hello folks,

I have a question for you because I am new to banana plants for my experience since last year. How long does banana seeds can store? A year? Up to two years? etc.

I have some banana seeds but they are a few months old. If not so, I should sow them immediately?

Thanks!

Tim

it is better to start a banana plant from a tissue culture plant, or from a sucker.

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bob

That would be a matter of opinion about seeds vs plants. Seeds are much cheaper if you're just starting out on a short budget, or getting some in the mail from an acquaintance. Another thing is, you don't have to plant them right away like you do live plants. I don't know the answer to the question about how long you can store the seeds, but if they're anything like Canna seeds, they'll last a long time. Then again, plants & pups give you a better start with an already established plant. I like both ways. The thing with tissue culture is they're all the same, where seeds have the chance of producing much diversity. Although most will be the same as the mother plant, some may grow taller, where you may get one to mature earlier, at maybe half the hight. Some may grow faster & stronger than the parent plant. (as well as slower or weaker) And for us more northern banana lovers, you could possibly get one with more cold resistance also.

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Happy Gardening

Tony O.

I do not know if we could start the banana from a seed, actually it is difficult to extract the seeds from the fruit, but if someone did the seed removal, I think it would be a great idea to try some seeds.

But as long as I know, banana fruits do not need a polinizer to fertilize the flower = no seeds, there are something mysterious about the banana, is how it can fertilize its fruits?
That let me agree, may be the seeds are sterile.

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bob

My understanding is the the typical "cavendish" banana was bred to produce a seedless fruit. Whereas many of the "wild" varieties do in fact produce fruit.

Try this link

http://www.banana-tree.com/catalog~StartRow~41~category~13.cfm

This guy sells many different kinds of banana seed. I have had great germination with the seed purchased from him.

I meant ...do in fact produce seed. Why can't we edit posts here?

No problem,

May be you are right, but the idea is no one cares about wild varieties; it is only needed in breeders companies where they use it in preparing new verities.

Now tissue culture plants and tissue culture labs is a very good business by the way.
What do think?

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bob