# Banana Plant???



## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

Hey i was wondering if bananas are safe for darts??? i dont have any darts right now, but i plan on getting tincs in the future. anyways, i've found some banana plants for $4.99 ea. and was wondering if they are safe. i plan on using them in a little "banana grove" on one side with a waterfall with a river going to a small pond on the other side.


----------



## nepenthes (Mar 21, 2010)

Bannanas grow big!!!! I'm not sure about their root structure, but they grow quite large...you'd have to be cutting it down often.


----------



## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

i dont mind cutting it i tend to get bored and look for things to do. the viv i want would be either 1,2 or 3 feet high.


----------



## Deli (Jun 24, 2008)

boabab95 said:


> i dont mind cutting it i tend to get bored and look for things to do. the viv i want would be either 1,2 or 3 feet high.


My friend had a banana plant in his backyard and the leaves on it were about 2-3 feet long. its a HUGE plant.

Just an idea, these are fully grown plants thare are about 5 feet in hight. (i didnt take the pic, just one off google)
http://s4.hubimg.com/u/1816615_f520.jpg


----------



## nepenthes (Mar 21, 2010)

I have very limited knowledge about how they would grow in a terrarium...when grown for fruit, the plant will be cut down after it is harvested to regrow...I'm not sure if the stump remains and it regrows from the side or not... hey give it a try... it's all about experimentation (success and failure) It could turn out te be really cool or a major pain.


----------



## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

are there an plants that look like/grow like bananas???


----------



## carbonetc (Oct 13, 2008)

He might be talking about Nymphoides aquatica, but it's hard to tell.


----------



## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

carbonetc said:


> He might be talking about Nymphoides aquatica, but it's hard to tell.


me??? no, im talking about musa sp.


----------



## Deli (Jun 24, 2008)

boabab95 said:


> me??? no, im talking about musa sp.


Yea, those get big. really, really big.


----------



## ktewell (Dec 17, 2009)

I have a banana "tree" in my greenhouse. It persists underground as a huge rhizome that sends up a new herb each season. It's several years old and currently grows to about 6 feet high, with big draping leaves about 4 feet long.

It would probably take more work than you realize to keep it the size you require, and would be detrimental to the plant. There are so many options for planting a viv that I would recommend just going with something else.


----------



## frogmanroth (May 23, 2006)

boabab95 said:


> Hey i was wondering if bananas are safe for darts??? i dont have any darts right now, but i plan on getting tincs in the future. anyways, i've found some banana plants for $4.99 ea. and was wondering if they are safe. i plan on using them in a little "banana grove" on one side with a waterfall with a river going to a small pond on the other side.


well i don't know why they wouldn't be safe, i put bannanas in my tanks for flies to group up on, and you find many darts in the bannana plantations where they come from


----------



## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

There are miniature cultivars of Bananas that are often sold at Lowes and Home Depot. They get about 2 feet max. If that's what you are seeing it may well work but they all like full sun to do well.


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Harry,

Aren't bananas really heavy feeders that also need pretty high levels of potassium? Is there going to be sufficient levels of nutrients to really support bananas for any real length of time? 

I would also keep in mind that the banana leaves are going to shade a lot of the tank... 

Ed


----------



## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

You're correct Ed. I doubt they would thrive in a terrarium but that may be to one's advantage. Personally I would find something else.


----------



## boabab95 (Nov 5, 2009)

Ed said:


> I would also keep in mind that the banana leaves are going to shade a lot of the tank...
> 
> Ed


i dont mind, i wouldnt be putting much else near the banana, except for maybe ficus pumila and leaf litter. id put more on the other side of the viv.

is there something similar to bananas that i can grow??? i just think it would be cool to have some kind of "grove" on one side


----------



## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

like others have said it will be a pain fitting even musa 'truly tiny' in a tank that size but if your really set on it thats the one i would try.

james


----------



## jdogfunk99 (Oct 16, 2007)

Banana plants vary tremendously in size and type because they grow all around the world. There are a few that are relatively small. Most do well in full sun and high humidity (ie, vivariums). They do best with nutrient rich soil but will do fine with normal soil.


----------



## jschroeder (Mar 19, 2005)

You should look into the smaller dieffenbachia species. They will give you that "banana" look and will lend themselves much better to vivarium culture.


----------

