Banana trees are large, beautiful tropical plants that produce edible banana fruits. They bear fruit only once during their lifetime, and they require a great deal of care and proper growing conditions to reach maturity and produce healthy, delicious bananas. Compared to many other crops that bear fruit quickly, banana trees take more time before reaching the fruiting stage.
When Do Banana Trees Bear Fruit?
Banana trees typically take around nine months to produce fruit under ideal conditions,[1] though they may take between 10 and 20 months, and sometimes even longer.
Banana trees are usually planted using suckers (shoots) taken from an older banana plant rather than seeds, as growing from seeds requires much more time. If planted from seeds, you will wait significantly longer for growth and fruiting.
Planting with suckers—stems or shoots taken from the mother plant—saves a lot of time until fruiting. It is recommended to choose narrow-leaf suckers, as they tend to produce fruit faster.
The best time to cut and plant suckers is during the spring season.
Harvesting Banana Fruits
Once the bananas are fully mature, they can be harvested. Ripeness is determined by the shape of the fruits, which should be rounder and fuller.
To harvest, cut the entire cluster-bearing stalk while it is still green. Do not wait until the stalk turns yellow, as it will begin to rot quickly.
After cutting the stalk, hang it in a dark place to allow the bananas to ripen and turn yellow, indicating they are ready to eat.
It is important to cut the entire fruiting stalk from the tree so that other shoots can grow and produce fruits, as each banana stem produces only one fruit bunch.
After Harvest: New Growth
After harvest, the main banana stem naturally dies, but this does not mean the grower must plant seeds again. New suckers and small stems will appear near the base of the plant.
These suckers should be cut and replanted in separate soil to grow new banana trees.
It is also recommended to keep one or two suckers attached to the mother plant so they can take its place and produce the next crop.
Important Tips for Better Banana Production
Here are essential tips for obtaining high-quality banana fruits:
- Banana trees are tropical, meaning they need high heat and humidity to grow well. Exposure to cold weather slows growth and may damage the plant.
- Banana trees require strong light to grow properly. Insufficient light slows growth and delays fruiting.
- Bananas need nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.
- If the tree’s growth is slow, you can speed it up by applying fertilizer once a week. Choose a fertilizer that is rich in potassium.
