Tony ... the FHIA 23 has Gros Michel " Highgate" in its lineage so it should have some of the same characterisics and much more desease resistant.
Here's the " Bluefields" from Hilo showing the open and red petioles Gabe mentioned:
The whole plant ( it's no more than a pup itself) in its 25 gal container:
.....and some new pups of its own:
Here's the " Gros Michel" from justj:
it does have the open petioles but no red and does have a redish line up in to the leaf bearing portion of the petiole much like a basjoo would??????? Let's hope for the best!
Shannon... the true Gros michel isn't a Cavendish variety but tastes way , way better and was the banana of commerce before being replaced by the Cavendishes we currently eat due to their disease resitance.
Gabe.... time to smuggle some var. Cocos out of the lab and get them to some of us who could better propagate the dwarf varieties!!!