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PaulOdin
10-09-2006, 03:21 PM
I've been trying to google information about this banana, w/out much luck, but for some reason I keep finding information on human/alien hybrids in a book by someone named Helen.
Has anyone gotten fruit from it? is it really edible, even w/ seeds? The pictures look pretty good! Err, meaning the plant, not the human/alien, etc.

Paul

Gard
10-09-2006, 03:40 PM
I don't know anything about it, but I'm trying to germinate it now. :2223:

Gard

mrbungalow
10-09-2006, 03:54 PM
My knowledge/observations:
- Hybrid between sikkimensis and "Musa Chini champa"
- Quick and easy from seed (RPS)
- Extreme vigour, sometimes sprouting several shoots from the seed
- Extremely fast growing, even at low temps.
- Nice colours: Dark green. Red undersides of leaf and powdery upper stems. Leaf shape is more like balbisiana than regular sikkimensis. Also, leaves are not as variegated as sikkimensis. Stems are thinner, giving an elegant appearance.
- No idea about fruit, but I would imagine there are a few seeds.
- No idea about overwintering. Will try a 5-footer outside this winter.

Erlend

Basjoofriend
10-09-2006, 04:18 PM
I have also 3 plants of this hybrid. I also will test their hardiness next year, but I will overwinter them this winter in my greenhouse cool, nearly dry and frostfree.

It might be hardier than Orinoco and might be the hardiest fruit banana, currently. :coldbanana:

But one of my specimens has also some striped leaves like Red Tiger! See also my gallery.

Best regards
Basjoofriend

mrbungalow
10-10-2006, 12:25 AM
From what I understand the fruit is loaded with seeds, so it's probably like growing musa sikkimensis for fruit.

Gabe15
10-10-2006, 12:19 PM
When crossing landraces and species, it is important to note which was male and which was female, however this information is obviously not available for this hybrid. The reason being, that in some crosses using the same varieties, depending on which one was female and which was male can determine if parthenocarpic traits get passed down. It seems that if they have a reliable true to type seed source, then these plants are not parthenocarpic. I tried to find genetic information on 'Chini Champa' and it looks like it is a diploid (AB) landrace. Musa sikkimensis is also diploid (SS), so it is likely that this hybrid is also diploid.

Basjoofriend
10-10-2006, 04:26 PM
It is possible, that Helen's hybrid has AS and BS seedlings.

Explaination:
S=sikkimensis
A=acuminata
B=balbisiana

The Helen's Hybrid has to triploidize, so ASS or BSS. Or one triploid sikkimensis (SSS). So that we get genuine hardy fruit bananas for climate with cold winters!
:coldbanana:

Best wishes
Basjoofriend

JoeReal
10-10-2006, 05:09 PM
We've been eating mutants, and was wondering when it's our turn... :2700:

jeffreyp
10-10-2006, 05:15 PM
it's called Necrotizing Fasciitis

mrbungalow
10-11-2006, 12:43 AM
It is possible, that Helen's hybrid has AS and BS seedlings.

Explaination:
S=sikkimensis
A=acuminata
B=balbisiana

The Helen's Hybrid has to triploidize, so ASS or BSS. Or one triploid sikkimensis (SSS). So that we get genuine hardy fruit bananas for climate with cold winters!

Interesting, Basjoofriend.
Maybe it could be this simple?
Maybe Balbisiana is dominant over Acuminata?
My observation is that all my Musa Helens have typical "balbisiana shaped" leaves.

Erlend

Gabe15
10-11-2006, 12:38 PM
I think basjoofriend is suggesting the need for triploid Helen's Hybrid, for cold hardy edibles. Personally if I could cross bananas so easily I would start with M. yunnanensis and M. 'Saba', anyone up for the challenge?

jeffreyp
10-11-2006, 01:17 PM
I have a forest of Saba, unfortunately no yannanensis.

Basjoofriend
10-11-2006, 04:34 PM
Yes, I suggested. I know one friend, who is biologist and genetic engineer. I requested him to triploidize Helen's hybrid and sikkimensis. I sent him two seedlings for his laboratory in Vienna/Austria some weeks ago.

Now he has a very good job, so that he will have enough money to buy a banana plantation in Brasil next year. I also will get a banana plantation in Brasil, will travel next year, one banana farmer offers me one part of his banana plantation.

