They look like flower buds to me. Comgratulations!

BTW if the color I'm seeing is correct, I think that your plant may need some fertalizer made for acid loving plants. This would green-up the leaves and benefit the bush over all.

Jview,
How can you tell whether they are flower buds or not?
I have lots of banana shrubs and as far as I can tell the flower buds look the exact same as the buds that the leaves come from. If there is a way to tell them apart then I really want to know!
In my opinion, Sassy, it could be either. I have spent many months checking "flower buds" every day waiting for them to open and then being dissapointed when they ended up being new leaves. Banana shrubs bloom mostly in the spring. You don't have to see them to know if a flower is open. If one of those buds is only part way open then the scent will catch you from 15 feet away. I just wait for the scent to catch me.
Carrie

thanks for the quick reply you guys,i will put fertilizer jview,but is there any particular one i should use? i just bought these two last late summer at a local nuserery as i had been wanting one for a long time,just didn't know what the plants name was till i came to the garden web forums and started asking questions.....thanks alot you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sassy, here is a healthy one. Carrie would love it - the fragrance.

{{gwi:284419}}

from what i have seen, they all look chlorotic when you purchase them from a nursery in containers. after planting out, they should recover (might take a couple of growing seasons to become full) and the leaves will develop the green color and gloss like those in the photo posted by snasxs.

jeff that is a gorgeous bush,i hope mine grows as well as that one.thanks for posting the pic

snasxs,
Do you prune yours to get it in that shape?
Mine are all taller and narrower.
That is a beautiful banana shrub. Mine are awkward looking.

i hope they can be pruned ,i planted 2 of them approximatly 2 feet apart,when i realized they could grow quite big they were already in the ground,have been since late last summer,i would hate to have to move one as i almost don't have anymore room to plant. i thought that maybe both bushes could grow into one big bush,any ideas from any of you?

Carrie, yes I do prune. But as you know, please be careful when pruning "Magnolia-like" small trees. I am sure you know more than I do on this subject.

Sassy, please do not worry about future. Maybe one of them could not make it, and Â