This guy doesn't have to produce anything, he just looks pretty

Hi, sounds like you are knowledgeable about banana's. So many varieties out there. How would you rate the Raja Puri on taste ? I am south of you, and am planning to add another banana type besides the Goldfingers that I have been growing for 5 years.
Just want to add one additional variety that is a bit plump, not tiny, but still tastes great,...just not interested in experimenting for 5 years ! lol
Thanks for your opinion.

This will be my first batch of Rajapuri. It is considered a dessert banana and generally a good tasting one. I'll be able to personally taste test one shortly and fill you in. Other bananas known to be tasty include: Mysore, Goldfinger, Pisang Raja, Namwa, Nino, Brazilian, all Cavendish, Misi Luki, and Red Macabo. This is a more cold hardy banana, but I lost some leaves below mid thirties. Recovery was quick. Some bananas are winter producers, but I noticed this one fruiting in May, which is a plus for me! It survived after someone tried to dig it up. In fact someone tried to take all my banana trees, my son heard a big commotion out in the yard and scared whoever it was off. They did get away with one, though. I found the Rajapuri severely leaning towards the ground and staked it upright again, but didn't have much hope. Came through though. Let me know what you decide.

Morningloree :
Have been in this park for 5 1/2 yrs but have not had any temps as low as the mid thirties,..did get down to 40 once for a half hour, way back in Dec 2009. Had the bananas covered but it was enough to kill the 3 out of 4 six foot tall mango trees planted only 9 months earlier but left uncovered,..the 4th tree was fine as it was the only one I covered with a sheet. Learned a lesson that night ! The last 2 winters here have been phenomenal,..never got lower than 50 !!

I am shocked to hear that someone would be so bold as to actually invade your backyard and then dig up your banana plants,..WHILE YOU GUYS WERE IN YOUR HOME !!! Unreal ! Was it at night ? What I did here soon after moving in, was to install motion detector lights outside all my outside doors, plus install a " Private Property, NoTrespasssing " sign during mango season,..Feb thru August. So far so good,..know for sure it dissuaded at least one fruit thief. lol

I'll hold off till you taste that Raja Puri and get your feedback re taste, size, etc. Thanks.

This post was edited by jofus on Fri, Jun 20, 14 at 10:13

Nice Picture.

Raja puri is a good banana. It is very stout, strong plant. The fruit is good tho not my favorite but I really like how good it looks all the time. It is very hardy and production will not be affected if I have a real bad winter. I have a slight addiction to growing bananas and have removed more varieties than I care to admit. The keepers are raja puri, ice cream for the yummy creamy fruit, ladyfinger for the tons of delicious bananas that the plant is strong enough to support, apple for its unique apple flavor, dwarf red for the fruit as well as its beauty, dwarf grand nain and dwarf puerto rican plantain. I also grow one ornamental rojo cause she looks so pretty by my pond.

I am a firm believer that you should taste the fruit of any fruit tree before planting it unless you are growing it for the ornamental aspects.

Keiki, where did you buy the apple banana? I have tasted the fruit and it's def worth growing.

We were on vacation and my son was watching the house, he said he heard a noise like big animals crashing through the yard. He went out on the lanai and said he made a lot of noise to scare whatever it was off. When I came back from vacation 2 banana trees were nearly laying flat and had damage to the leaves, one was completely missing. I thought I lost both of them, I had to stake them both up and cross my fingers. It looked like whoever it was did some digging, then tried to pull them out by the trunk. We have an informal neighborhood watch now, there was other stuff going missing from homes. A happier thought: new Bengal Tiger banana tree.

Hi Kristi! I am the manager of a nursery so I ordered them from a wholesale dealer. I don't have pups now or I would offer you some, I will keep you in mind when I do. For the life of me I don't know why it is so hard to find.

Thanks for the pic of the tiny Bengal Tiger plant ! Not having heard of it before, I just had to google up the one mail order supplier and cracked up at their opinion of it's taste :

" To say the fruit from Musa sikkimensis is edible is like saying that most remote Himalayan bathrooms are comfortable...both have an aroma, but that's about it. "

Assume you're growing it for show. ( smile ) From what I've seen it should indeed be a show stopper !

For show, not for reminiscing about Himalayan bathrooms! But I figure there is always value for wildlife in what I consider inedible.