View Full Version : The Holy Grail of Bananas
austinl01
10-25-2009, 09:24 AM
I wanted to see your different speculations about this. Do you think that there is a cold hardy edible banana somewhere in the world that can die back each winter and reliably produce tasty, ripe fruit each year? If so, will anyone actually find it? I wonder how much is actually being done to discover new varieties of bananas. Thoughts?
conejov
10-25-2009, 10:28 AM
I don't think there is such a Banana. Because Bananas are monocarpic which mean they fruit then start to die.
Richard
10-25-2009, 07:39 PM
I wanted to see your different speculations about this. Do you think that there is a cold hardy edible banana somewhere in the world that can die back each winter and reliably produce tasty, ripe fruit each year? If so, will anyone actually find it? I wonder how much is actually being done to discover new varieties of bananas. Thoughts?
Why does it need to die back? Wouldn't you be satisfied with fruiting banana that sustained during the winter and actually put out a leaf or two a month?
austinl01
10-25-2009, 09:57 PM
Why does it need to die back? Wouldn't you be satisfied with fruiting banana that sustained during the winter and actually put out a leaf or two a month?
Of course I'd be happy with that!!! No die back required that's for sure. I'd be really thrilled either way but green leaves all year would be awesome! :)
bigdog
10-26-2009, 05:56 PM
Why does it need to die back? Wouldn't you be satisfied with fruiting banana that sustained during the winter and actually put out a leaf or two a month?
Richard, if there was a banana that didn't die down to the ground in a zone 7 winter, that would be great! However, no such banana exists. Even Musa basjoo will die back to the ground in a typical zone 7 winter. Austin lives in zone 8a, so he doen't get quite as cold, but I think any edible cultivar would die back to the ground each and every winter. The idea is to find (or breed) a banana that, WHEN it dies back to the ground in the winter, would have enough time to grow and mature a bunch of bananas in a 6 month growing season. That would definitely be the holy grail of bananas for colder-zone growers, and could revolutionize banana growing in general.
Frank
damaclese
10-26-2009, 06:09 PM
Even here in my Zone 9 the leafs die and my growing season is considerably longer then 6 months i don't have any that keep there leafs or have ever fruited so its hard to say on that but I'm sure there will be one some day probably threw a genetic gene splicing i would think at the rate it takes to breed new plants it would have to be a mutation of a manipulation if you want it in are life time perhaps on of the hymilain speacies yet to be discoverd
i would think Ingens would keep its leafs in a zone 8 garden but it could never talarat the heat of summers in the lowlands but it takes years to fruit and its not edible
john_ny
10-26-2009, 06:27 PM
I would think that what Austin had in mind here was something like,"Wouldn't it be nice if we could find an edible banana that could produce fruit, and some pups, die down, and then have one of the pups produce fruit the next year, and repeat the cycle?"
austinl01
10-26-2009, 06:47 PM
I would think that what Austin had in mind here was something like,"Wouldn't it be nice if we could find an edible banana that could produce fruit, and some pups, die down, and then have one of the pups produce fruit the next year, and repeat the cycle?"
Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. :)
austinl01
10-26-2009, 06:49 PM
Richard, if there was a banana that didn't die down to the ground in a zone 7 winter, that would be great! However, no such banana exists. Even Musa basjoo will die back to the ground in a typical zone 7 winter. Austin lives in zone 8a, so he doen't get quite as cold, but I think any edible cultivar would die back to the ground each and every winter. The idea is to find (or breed) a banana that, WHEN it dies back to the ground in the winter, would have enough time to grow and mature a bunch of bananas in a 6 month growing season. That would definitely be the holy grail of bananas for colder-zone growers, and could revolutionize banana growing in general.
Frank
That's exactly what I had in mind, Frank. Now, that would be the holy grail for cold zone growers. I mean zone 8a isn't that cold, but it's cold enough to prohibit edible fruiting banana plants from producing fruit and maturing it on the plant each year.
Richard
10-26-2009, 07:27 PM
How about the 'Illinois Banana' ? :ha:
austinl01
10-26-2009, 07:32 PM
How about the 'Illinois Banana' ? :ha:
Tell me more about this new cultivar!
the flying dutchman
10-26-2009, 07:33 PM
How about the 'Illinois Banana' ? :ha:
Is that the one you have to peel with an axe?
CValentine
10-26-2009, 07:57 PM
That's exactly what I had in mind, Frank. Now, that would be the holy grail for cold zone growers. I mean zone 8a isn't that cold, but it's cold enough to prohibit edible fruiting banana plants from producing fruit and maturing it on the plant each year.
Amen Brother...Being in Zone 8a with you!!
I am thrilled with a nicer climate than my old Zone 5 in Ohio, but would love to raise the bananas like in South Florida, California & Puerto Rico(and the Dominican Republic - just once I want a 1000 Fingers of my own(Luv ya IC!:)).
Trying not to be envious - 'cause Fernie sees banana fruits from his plants & can eat them out of hand.
So I know if I can find a way to weather it over - I will be successful in my Zone.
So I'll be watching - all my plants are green, plump & beautiful despite the outside temps hitting 50 degrees & cold rain.
Except my AeAe - it's inside! :D ~Cheryl
Richard
10-26-2009, 08:03 PM
Tell me more about this new cultivar!
"Illinois Banana" = North American Paw Paw, Asimina triloba.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Asimina_triloba_red_fern_farm.jpg/300px-Asimina_triloba_red_fern_farm.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pawpaw)
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