Musa Ornata 'Aurea' x sikkimensis banana

.....anyone heard of this hybrid?, I've managed to order some seed for it, just to see how it goes... Apparently an 'unstable' hybrid in so much that the resulting seedlings could be more like either parent plant or a mix of both, just hope I can get the seed to germinate , I've never had much luck with banana seed, but I keep trying

 

Let us know how you get on Bilbo. I have been looking at banana seeds - but am put off by other peoples difficulties.

I have just looked at a Hardy Tropicals page, which says that for seeds of Ensete ventricosum (and perhaps for others), you need to germinate at 30C to 35 C. It says 25C is not enough. http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/page.php?id=37

Just found this as well - I think from the USA

 

Thanks guys, I think I will try sowing them straight away when they arrive, I have a heated propagator which I could turn up to the max as they'll be on their own or a cupboard in the kitchen where the boiler is which very warm (its warm enough to have just germinated my coconuts )....I'm guessing plenty of light is only an issue once they've germinated?, so the cupboard is an option?

 

I'd put them in a plastic zip-lock bag with some suitable compost - something open so they get air (sphagnum moss perhaps, or a vermiculite / seed sowing compost mix, properly moist but certainly no water coming out when you clench a fistful as tight as you can).

Before that pre soak them (whatever the consensus is, but "a few days", refreshing them with new hand-hot water several times a day).

Then I'd put them wherever you have the best temperature. In a closed boiler cupboard sounds good. Stick a Max/Min thermometer in there so you are sure its maintaining a sufficient temperature.

Examine them daily and as soon as they chit (shoot appears) then plant them individually in 2" - 3" pots. They may range from a week or two for the first ones to a several months for the stragglers

My only other suggestion is to buy a lot more seeds than you need plants. 10% germination is usually regarded as good, you might only get 1% ... so from 100 seeds you might get 10, or 1 ... and from 10 seeds you might well get nothing - and then not know if the seed is duff etc.

Fresh seed is usually considered a benefit, so might be worth asking the supplier to let you know when they get fresh seed in (or buying from abroad direct - if you can get good recomendations for a supplier).

I grew 4 x Musa sikkimensis from about 10 seeds - but I reckon I got lucky.

Nothing beats having them in a conservatory the first year and telling your friends they are Bananas you have grown from seed and are only 3 months old (by which time Spring-germinated plants will probably be 6' tall!!)

 

Ah ha, its a hybrid, what do they always say about hybrids?.. they dont come true from seed.
So it's not actually "unstable", its just the seed sellers method of removing themselves from the outcome.

I agree its nice to try them Bilbo, but I do think seed seller come out with some "pony".

 

Very true Pete, to be honest they are supposed be fresh seed and they're not a bad price at £1.99 for 12 seeds, I'll just be glad to get any banana to grow from seed

Kristen, thanks for the advice I will certainly give that a go

 

If they don't take and you want to have another go you might like to try seed from Trebrown Nurseries, in Cornwall. They aren't showing any stock at present but back in September they listed Musa sikkimensis as £8.52 / 100

 

Recieved my seed today and was pleasantly surprised to get almost 30 seeds in the packet instead of the 12 I paid for

Strange seeds too, the banana seeds I've tried in the past have been like larger canna seed but these are more like small crocus corms, but hard?, the base of the 'seed' and the point where hopefully the shoot will come from are obvious..

Here we go then, yet another attempt at growing bananas from seed

 

Bilbo where did you get the from?

 

Hi Sal; they were from an Ebay seller, I know some people are a bit wary of Ebay sellers but I've bought quite a few seeds and plants off there and never had a problem. Here's a link, he still has some more listed on there, £1.99 for 20 seeds (not 12 as I originally thought, I still got more anyway );

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Musa-Orna...arden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item43b5b93b00

 

Update.......

I sowed the above banana seed around 16th November and popped them on top of the boiler in our kitchen cupboard, there they stayed for the next 6 weeks being checked regularly. Nothing at all right up to beginning of this month, I was starting to think that banana seeds will forever be my nemesis , but then I remembered about removing them from warmth for a day or so and then moving them back.

Had to be worth a try so I popped them on a shelf in the kitchen and moved them back after about 36 hours, I checked them after a couple of days and to my amazement 3 had germinated , so I moved them out again after a few more days and then back again and a few days later more had germinated, I now have 7 poking through..........finally, either through luck, coincidence or other I have defeated this horticultural enemy ..........................just need to grow them on now

 

Update....well out of the 7 that germinated only one survives today and for months it was doing very little but all of a sudden its doubled in size in the last 2 weeks and looking very good now

 

Another update......hard to believe this is the same plant, its developed some amazing leaf markings, I'm very pleased with its progress