Grand nain banana trees: All to Know About

Grand Nain bananas (also spelled Grande Naine) are Musa acuminata banana cultivars. 

A cultivar is a plant that has been bred for desired traits and is reproduced in each new generation through methods such as grafting, tissue culture, or carefully controlled seed production.

The majority of cultivars are the result of deliberate human manipulation, but some are derived from wild plants with distinct characteristics.

It is a commercial Cavendish banana cultivar and one of the most widely cultivated bananas. 

Cavendish bananas are the fruits of one of several banana cultivars in the AAA banana cultivar group’s Cavendish subgroup. The same term is used to describe the plants that bananas grow on.

It’s also known as the Chiquita banana because it’s Chiquita Brands International’s main product.

‘Gran Nain’ is an excellent banana variety that grows 6 to 8 feet tall and is solid green in color. It is very appealing due to its landscaping potential and high wind resistance. The ‘Gran Nain’ bears enormous heads of delicious fruit. It ripens very quickly.

‘Gran Nain’ can easily produce 40-60 lbs. of fruit. This is the variety available at the supermarket.

It has the ability to produce up to 240 identically sized (approximately 22 cm) fruits that are slightly incurved and point upwards.

The main trunk (the pseudostem) has patches of dark brown, red, or black. The bunch has a distinct appearance, with long and bare rachis terminating in the male flower and contrasted by a bunch of abundant, closely packed fruits.

Growing grand nain banana trees

It is suggested you grow this tree in warm environments such as Florida.

Plant banana plants in Northeast Florida in full sun or partial shade, preferably on the south side of the house and away from frost-prone areas of the landscape and high winds that will damage the foliage.

When it comes to planting these fruitful banana trees in Northeast Florida, one thing cannot be overstated: compost, compost, and more compost!

In fact, the healthiest, most productive banana plants I’ve ever seen are growing right out of the compost pile on our tree farm in St. Johns County, Florida’s Switzerland area.

When planting banana plants, amend the soil generously with compost. Backfill the area around your new banana plant tree with approximately 50 percent compost and 50 percent native soil.

You should do this so it can be removed from the hole while digging your 3 ft. by 3 ft. hole, or even larger if possible.

Place your banana in an area where it can receive supplemental irrigation and away from areas of your landscape that are prone to flooding.

Bananas require soil that is moist but drains well. If you follow these precautions your banana tree will be fruitful and providing.

Maybe to a point where you will not have to shop at the supermarket anymore for bananas and instead have an endless supply of bananas.

How will I know if my grand nain banana trees is it a mature size?

The mature height of a Grand Nain banana plant is 8-10 feet, and the foliage forms a clump 6-8 feet wide.

Can you grow grand nain banana trees indoors?

While most species thrive in warm climates, there are some that can survive in colder climates. If you’re going to plant the banana tree outside, selecting the right planting site is critical to making care simple.

Grow this plant in a location where it will be protected from strong winds, as it is prone to leaf damage.

Prepare your planting area by incorporating compost into the soil. Also, ensure that you have enough space to accommodate the height and spread of your specific species.

The fertilizer recommendation varies depending on the professional you speak with; I suppose we all have our own opinions, and what works best for us is what we continue to use and recommend to others.

Some experts recommend a fertilizer N-P-K ratio of 3:6. (your fertilizer bag would say 6-2-12 or a similar ratio to 3-1-6).

Others recommend using a well-balanced plant food with an N-P-K ratio of 8-10-8. Then, according to other gardening experts, use a 6-6-6 fertilizer.

Banana trees require a lot of water during the growing season (spring to fall). To maintain adequate soil moisture, you may need to water on a daily basis, especially during hot weather.

Throughout the growing season, the plants will also require regular fertilization. Bananas form in late summer in a cluster known as a hand. When the fruit is green but plump, remove it from the stalk and place it in a cool, dry place to finish ripening.

Because banana trees are tropical and grow in rainforests, they require a lot of water and a lot of moisture in the air.

They thrive when planted in clusters that are relatively close to each other, as this helps to lock in moisture in the leaves.

Water on a regular basis to keep the soil evenly hydrated and moist, but not mushy. Overwatering, which could also cause root rot, should be avoided.

