ripens into a creamy yellow color. But the blue java banana, also called ice cream bananas, is an incredible fruit. Ice cream banana? It sounds almost too good to be true.
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