The Blue Java banana is a cultivar celebrated for its unique dessert qualities. This plant is known by several appealing names, including ‘Ice Cream’ banana and ‘Ney Mannan’, due to its creamy texture and subtle vanilla-like flavor. The fruit is easily identifiable in its unripe stage by a characteristic silvery-blue peel, a hue that transitions to a pale yellow as it reaches maturity.
Establishing the Plant: Location and Soil Needs
Selecting the correct site requires a minimum of six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily to produce fruit effectively. Although the Blue Java is relatively cold-tolerant, it thrives in warm conditions, with optimal temperatures ranging between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Its large, broad leaves are susceptible to tearing in high winds, so a location offering wind protection, such as near a structure or a windbreak, is beneficial.
The Blue Java is a rapid grower, necessitating a deep, rich planting medium high in organic matter. Soil must be well-draining, as the plant’s rhizome system is prone to root rot if left in standing water. An ideal soil composition is a loamy or sandy loam that can hold moisture yet allows excess water to escape freely.
Growers should aim for a soil pH that is slightly acidic to neutral, ideally ranging between 5.5 and 7.0. Before planting, the site should be generously amended with compost or aged manure to enrich the topsoil. For heavy clay soils, incorporating materials like perlite or coarse sand is necessary to improve drainage and ensure proper root development.
Daily Maintenance: Watering and Feeding
Consistent and deep watering is required for the Blue Java banana, as its pseudostem and leaves are composed of roughly 80% water. During the active growing season, the plant may require deep watering daily or every other day, depending on the heat and humidity. The goal is to keep the soil consistently moist but never saturated, which requires applying up to four inches of water per month.
Drip irrigation or a soaker hose delivers water slowly and deeply to the root zone without wetting the foliage, mitigating the risk of fungal issues. Water requirements should be scaled back during the cooler winter months when the plant enters a period of reduced growth or dormancy. Monitoring the soil moisture at a depth of four to six inches helps prevent the cycle of overwatering followed by drying out.
The Blue Java is a heavy feeder and requires a frequent fertilization schedule to support its growth rate. During its initial vegetative stage, a balanced fertilizer with a slightly higher phosphorus content, such as an 8-10-8 NPK ratio, is appropriate. Once the plant nears maturity and the true stem begins to emerge, the feeding regimen must shift to a formula high in potassium to support fruit development.
A high-potassium fertilizer, such as a 10-10-20 or one with a 3-1-6 ratio, should be applied monthly or bi-weekly during periods of rapid growth. Fertilizer should be distributed evenly around the base of the plant, extending out to the drip line, and immediately watered in to prevent burning the roots. Fertilization should cease as temperatures drop and the plant slows its growth for the winter.
Managing Growth: Pruning and Winter Protection
De-suckering is essential for maximizing fruit quality. The banana plant grows from a central rhizome, producing offshoots that compete with the main pseudostem for water and nutrients. Allowing too many suckers to grow will dilute the plant’s energy, resulting in smaller, inferior fruit bunches.
The recommended practice is to maintain a “mother” plant and select one or two strong followers to produce the subsequent year’s crop. Excess suckers should be cleanly sliced off at the base of the corm to concentrate the plant’s energy into the fruiting stem. Removing dead or yellowed leaves also helps maintain plant health, though any green leaf should be left intact as it continues to photosynthesize.
The Blue Java’s cold hardiness allows it to survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In cooler climates where the temperature drops below freezing, the plant should be cut back to a height of one to three feet after the first hard frost. The base of the plant must then be covered with a deep layer of organic mulch to insulate the underground rhizome and protect the dormant growth point.
For growers in colder zones, the entire corm can be dug up before the first freeze. The pseudostem should be cut back to a manageable size, and the corm can be stored in a cool, dark, and dry location that maintains a temperature between 40 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This method ensures the plant remains dormant until it can be replanted in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.
From Flower to Harvest
The journey from planting a sucker to harvesting a bunch of fruit typically takes 15 to 24 months. Fruiting begins when the plant sends the true stem up through the center of the pseudostem, culminating in a large, purple flower bud known as the bell. As the bell opens, female flowers form hands of fruit that develop in clusters.
Once the flowering process is complete, the remaining male flower bud is removed to direct all energy into the developing fruit. The fruit requires an additional 90 to 150 days to mature on the plant from the time the bell emerges. Growers should look for the bananas to plump up and for the first hand to show a color shift from the characteristic silvery-blue to a pale yellow-green.
The entire bunch should be harvested when the first hand begins to change color. After cutting, the bunch is typically hung in a cool, shaded area to allow the individual fingers to finish ripening. The Blue Java’s creamy texture and hint of vanilla flavor will fully develop during this final ripening stage indoors.