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tristypoo1997

What Bananas do you grow?

Tristan Pierson
10 years ago

If nobody knows me, my name is Tristan and I live in a small town in Eastern Oregon with a 6b plant zone. Right now I am currently growing a Musa Basjoo, Siam Ruby, Ice Cream/Blue Java, Ensete Maurellii, and a Red Canna. It's taken lots of hard work but I have learned from my mistakes. My main mistakes were overwatering in the winter while they were in the house and spider mites. Now I'm doing fantastic with my bananas and they are growing very nice. I'm thinking about adding another species of banana to what I have now and I wanted to know what your growing.

Another question I had was what can I do to get my bananas to pup better?

Comments (11)

  • grabmebymyhandle
    10 years ago

    Hi Tristan
    This my first REAL attempt at growing naners, I've had a cavendish for a few years, plopped him in the ground this year, look out!
    I get a new roller every 3 days off it!
    I had hopes it would top the house, at this rate it may just do that!
    I bet it blooms in October haha!
    I've also got basjoo, I better get then in the ground before its too late!
    The hardy banana I'm really liking the best is Mekong giant!
    It's still a little guy, but he too is throwing a new roller every 3 days in this heat, full sun is really keeping it short and squat, at less than 4, tall, it's holding a dozen leaves and has a 3" trunk atleast!
    It's new leaves keep emerging with significant damage, I'm not sure what's going on but they leaves get messed up inside the p- stem, I've been tempted to cut it down and see what regrows, I don't think I will though, for fear of setting it back dramatically! It still looks great!
    There's a few supposed gran nain planted on one side if the house, they were tiny when I planted em, but rockin now, I thought they were rojo, blood banana, when I bought em, didn't realize the red spots would fade...o well
    I did trade some EE for a rojo about 2 weeks ago, I just got it in the ground it took off immediately!
    Last and least too I think is musa mannii, an underused and under appriciated little naner, it has kind of a blue tint to the leafe tops and vein especially, red under vein, it's been in the ground rite at a month and 2 days ago I noticed a pup on either side of it! That's it M O tho, small and clumpy, it's hardy to 7b, my 7b EE usually make it thru the winters here, I'm awful tempted to try its hardiness out too! Maybe ill bring a pup or 3 in and leave the rest...GW trades have done me pretty good!
    There also a maurelli in the back tryin to get up to size, it survival of the fittest back there, alota of the colocasia are really moving so it best get itself together! It's awful pretty, look up ensete maurelli montibiadi (sp?)
    Man they are even nicer!
    Someone who will remain unnamed, is supposed to share a Siam ruby, a Jamaican red, and a bunch of other with me... We shall see, it's not time yet so....he gave me some of everything else so I bet he will, I just want that ruby NOW!
    To force pups, u can eye scoop, traumatic as hell but effective...

  • Tristan Pierson
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The siam rubys are great. Mine Is only about 6 inches tall and it just started to get a pup. I thought it was crazy for how small it is. I also have a blue java/ice cream that is about 5 feet and has never had pups.

  • subtropix
    10 years ago

    Some varieties pup more than others. Dwarf Cavindish, I find, are great for pupping!

    Growing...

    Hardy Chinese Yellow (lots of pups)
    Basjoo
    Himalayan
    Ensete (non-pupping btw)
    Saba Plantain
    Rojo x Gran Nain

  • islandbreeze
    10 years ago

    In-ground perennials:

    Musa Mekong Giant
    Musa Basjoo

    Annuals:

    Musa Zebrina Rojo
    Musa Thai Black
    Musa Ice Cream Blue Java
    Musa Saba

  • Tristan Pierson
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hi islandbreeze, I ordered a thai black a few days ago, should I plant it in full sun or next to the house?

  • krismast
    10 years ago

    Tristan,

    This is my first year growing bananas. I put my thai black in full sun and it loves it. It's putting our new leaves like crazy!

    Kris

  • Bamatufa
    10 years ago

    Basjoo
    Saba
    Black Thia
    Ice Cream
    Yunan
    Gaint Napal

    Napal flowered and died last season. I was hopeing it would pup but no luck as of yet.Was also informed the Ice Creams sold on the market past several years were mis-labeled and are actually Namwa's so I am uncertain about my IC.

  • bananafan
    10 years ago

    Abyssinian (Encete Ventricosum)
    Apple Banana
    Banana Rose
    Basjoo
    Cavendish
    Double Mahoi
    Dwarf Cavendish
    Dwarf Namwah
    Dwarf Orinoco
    Ele Ele
    Goldfinger
    Gran Nain
    Gran Nain (Sumatrana X)
    Hua Moa
    Ice Cream
    Jamaican Dwarf Red Banana
    Kru
    Lady Finger
    Mona Lisa
    Mysore
    Okinawa Torch
    Pineapple Banana
    Pisang Ceylon
    Praying Hands
    Raja Puri
    Saba
    Super Dwarf (Little Prince/Truly Tiny)
    Super Plantain
    Valery
    Williams Pride
    Zebrina (Red Rowe)

    I also had Ae Ae, but it died while I was planting it indoors in the Winter months. I'd like to acquire some white and green variegated bananas like Dwarf Variegated Namwah or variegated Rajapuri (if there's such a thing). I still miss my Ae Ae, but it's too much to pay for one that is so sensitive ...

    This post was edited by bananafan on Mon, Aug 5, 13 at 13:50

  • islandbreeze
    10 years ago

    I also have my Thai Black planted in full sun, and it's doing very well, definitely one of my stronger growers considering I bought it as a plug sized plant and it took a while to get going.

  • rednofl
    10 years ago

    Quite a list Bananafan where in 9b Fl are you
    I grow
    manzano
    Dwarf Namwah
    Hua Moa
    Ice Cream
    Raja Puri
    Caligold
    Pineapple
    Viente Cohol

  • bananafan
    10 years ago

    Islandbreeze, it's good to know that Thai Black is a strong grower. I almost wanted to get one. It has a very unique look. I heard it produces fruit, but wonder if it's edible. Which of the bananas you grow are you able to get regular harvest from them? As for me, only a few varieties will.

    Rednolf, I'm in Central Fl. It may look like I have quite a list, but I often bite off what I can chew ... lol. I don't necessarily have a lot of time to tend to everyone of them, hence I haven't seen some fruit as regularly as I wish from some them. For many, they never even fruit for me once. But, there are some varieties that are not fussy and will produce fruit year after year. What varieties will fruit for you?

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