I've experienced some success and some failure over the last few months. After losing multiple bunches and mature pseudostems to a partially-formed funnel cloud in the wake of Tropical Storm Colin, the bananas are defiantly producing again. Although Colin signaled a bittersweet goodbye to my Tigua (ouch!), Pisang Ceylon, Pisang Raja, and Gros Michel bunches, I was able to ripen the entire wind-fallen bunch of SH-3640 pictured below. It weighed out at 73 lbs several weeks after the second picture, with nary a bruise on the bunch following its precipitous fall.
The Puerto Rican Morado was the first to drop a post-Colin bud. Tiny, tiny bunch. The Morado was hit hard by flooding in November and December of 2015, and I was a bit overzealous in pupping it, so I blame that.
Dwarf Brazilian popped first-ratoon last week.
And now for your featured programming! I thought I might be the first to fruit Tigua in the North American hobbyist community, so I'm making no such prediction for the French Red. But thar she blows!
Here's a comparison of the French Red to an eight-foot step ladder. The other plants in row #4, heading east from the FR, are Morado, Tigua, and Pisang Ceylon.
Here's the progress of row #2, featuring FHIA-21, Pisang Mas, and Pisang Jari Buaya. Sandwiched between this and the French Red row are Gros Michel, Patupi, Pitogo, and Neypoovan.
Thanks for looking! And a big thank you to our man Hector for inspiring me to post an update of recent goings-on! :-)