Musa coccinea seed
LATIN NAME: Musa coccinea
COMMON NAME: Scarlet Banana
The scarlet banana stands out even among the bold plants of the tropics. The stout, upright plant with the big, paddle-shaped, glossy leaves carries the erect heads of the brilliant scarlet-orange bracts, and the small, yellow flowers nestle within the bracts, to be followed by the small, round, yellow-orange fruits. The plant is one of the great ornamental bananas, flowering young and keeping its vivid colour for weeks, and it is a fine, bold presence of the warm garden and the large conservatory. It is a plant of the deep, rich, well-drained ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Botanists keep coming back to the scarlet banana for the erect heads of the brilliant scarlet-orange bracts and the small, yellow flowers within. The way the plant flowers young and keeps its colour for weeks has been studied at length, and it keeps showing up in the work on the ornamental bananas, the tropical plants and the members of the banana family. The big, paddle-shaped, glossy leaves and the stout, upright habit have also made it a fine garden plant, and the scarlet banana is a regular subject of the studies of the flowering plants of the warm world.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
The scarlet banana brings a bold touch of the tropics to the warm garden. The brilliant scarlet-orange bracts are one of the great colour shows of the warm months, holding their vivid heads for weeks, and the big, paddle-shaped leaves give the plant its bold, generous presence in the border, the courtyard and the large container. The small, round fruits draw the birds of the tropics, and the plant is a fine, easy choice for the conservatory and the sheltered warm wall. It has been written about in the horticultural papers for the scarlet bracts and the fast, bold ways, and it is a fine, long-lived plant of the deep, rich, well-drained garden.
The scarlet banana is one of the great ornamental bananas, flowering young and keeping its brilliant scarlet-orange bracts for weeks. The big, paddle-shaped, glossy leaves give the plant its bold, generous presence in the warm border, the courtyard and the large container, and the small, round fruits draw the birds of the tropics.
To grow the scarlet banana from seed, press the large, round seeds a centimetre deep into pots of moist, free-draining soil, keep them in a warm, bright spot and water gently. The seedlings push through within a few weeks and grow on steadily. With the warmth, the shelter and the rich, well-drained ground, the scarlet heads will open through the warm season.
Beautiful plant with reddish green stems that become papery with age. 3 ft. long, waxy, green leaves and spirals of 3/4″ tubular flowers. Grows to a height of about 5 ft. Excellent inside container plant, and makes and excellent cut flower.