Baby banana plant!

[PaleoFishGirl]

I was cleaning the tank today and pruning some plants when I noticed a floating lily pad that wasn't attached to a plant. I picked it up to check it out, when I discovered this cool thing.

I have this weird banana lily that has long, skinny 'bananas' instead of the normal, well, banana-shaped ones. I guess this is how that plant propagates? There's a little bunch of 'bananas' under the floating leaf and the bunch is sending out a leaf of its own (the out of focus little guy coming out towards the screen). The stem to the left of the photo is only a couple of inches long and wasn't attached to the parent plant anymore. Too cool!

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[BigDaddy]

If you can get it to the size of the mother plant, that's instant AHAP points for you!

[Seanc]

sory if this is totoal thread stealing. but all you have to do is get a plant to make a baby that is the same size as it, or a little bit smaller?
what about plants like val, or chain sword?or is it only for large swords and stuff like that?
thanks
sean

[PaleoFishGirl]

If you can get it to the size of the mother plant, that's instant AHAP points for you!

Can you still get AHAP points if you don't know what species of plant it is? I haven't been able to figure this one out (seems to be a recurring theme with me).

[mseguin]

Isn't it Nymphoides aquatica?

[PaleoFishGirl]

Nope, N. aquatica has curved, fleshy, banana-shaped 'bananas.'  This plant has long, thin, stringier 'bananas.'  It obviously propagates differently, too - my 'regular' banana lilies propagate off of the main banana cluster.

[Seanc]

hey you wanna toss one of thoughs babys over here? I wouldent mind one. it looks very cool. i will trade you a plantlet of  E. Grandiflorus ssp. aureus, for one from that bannana plant?
good job on geting it to propogate like that.

[artw]

Hey PFG: we'll have to add "Aquatic Horticulturalist" under your avatar as well. Big Daddy clearly isn't the only one here who can propogate plants

[mseguin]

But if the "bananas" are a storage mechanism, could differences in nutrient/light availability result in a different appearance?

[mseguin]

Look up Nymphoides indica and see how that looks.

[PaleoFishGirl]

But if the "bananas" are a storage mechanism, could differences in nutrient/light availability result in a different appearance?

I have the two different 'species' in the same tank with the same light & nutrients, though... also they seem to be propagating very differently.

When I first got the plants, I looked up as many different Nymphoides species as I could and never found a similar photo. Of course, now Matt sends me this link:



... looks like the same plant! N. indica it is Thanks, Matty!

EDIT: Okay, what is going on with IMG tags, lately? Here's the actual link since the image doesn't seem to want to post.

[succinctfish]

Nice green thumb there PFG.  I pruned a floating leaf off my banana plant(nymphoides aquatica), the leaf looked so healthy that I decided to float it to see if it would develop roots,and that's just what happened.  The "bananas" in the floating leaf were much thinner, just as yours are in the picture.  It is happily growing in one of the tanks, as is the second one I did that with. I've found it doesn't always work, some leaves don't want to become new banana plants.

[PaleoFishGirl]

Cool, good to know!! That's weird that the 'bananas' are thinner... makes me wonder about my 'different species' theory

[BigDaddy]

The AHAP rules do state that you can still submit a plant even if you are unclear of the exact genus of the plant.

As long as someone can verify that the propagated plant looks like the motherplant, and meets the other AHAP rules about propagation, you will get points.  The AHAP coordinator will likely give you points equivalent to a banana plant.

[Seanc]

wow i want one. that is the coolest bannana plant i have seen

[BigDaddy]

I have the two different 'species' in the same tank with the same light & nutrients, though... also they seem to be propagating very differently.

When I first got the plants, I looked up as many different Nymphoides species as I could and never found a similar photo. Of course, now Matt sends me this link:



... looks like the same plant! N. indica it is Thanks, Matty!

EDIT: Okay, what is going on with IMG tags, lately? Here's the actual link since the image doesn't seem to want to post.

Image tags work a lot better when you have the right URL  

[PaleoFishGirl]

Can I blame my ineptitude on being really, really sick (not too sick to keep me off OVAS, of course, but sick enough to have to go home from work at 11) ?

[babblefish1960]

Sure you can, none of us will believe you possibly, but if you ever want instruction on the computer stuff, just ask, I'm sure I can help sort you out you sickie you.

[PaleoFishGirl]

hey you wanna toss one of thoughs babys over here? I wouldent mind one. it looks very cool. i will trade you a plantlet of  E. Grandiflorus ssp. aureus, for one from that bannana plant?

Sure - I only have one but you're welcome to it