How much light do grand nain banana trees need?

Growing indoors can be successful especially if you have the correct lighting for your tree.

Most banana plants prefer full sun, which means at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days. Some varieties, on the other hand, scorch easily and perform best in partial shade.

Understanding Full sun, partial shade, full shade…

Sometimes while reading plant car tips you might have these words and terms thrown around without much explanation of what the terms actually mean.

Since it is relatively simple to select plants depending on the requirements shown on labels, the real challenge becomes determining how much sunlight your yard receives.

This may be more difficult than you anticipate. No matter how good a gardener you are, you have a tendency to grossly overestimate the amount and type of sun an area receives.

The best months to assess sunlight amounts in North America are May through July when deciduous trees have leafed out and the sun is at a high angle in the sky.

Something to keep in mind as well as the idea of choosing a plant that best fits your environment, rather than choosing the plant you want most. 

Simply observing your planting area every 30 minutes or so during daylight hours for a week or two is the best way to judge average sunlight exposure.

Use your observations to calculate the number of hours the area is exposed to direct sunlight, speckled sunlight, or shade.

Once you’ve determined the average amount of sunlight that an area receives, it’s simple to select plants that match the conditions of the site, as indicated on the plant labels.

For a planting space to be regarded as a full-sun destination, it must obtain six to eight hours of direct sun on most days, primarily between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Full sun is probably the most difficult level of exposure to achieve because, while many plants require full sun to set buds and flower, some plants cannot tolerate the intense heat and/or dry conditions that often accompany that much sunlight.

One solution is to place these sensitive plants where they will receive the majority of their sunlight in the morning or late afternoon when temperatures are likely to be cooler.

Plants should grow well if they receive at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day.

What is the process of pruning grand nain banana trees?

Prune the banana tree so that there is only one main stem before it bears fruit. After six to eight months of growth, remove one sucker (small shoot at the base of the stem).

In the following growing season, this plant will take the place of the main stem. After you’ve removed the fruit, cut the main stem down to 2.5 feet. In a few weeks, remove the rest of the stem, leaving the replacement sucker intact.

Banana plants form bunches by blowing up suckers from the underground rhizome. After flowering and fruit formation, the main stem dies and is replaced by side shoots.

Remove the dead center stem and leave one to three well-spaced stems directly connected to a central stem to develop up and replace it. Allowing a large number of suckers to expand will lead to poor fruit production.

Propagating Indoor grand nain banana trees

The division is the most effective method of propagation. To divide banana plants, use a sharp spade to separate the suckers from the rhizome (horizontal underground stem).

Wait until the suckers are at least 3 feet tall and have their own roots before doing this.

Allow the surface of the rhizome section to dry for a day or so after separating a sucker from the parent plant. It will be ready for replanting at this point in any suitable location.

Pests

Banana tree owners must be aware of the various pests and diseases that can affect their trees. The following are examples of pests:

Aphids

Aphids cause curled and shriveled foliage as well as the transmission of other diseases that affect any fruit produced.

Black weevils

If you notice jelly-like sap oozing from the plant, you may have black weevils, which can be controlled with pesticides.

Nematodes

Nematodes are the most common pest of the banana trees causing the plant and fruit to rot.

Mealybugs and red spider mites

Mealybugs and red spider mites are both sap-sucking insects found on banana trees.

Scarring beetle

Scarring beetles infest the plant’s fruit and can be controlled with pesticides.

Thrips

Thrips will stain and split the plant’s fruit peel.

Many diseases affect banana trees in large orchards and are controlled with commercial fungicides and pesticides. When it comes to indoor potted banana trees, keep an eye out for root rot, leaf-spot disease, wilt, and powdery mildew.

Conclusion

The grand nain banana tree is most recommended to be grown in warm environments outdoors, such as Florida, or if you would rather have a grand nain banana tree indoors to follow the directions and precautions above.

Gran nain banana trees make great plants considering they can be propagated. That means your grocery bill may go down a bit and you are always guaranteed bananas

We hope you found this information both insightful and interesting and it encouraged you to grow that grain nain banana tree you have always wanted to.