A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Fruit Forum Growing Bananas at the Beach?

Hello and thank you in advance for whatever advice you might be able to provide.

I'm trying to determine if fruiting banana trees will grow and produce at a house site approximately 80 yards from the beach (shore line) and 150 yards from the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway in USDA zone 7/8 on the southern North Carolina coast. My concern is not so much with respect to the temperatures. (I have found websites that offer banana tree varieties that the sellers say will do well in zones 7+.) What I am uneasy about is that a couple of friends have told me that the sea air and salt content of the soil will kill the banana bulbs before they can become trees and, certainly before they can produce fruit. Simply put: Are they right and, if so, is there anything I can do about it?

Thank you, again...

Welcome, Paul!
I have been searching. I don't see where it says they can't be grown seaside. They do say to protect from wind. I think I would begin with one or two to see how they actually do and not try a whole plantation.
A good place to get further info would be your local county extension office. They will know more about your particular area.

My mother inlaw had them for years and never produce fruit. They say it's because of the cold winters here. I don't know. All I know is they never had fruit.

Thank you, Tina...
...for responding to my question. Yeah, I can't find anything that says bananas won't grow close to the ocean, either. Then again, most of those guys have some financial stake in trading trees for dollars, if you know what I mean. Sometimes, I think, they don't tell you EVERYthing, nor I suppose, do they have an obligation to.
Getting in touch with the Brunswick County Extension Office is a really good idea. As you suggested, I have emailed them my question and hope to hear back from them.
Thanks, again...
Paul

Thank you, Angela...
...for responding to my question about Banana Trees. Yeah, I have a couple here in Columbia that have never made fruit. I don't know that they'll do any better at Holden Beach, but I think there are some newer varieties that are a little hardier. At least that's what I'm hoping.
Thanks again,
Paul