Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
Banana Tree Facts
Banana Tree Facts. The banana tree, or Musa x paradisiacal, grows in humid, tropical locales and today is the 4th largest fruit crop in the world, reports Purdue University. It originated in the Indo-Malaysian region, which included Northern Australia, and was first carried to Europe around the 10th century A.D.
The banana tree, or Musa x paradisiacal, grows in humid, tropical locales and today is the 4th largest fruit crop in the world, reports Purdue University. It originated in the Indo-Malaysian region, which included Northern Australia, and was first carried to Europe around the 10th century A.D.
History
Portuguese explorers transported the plant to South America in the 1500s. Annual world production is estimated at 28 million tons, with 65 percent of bananas hailing from South America; 27 percent from Southeast Asia; and 7 percent from Africa. Brazil is the leading grower in South America, producing 3 million tons each year, while Colombia and Ecuador are the leading exporters of the fruit.
Weather
Edible bananas thrive only in a region best explained as roughly between latitudes 30°N and 30°S across the globe. They require a mean temperature of 80 F and at least 4 inches of rainfall monthly. The trees suffer if a dry season extends past 3 months. Banana trees grow one leaf monthly during the winter and 4 each month throughout the summer season. A bud may decline to emerge from the stem if low temperatures decide to appear precisely at flowering time.
Environment
Banana trees do not enjoy wind, as it tends to shred their leaves and interfere with the metabolism of the plants. The trees should be semi-sheltered to provide protection from cold and wind. Banana trees tolerate a variety of soils, including loam, rocky sand, marl, red laterite, volcanic ash, sandy clay, and heavy clay, but the earth must be well-drained. The trees thrive in acidic soil, yet lime should be applied if the pH level falls below 5.0.
Pests
A pest known as a nematode exists as the most significant pestilence problem afflicting banana trees worldwide. In Puerto Rico alone, 22 different kinds of nematodes attack the plant, boring into it, causing discoloration and providing entry points for a variety of fungi. Application of nematicides help to control the pests. The black weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus, also called a banana stalk borer or banana weevil borer, is the second most troublesome pest for bananas.
