Bananas.org - View Single Post - advice requested from the land of OZ - Bigdog are you there? Cutflower ornamentals.

bigdog · 08-19-2009, 07:33 PM

Well, Musa 'African Red' seems to be a completely sterile hybrid, but I haven't seen any cytogenetic studies to confirm that. It won't accept pollen, and it doesn't produce any either.

Other than that, I would only say that M. velutina would be a nuisance weed there. It self-sows in my friend's garden in zone 8a, Alabama. Since it has hermaphrodite flowers, it won't need another banana flowering to fertilize it. I'm sure it could quickly become an established weed in Australia!

I'm really not sure about disease resistance in any of the ornamentals. Information might be able to be found via INIBAP, or doing a scholarly search. Good luck!

Frank

08-19-2009, 07:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
bigdog ******* bigdog's Photo Gallery** Location: Gainesville, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Frank Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,004 BananaBucks : 850,507 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 217 Times Was Thanked 1,789 Times in 504 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	Re: advice requested from the land of OZ - Bigdog are you there? Cutflower ornamental Well, Musa 'African Red' seems to be a completely sterile hybrid, but I haven't seen any cytogenetic studies to confirm that. It won't accept pollen, and it doesn't produce any either. Other than that, I would only say that M. velutina would be a nuisance weed there. It self-sows in my friend's garden in zone 8a, Alabama. Since it has hermaphrodite flowers, it won't need another banana flowering to fertilize it. I'm sure it could quickly become an established weed in Australia! I'm really not sure about disease resistance in any of the ornamentals. Information might be able to be found via INIBAP, or doing a scholarly search. Good luck! Frank