Banana trees/plants

[texastkc]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of building my bog filter. I have elephant ears and cannas and caladiums to put in there. I really want to put my banana tree in the bog as I understand they often are found in natural bogs in areas. I'm in zone 8 a/b (right on the cusp). We are doing the 12" inch pea gravel bog. Has anyone done a banana tree in that shallow of a bog? The garden center said I wouldn't have to winterize the tree but growing it in a bog filter might give a different answer as the garden center hadn't heard of growing them in a bog.

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

 

[Mmathis]

Sorry, but I am not much of an experimenter when it comes to plants.

 

[mrsclem]

Not sure how big your bog is going to be but the banana plants can get huge-- mine is over 10' right now. Maybe just plant it next to the pond to act as shade.

 

[j.w]

Well this site says they can grow in tidal mud flats so I'm thinking perhaps they could grow in a bog but not sure about that shallow as a big wind might topple such a big tree right over. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/musa-banana-trees-22539.html

Soil and Climate

Musa banana species have from 200 to 500 fibrous roots that may extend up to 16 feet laterally and 5 feet deep. Their roots may form tangled mats that "float" in waterlogged soil. They like deep soil with an acidity of pH 5.5 to 7.5 and do not thrive in shallow, rocky or dry soil. They like full sun but can tolerate shade up to 80 percent. They generally recover from frost damage, but you should protect them with mulch. They tolerate salt spray and can even bear fruit when they grow in tidal mud flats.Tall cultivars may topple if they subjected to winds of 25 to 45 miles per hour when they are bearing fruit. Their large leaves evaporate a large amount of water, so they do not grow well in areas with a dry season of three months or more. Drought can cause the leaves to burn at the edges, and they will grow slowly.

 

[texastkc]

Thanks all, this has been more helpful than what I was finding in my google searches.

 

[malibu73]

I saw this the other day when reading up on my bog build.

Wetland Filtration Offers Simple Path to Clear Water - POND Trade Magazine

I have been preaching these words for more than 20 years, and it rings true now more than ever. Pond construction as an industry continues to grow and develop, and practices like wetland filtration continue to evolve into more functional, easy-maintenance solutions. These solutions help us...

www.pondtrademag.com

" When you are finished with the construction of the wetland, there are a few things to remember. First, locate the Snorkel Vault away from the pond edge and higher than water level by 6 inches. Eventually, the sediment loads within the gravel bed can build up and create enough hydraulic pressure that the path of least resistance is up through the Snorkel Vault and out the top. This can cause an edge leak if the Snorkel Vault is right on the edge of the wetland. Often times, the added pressure in the gravel bed will just push more water out of the waterfall on top of the wetland, but this is not always the case — we learned this the hard way. We also like to be sure to keep the liner 12 inches higher than water level all the way around the outside edge of the wetland. Again, the sediment loads within the gravel bed can build up and create enough hydraulic pressure that the path of least resistance is up between the liner and the edge boulders around the outside of the wetland. This happens mostly when we use plants in the wetland that are too large for its size. We have grown plants like banana trees up to 20 feet tall in our wetlands, and I don’t recommend it, because they can cause these types of issues. We also learned this the hard way! "

 

[texastkc]

Thanks! I have decided it will stay in a pot. I may not get the maximum value out of it like I originally planned but better than messing up the bog. I wish I had a good place to plant it near the pond, but that's not a good plan either.

 

[ReneeFLL]

If you are wanting a smaller banana plant try Going Bananas in Homestead, Florida. They have a ton of different varieties.