The banana plant, which is technically a giant herb, grows from a robust underground structure called the corm, or rhizome. This corm is the reproductive powerhouse, constantly producing offshoots known as pups or suckers that emerge from the soil near the mother plant. The continuous production of these offshoots is the plant’s natural mechanism for vegetative reproduction. These pups are genetically identical clones, ensuring the continuation of the banana mat after the main stalk fruits and dies. Deciding whether to remove these developing pups is important, as their presence directly impacts the health and future of the entire banana clump.
Understanding Banana Pups
Banana pups are lateral shoots that sprout from the underground corm, securing the plant’s perennial lifecycle. These offshoots are the primary method of propagation for most cultivated banana varieties. A single corm produces a steady succession of pups over time, forming what is referred to as a “mat” or “clump” of interconnected plants.
There are two main types of banana suckers based on their leaf structure. The “sword pup” is the most desirable, characterized by narrow, pointed leaves that resemble a sword blade. This type indicates a strong connection to the parent corm and a well-developed root system of its own. Less desirable are “water pups,” which have broad, fully opened leaves and are generally weaker, relying more on the mother plant for nutrients and moisture. Sword pups are the preferred choice for both retention and propagation due to their greater vigor.
Criteria for Determining Removal
The decision to remove a banana pup is governed by two horticultural goals: maximizing the quality of the parent plant’s fruit and successful propagation of new plants. Allowing too many pups to remain drains significant energy, water, and nutrients from the main stalk, resulting in smaller, lower-quality fruit bunches. For optimal fruit production on the main plant, select one or two healthy sword pups to serve as “followers,” which will replace the mother stalk after it produces its single bunch of fruit.
The ideal size for a pup to be separated for propagation is between two and six feet tall. Pups smaller than one foot, sometimes called “peeper” suckers, lack the necessary root development and carbohydrate reserves in their corm to survive separation shock. Waiting until the pup has achieved this height and developed its own robust root system ensures it can establish quickly as an independent plant. When selecting pups for removal, prioritize sword pups over the water pups, as the latter often produce inferior fruit and are less likely to thrive after transplanting.
Techniques for Separating Pups
The process of separating a banana pup requires careful execution to minimize damage to both the parent corm and the pup’s developing root system. Begin by clearing the soil away from the base of the pup to locate its connection point to the mother corm. The necessary tool is a sharp, sterilized shovel, spade, or specialized digging bar, which is driven down to sever the physical connection between the two plants.
The cut must be made straight down, aiming to remove a piece of the mother corm along with the pup’s own corm and roots. Avoid cutting at an angle that could slice through the pup’s base. Once the connection is cleanly severed, gently lift the pup from the soil, ensuring a sufficient mass of its own roots remains attached. Minimizing root disturbance to the parent plant is important, so the soil around the mother stalk should be immediately backfilled and watered deeply to aid in its recovery from the procedure.
Utilizing Separated Pups
Separated pups are ready for propagation, allowing the gardener to expand their banana collection. The first step after separation is to prepare the pup by reducing the amount of foliage it must support. This reduction directs the pup’s energy toward root establishment instead of leaf maintenance. This involves trimming all but the newest, central leaf, or sometimes cutting the entire pseudostem down to about a foot in height.
After trimming, plant the pup in a location with well-drained soil amended with organic matter, or pot it in a container with a fresh, sterile potting mix. The pup should be planted at the same depth it was growing while attached to the parent plant. Immediately after planting, water the pup thoroughly and keep it consistently moist, but not waterlogged, during the establishment phase. The newly transplanted pup may wilt for a period, which is a normal sign of transplant shock, but it should recover as its new roots begin to grow.