I would like to add a personal note of thanks to Jon for all of the information he has collected and shared with the internet community!!
Like Jon I have been growing bananas for a very long time...40 or so years, although Chong and Joe Real (and countless others on the board) have me beat. I scoured for information and people to meet with. In 1992 I heard about a patch of Dwarf reds growing at Florida Southern college in Lakeland (against the side of a building to offer protection from inland Florida cold winters) and called and met with an Agricultural Professor and picked his brain. He gave me several nice dwarf Red corms (the only Dwarf reds I have ever acquired) and offered to let me take a glance at the Holy Banana Script Bananas by R. H. Stover , N. W. Simmonds, commonly referred to as the “Simmonds” Book” (which sold for $195 at the time).
Bananas. | Stover, R. H., Simmonds, N. W. | Bananas | Longman Scientific and Technical
In continuing my quest for Banana knowledge I tracked down Bill Lessard and listened to some incredible banana collection stories and purchased his book The Complete Book of Bananas. Additionally, I made many trips to Going Bananas when Lessard owned it and later the Chafins….5 acres over 100 different species (prior to the TC days; not to discredit the TC industry…just a different experience to see row after row of unique bananas growing in big clumps).
The Complete Book of Bananas: W. O. Lessard: Amazon.ca: Books
Then I tracked down the amazing Julia Morton (still full of energy even though she had to be in her late eighties) and purchased her book Fruits of Warm Climates.
On line:
Fruits of Warm Climates
Amazon
Fruits of Warm Climates: Julia F. Morton: Amazon.ca: Books
In 1996 I traveled to Waimea Falls on the North Shore of Oahu and saw the most amazing clumps (too many to count) of Fehi’s with upright racemes of Bronze colored fruit..just rotting on the trees. The pseudostems bled purple juice….
Waimea Arboretum and Botanical Garden at Waimea Falls Park
Waimea Falls Park
Additionally, I had the opportunity to meet with Frankie of Frankie’s nursery on Oahu (an amazing garden) for several hours. Whereas bananas are not his specialty he has significant experience and knowledge related to many tropical fruit trees (avocadoes with three species grafted on one tree).
Frankie's Nursery
When the internet came along I did searches for hours…and came across very little information. How many times have we all seen that one elusive hand of Burmese Blue….that picture has led to sale of many worthless banana plants and the African Rhino horn pic in Lessard’s book that has been pushed all over the world on the internet..really does anyone other than Jarred (thanks Jarred!) have some decent pics of Rhino Horn fruit???
Thankfully I have been able to travel, explore and collect various banana species. I could go on for pages and pages…..but I do not want to bore everyone with stories of all of the trips..lol.
Anyway, I digress…the long and the short of it is I still crave “Banana” information, pictures and stories……Jon get those new pics up and someone else share some banana collection stories (Tog puts us all to shame)!!!