Banana 'Dwarf Cavendish' at LCG (photo credit: Graham Bond)
Banana 'Dwarf Cavendish'
Musa acuminata
Musaceae family
The name ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ is in reference to the height the tree’s stem, not the fruit. Compared to other Banana varieties, the Cavendish Banana has a mild flavour, which you will likely be familiar with because the Cavendish Banana accounts for almost all commercial banana production. T
The fruit is ready to be harvested once the bananas lose their ridges, become more rounded, and when the black withered remains of the flowers at the end of the bananas are dry and crumbly. Choose between harvesting the whole bunch at once, or stagger the harvest over time by cutting hands from the bottom of the bunch. Colour change indicates ripening - the bananas will taste better if left to ripen on the tree, but there will be more risk of being eaten by marauders.
Tree Maintenance
Pruning
Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV)
BBTV is the most devastating viral disease of Bananas worldwide, spread by the Banana Aphid. Using a magnifying glass, regularly inspect the back of the banana leaves for darker lines hooking into the ribs. When the disease is more advanced each new leaf becomes shorter, narrower and stands more upright giving a bunched-leaf appearance. Detection of BBTV is required to be notified to the Department of Primary Industries – if unsure, call the Bunchy Top Hotline on 1800 068 371.
Musa acuminata
Musaceae family
The name ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ is in reference to the height the tree’s stem, not the fruit. Compared to other Banana varieties, the Cavendish Banana has a mild flavour, which you will likely be familiar with because the Cavendish Banana accounts for almost all commercial banana production. T
The fruit is ready to be harvested once the bananas lose their ridges, become more rounded, and when the black withered remains of the flowers at the end of the bananas are dry and crumbly. Choose between harvesting the whole bunch at once, or stagger the harvest over time by cutting hands from the bottom of the bunch. Colour change indicates ripening - the bananas will taste better if left to ripen on the tree, but there will be more risk of being eaten by marauders.
Tree Maintenance
Pruning
- After the fruit has been harvested the main stem should be cut down to around 2m high (it will continue to feed the rest of the plant). Once the stem has started to disintegrate, cut it off close to the ground.
- Cull all suckers close to the ground except one to two ‘sword suckers’ to replace the main stem (a ‘sword sucker’ will have narrower leaves than the broad leaf suckers). This means the plant will put energy into fruit production instead of excess leafy suckers, as well as ensuring succession of stems.
- Remove dead and yellowing leaves (a sign of fungus) regularly.
- Banana plants need plenty of water, but do not like to be waterlogged. Water every day during periods of extreme heat or drought.
- Spring: compost around drip line, poultry manure.
- Autumn: compost around drip line, sulphate of potash, poultry manure.
- Bagging the bunches is optional but will help keep the birds and bats off, keep the bananas clean, and will enable quicker ripening.
Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV)
BBTV is the most devastating viral disease of Bananas worldwide, spread by the Banana Aphid. Using a magnifying glass, regularly inspect the back of the banana leaves for darker lines hooking into the ribs. When the disease is more advanced each new leaf becomes shorter, narrower and stands more upright giving a bunched-leaf appearance. Detection of BBTV is required to be notified to the Department of Primary Industries – if unsure, call the Bunchy Top Hotline on 1800 068 371.
Banana 'Dwarf Cavendish' at LCG August 2022 (photo credit: Graham Bond)
