Question
QUESTION: I have two red banana plants about 2 yrs in the ground, 1 of them has grown what look likes a new plant/bud from the center of the plant about 4 feet above ground. It did not send any leaves up to shoot since early feb, we did have cold weather this yr in ca. Should/ how do i prune this...thnx

ANSWER: Hi Jay, ok, I need clarification on this if I am to answer this, you say "from the center of the plant..." did someone cut the trunk? Give me more info, Bananas are one of my fortes..

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QUESTION: Ok I'll try, no one cut the plant with the exception of trimming off dead leaves that had unrolled and lived their course.. we do live in a windy area with some cold weather in winter..so cal...this growth appeared in about feb and is growing from the center of the plant but is about 4 feet off the ground and kind of looks like a bud of some sort foliage is very dense and looks like this growth has manifested 3 times, someone said it could be fruit but i thought these were nonfruiting plants,will this kill my plant...also the plant came to my house in a 2' box so was mature already. the bud is about 8" long and 4" wide

Answer
Ok, from your description I am inclined to think you have the beginning of an inflorescence that will develop into fruit; it should look like an ear of corn forming if it is, it will begin green in color and as it emerges it will become burgundy in color (again if it is a bunch developing). This is the only possibility, being formed from the center, outside of just another leaf unfurling. If it is an inflorescence, and it forms into a bunch, it will take several months to fully develop and be ready to cut off, and yes the plant will expire after it has developed, but you should have pups forming beside this plant, which will be the future plants, they are perpetual, forming from an underground rhizome. Nick