Rain Forest Gardener » Banana http://www.rainforestgardener.com Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:06:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Ravenala madagascariensis the Travelers Palm http://www.rainforestgardener.com/ravenala-madagascariensis-the-travelers-palm/ http://www.rainforestgardener.com/ravenala-madagascariensis-the-travelers-palm/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:44:12 +0000 Eric http://www.rainforestgardener.com/?p=91

Scientific Name: Ravenala madagascariensis. Common Name: ‘Travelers Palm’. Not really a palm but related to the banana family.

From Ravenala madagascariensis

Can grow to 30+ feet in height in tropical and subtropical regions. Native to Madagascar. Good container plant in the first few years. After that it can get kind of big..

Flowers with seeds appear after about 4 years of growth.

From Ravenala madagascariensis
From Ravenala madagascariensis
From Ravenala madagascariensis

Easily produced from seed and is very fast growing. Seeds require warm temperature to germinate.Most will germinate in warm soil within 60 to 90 days. However some seeds take a year or longer to germinate.
So keep watering the seeds.

A easy germination method is to get a plastic bag and add moist peat moss. Then put them in a warm area, that does not get direct sunlight. As seeds sprout gently plant them in a large container. Give it some shade for the first year. Then it needs full sun.

Likes rich, moist but well-drained soil and a sunny spot in a hot climate. Should be sheltered from strong winds.

For USDA Zones 10 – 11

Unless you want it as a container plant. Move it inside for the winter in cold areas. It does not like cold.

Articles You May Enjoy:

]]> http://www.rainforestgardener.com/ravenala-madagascariensis-the-travelers-palm/feed/ 0