Hi Jiffymouse,
The retail site I found is near my sister's home. Since we were supposed to spend Thanksgiving in Ft. Myers, I planned to check for the
plant. We just decided not to go, so your post made me think of just doing a search on "banana
plants" and I found several Google commercial sites that have all sorts of bananas, including one selling banana
seeds--which is too basic for a banana.
The Golden Lotus banana is also known as Chinese banana and they aren't too expensive so I may try a small "bulb" in the
spring. One small one is affordable, but I don't know how long it will take to get a blossom starting this small. They have an 800 # so I'll check with them.
Thanks for the idea! I didn't have enough info to check on your banana, but just do a Google and you should find one if they are grown in the US at all.
I grew up in New Orleans with banana
trees but were very diappointed since the fruit was not edible. I wasn't interested in ornamental ones then and I had never seen an ornamental one as beautiful as the Golden Lotus. But I might also look into
growing one of the edible kinds if one will grow here(
zone 8a-8b in low country S Car.)
Ann1