Banana plant (Nymphoides aquatica)

[blert]

Came back from vacation to find I have finally successfully propagated a Banana plant! It has been almost two months since I buried the leaf in the substrate but I come back to see new leaves and a large root forming. I have second one that I buried at the same time, but it is not doing as well, and I came home to find it broken. I stuck it back in the sand and see if anything comes of it. Here's a pic of the little guy, hopefully it will continue to grow.

 

[WBAC88]

Thats awesome! I love banana plants. I didn't know that they could be propagated. I'll have to try that out at some point. Do you let yours send the runners to the surface? Or do you trim them back?

 

[blert]

I actually just let mine float.
Cut a leaf, leaving about two or three inches of stem. Jam the leaf in the substrate with the stem sticking out. Then you wait.

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

So upside down? I want to try this!

 

[fishdude25]

Can you do this with any plant?

 

[blert]

So upside down? I want to try this!

Yup, leaf in the substrate, stem sticking up.

Can you do this with any plant?

You can propagate any plant. The method depends on the plant.

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Yup, leaf in the substrate, stem sticking up.

You can propagate any plant. The method depends on the plant.

Ok cool, now to cut off a leaf!

 

[blert]

Ok cool, now to cut off a leaf!

Keep in mind, it will take a while. I saw some sprouting from the tip of the stem after a couple of weeks but it has taken nearly two months to get this far. Keep me posted on your progress.

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Ok thanks, hope to see more pics of what it starts to look like on the end of the stem!

 

[blert]

One week later. Looks like it is starting to take off. Both of the older leaves and the root are bigger and there is now a third leaf. I wonder when I am supposed to cut it from the "mother" leaf. I am going to have to do something about the algae on the glass very soon.

 

[blert]

Another week gone by. Another leaf and a new root. Yay! It broke itself off of the original leaf so I guess I don't have to worry about when to do that.

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Oh cool,

 

[blert]

Another week, another update.

Is getting larger, more roots. It is about impossible to see in the pic but there is now two or three tiny little nubs growing that I am hoping is the start of it's "banana bunch".