Ravenala Species, Fan Plantain, Traveler Banana, Travellers Tree, Travellers Palm (Ravenala madagascariensis)

by palmbob Jan 2, 2004 3:01 PM

Dubai, United Arab Emirates zone 11

Very unique branching form. Related to the Bananas (Musa) and Bird of Paradises (Strelitzia). Zone 10, se FL.

Here's some nice old ones on Singapore

As seen at the Molino de Agua Garden in Puerto Vallarta.

Ravenala madagascariensis in bloom. St. Petersburg, Florida (Zone 9b). Photo taken 16 Sep 2005.

Taken at the Florida Botanical Gardens

Young plant...newly planted...Dubai, United Arab Emirates Zone 11

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic December 2002

Helsinki botanicals Ravenala 8.2.03

The blue seed of the travelers palm, found on the ground of the Botanical Garden, Rio de Janeiro

THis is about as good as they get in Southern California... it's a pretty marginal tree here, but this one actually looks OK.

A rippening fruit, showing the blue seeds. The unrippen fruits look like woody bananas. Rio de Janeiro, mid winter.

THis is a picture of a travellers palm in my backyard in tanzania. I thought it might look nicer in the night but i did not have enough lighting so i edited the picture in adobe photoshop to make it clearer.

Compare these flowers with those of its close relative, Strelitzia nicholai, and you'll sense how close these relatives are, but why most gardeners opt for nicholai.

Such a gorgeous palm. If only I could grow one in my back yard!

Ravenala madagascariensis in bloom (close shot of flower spike). St. Petersburg, Florida (Zone 9b). Photo taken 16 Sep 2005.

Ravenala madagascariensis in bloom (close-up of single flower). St. Petersburg, Florida (Zone 9b). Photo taken 16 Sep 2005.

12 years old from a small sucker cut from another plant.

this is why this is considered a marginal plant in much of southern California- fried to the stem in Huntington gardens, even in this protected area, but Jan 07 freeze

I started this plant in 1987. For years it competed with an overgrown hedge. I just recently cutback the foliage.

My garden in Jeddah city Saudi Arabia

Traveler's Palm growing on Grand Cayman Island

The unraveling of a new Ravenala frond.

Interesting how the new leaves emerge from the neighboring petiole

Standing water during our mild Southern California winter might have caused this damage to the first frond to open in the spring.

Close up of leaf damage

trimmed plant in southern California (all the tattered shredded leaves cut, leaving only 5-6 leaves)

typical overpruned trees along the beach in southern California showing only the remaining presentable leaves

Image Courtesy of D'Asign Source Botanicals

another variant of R-madagascariensis; branches base are brown-redish in colour and branches grow rather upwards

close-up of the seeds

Huntington Beach Ca...lost 1 fron in '07 freeze-15 gal 7 yrs ago...

Huntington Beach Ca...young flower in center-15 gal 7rs ago...

University of Agriculture Faisalabad,Pakistan

One year old pup grew slowly. Finally a first true leaf!

1 year old plant (from seed), 24" tall, in a 4" pot. Easy to germinate, slow to get started, then growth-rate accelerates rapidly

Acapulco Botanical Garden, Loyola del Pac�fico University, Acapulco, Guerrero, M�xico

Photo courtesy and copyright of Matthew Maggio. Curator of Succulents at Sherman Library and Gardens and owner of Rain Shadow Designs. http://www.homeimprovementquotes.com/pros/rain-shadow-designs

Photo courtesy of Kelly Griffin. Copyright of Kelly Griffin.

Karangasem, Indonesia . Photo courtesy of Karl Gercens. Copyright Karl Gercens. Conservatory Horticulturist at Longwood Gardens. http://www.karlgercens.com/