Awesome pics! Its still early in the summer so I really think its possible to get some fruit if you get a late frost again! I noticed my bananas are growing faster than ever with this heat! My ice cream banana pushed up 1 entire leaf in 3 days (it took almost a week for the leaf to show though)
Thanks for sharing!
-Alex

I gotta say those bananas look cool. Its amazing what the really warm nights can do. Wet and warm soil and lots of hot sun leave some plants no choice but to thrive. Jim you're going bananas. lol.

I look forward to tasting them (LOL)

Really should be cool!-not the weather!

I always have grown Bananas for foliage but after
seeing one flower last year I have been very intrigued
with the idea of getting Bananas.
After seeing how fast the fruit develops I was thinking that
maybe if they fruited in July......they would have time to develop!

I guess I got my wish!
I will of course keep you guys posted...........

Nice pics, can't wait to see the follow ups. Just wish one of mine would flower or fruit.

My Himalayan flowered once several years ago. --It was stunning even though this variety's fruit is not edible. I usually have mine in the ground but this year kept them containerized. Glad I did as I think it must be really hard to keep them well enough watered when in the ground during drought conditions--ground just seems to suck up all available moisture. Currently growing Himalayan, Chinese Yellow, Basjoo, Bordelon, Giant Plantain, some dwarfs, and Raja Puri. My favorite's got to be the Himalayan as it was the only one that did actually flower.

I stick to edible fruit, it makes it even that much more exciting. Some dealers sell bananas that are ornamental, they can keep them, I like the real thing.

Yea,part of the reason flowering never concerned me was
that mine were ornamental anyway...but another is,I had
never seen one flower close up-it is different when it is one
of your babies!
These are edible bananas too!
With how early this plant is flowering,there is a good chance
I will see the fruit develop AND ripen(-:

Looks like this variety only takes 2 years(summers) to flower
from the time it is separated from Mom.

I understand what you're saying about having 'edible' fruit, keep in mind however, that the fruit may be described as inedible in some case because it is heavily seeded. As far as "the real thing" Greg, keep in mind that the seeded banana is the real (i.e., natural) one, the seedless, sterile one was created by man. But I do have potentially non-seeded, 'edible' varieties--the Dwarf Cavendish is supposed to be relatively easy as is the Raja Puri. The other edible one I have is the Giant Plantain but doubt that one'll fruit for me. I found this interesting article on the problems we've created by keeping our bananas sexless and sterile clones for thousands of years. Thought it would be of general interest to all the banana aficionados out there.

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0719-02.htm

Jim, I see its already 97 there and I bet if you keep them wet - bananas like it wet, warm and fertile - they will be large enough to harvest green in the fall and ripen on a window sill. In PR my friend had a farm and the banana plants loved to grow in swampy wet locales. Of course each variety has their own requirements. They should grow fast and do like warm nights to grow.

Yes NJoasis, the man-made sterile plants are just so you can keep returning to the company to buy more and not be independant. Monsanto tried to introduce the suicide gene (seeds will not germinate say if you buy there cucumbers)to all farm plants so we would need to always go to them for seeds or plants. Those cucumbers it produces will have Sterile seeds. Google it. People were outraged and its on hold for now. It literally corners the world food markets. Look at the bigger picture.

I have been keeping the sprinkler on during the heat
of the day so the plants can charge ahead.

The flower is just beginning to poke out now,with this heat
it should come out fast,hopefully by Aug 1 it will be opening it's
first petals for the flowers to be pollinated(-:

The mean temp(avg)for the day was 91F!

Nice pics Jim!

how much sun does your thai giant get? Mine is about the size of yours and gets roughly 7 hours. The leaves seem to get sunburned and dry up pretty quickly after they fully open.

Mike

Probably from 9:30-2pm,I moved it from the west side of
the yard in case it was to warm this year(-:

Perfect spot for it really for max sized leaves.
I grew my big leaved Castor beans there a few years ago,
so I new it was a good spot.

Fantastic Jim! great photos! But SHHHHHH... dont tell mr banana dude tho. ;-)

Awesome job!

Haha
Here is an update on my Banana plant that flowered.
The one next to it is flowering too!
I always wondered if they flowered by say.....mid
to late July if it would be possible for the fruit
to ripen.
I guess I will get my answer this year!
Here are some pics from 7-29-11

Second Banana plant flowering







Thanks for looking-I'll let you know when the Banana splits are ready-hopefully not served with Pumpkin pie.(embarrassed)

awsome job dude !!

Really cool, let me know how they taste!

Edible variety?

Im speechless! Your banana are doing amazing! I cant wait to see them fruit and then pretend that my bananas are also 12+ feet tall and fruiting! I guess when most people are carving pumpkins, you'll be cutting hands of bananas off your plants! If it wasn't for those winter pics of your yard and for the fact that I know you live in Iowa, I would definitely be thinking you have frost free winters!
-Alex

Nice bananas! I hope they thaste good!
Can someone help me with my banana? They are turning black.I have no Idea why. I dont have any experience with bananas so I dont know why they are doing this.
Thanks!
-Hunter

If I were to guess, I would say its probably in shock. It did a lot of traveling! I dont think it will hurt the plant and I do think you still still get some bananas out of the deal!
-Alex

It really is stunning how fast these grow,I already need to post another pic!

They really move fast-esp in 100F weather with plenty of water.

Flower 2 days ago-

The Bananas 2 days ago-

Pretty cool!