So it might be possible to try to cross hardy bananas with fruit bananas.:2748: + :06: = :bebe: :bebe: :bebe:

Best wishes
Basjoofriend

jeffreyp
10-11-2006, 11:05 PM
basjoo friend..that was hilarious...

Taylor
10-12-2006, 05:20 AM
HAHAHA Oh wow! That was unexpected!

eggo
10-20-2006, 02:13 AM
"Has anyone gotten fruit from it? is it really edible, even w/ seeds?"

From the pictures I seen of the fruit. The seeds appears to center in the middle of the fruit. So from appearance it seems easier to eat when compared to other seeded bananas.

Mustang
11-26-2006, 11:01 AM
I'm currently overwintering a small one in a (hopefully) frost-free greenhouse. And have got some seeds on the go, waiting to germinate.

This is one nana that I simply had to have ... given it's got my name on it.

bigdog
01-23-2007, 10:02 PM
I just wanted to add to Erlend's statement of extreme vigor and fast growth. I sprouted one of these last Fall, and it is growing like mad right now! It is in a greenhouse, and should be of very good size by the time Spring rolls around (like several feet tall). I've been feeding it only every other week, and it looks great. I just stuck a big handful of Osmocote in the pot the other day when I repotted it. Can't wait to get this one in the ground!

bencelest
01-24-2007, 08:49 AM
Bigdog:
I am still trying to findout the kind of fertilizer I wanted to use with my new bananas I received a few days ago. They are all in pots.
I would like to know the percent od NPK of your osmocote please. Is it also with micronutrients?

bigdog
01-24-2007, 07:20 PM
Bigdog: I would like to know the percent od NPK of your osmocote please. Is it also with micronutrients?

I don't know! It was some older stuff in the greenhouse in an unlabeled plastic container. I have been using some Peter's 20-20-20 on it also, every other week. I'll see if I can find out from my prof. what the ratio is on the Osmocote. He may still know.

bencelest
01-24-2007, 07:26 PM
It's OK then. I might use 20-20-20.
Thanks.

mrbungalow
03-11-2007, 03:26 PM
Bigdog, how's your helen coming along?:bananaflipflop: :bananaflipflop: :bananaflipflop: :scroll:

Basjoofriend
03-11-2007, 03:58 PM
Hi Erlend,

are your Helen's Hybrid now survived the past winter? My sikkimensis are survived very well, look at my gallery, there is a new album about bananas in March 2007.

Best wishes
Basjoofriend

BritishBananaBoy
03-11-2007, 04:34 PM
I have 2 Helen's Hybrid's which I grew from seed last year. They are about 2ft tall & have over wintered in a "mini" greenhouse. They have come through the winter without a mark on them & am planning on planting them out when the weather gets a bit warmer. Should they be planted in full sun though or can they take a shady spot?? :djnana2:

bigdog
03-11-2007, 09:35 PM
Bigdog, how's your helen coming along?:bananaflipflop: :bananaflipflop: :bananaflipflop: :scroll:

I burnt the crap out of it with either fertilizer (probably), or by spraying it for mites with a sprayer that used to have Roundup in it (another very good possibility). Could have been a combination of both. Two leaves came out looking very bad, and the next one to emerge doesn't look a whole lot better. The good thing is that it is growing. I gave it enough trauma that it has sent a pup up already! I just hope I didn't permanently injure the apical meristem. A couple other bananas in the greenhouse are also showing some injured leaves, so it may have been the spray that trickled into the crown and to the apical meristem that caused the problems. I did, however, put way too much Osmocote in the pot with it. I was getting greedy, and tried to push it too hard. I think it will survive despite my best efforts to kill it! This is a very good reason to have two different sprayers, one for herbicides and one for pesticides, and to have both clearly labeled.

mrbungalow
03-12-2007, 01:40 AM
I have 2 Helen's Hybrid's which I grew from seed last year. They are about 2ft tall & have over wintered in a "mini" greenhouse. They have come through the winter without a mark on them & am planning on planting them out when the weather gets a bit warmer. Should they be planted in full sun though or can they take a shady spot??

FULL SUN! :06:

BritishBananaBoy
03-12-2007, 03:05 PM
FULL SUN! :06:

Ok thanks, can't wait to get them in the ground! :djnana2:

Mark Hall
05-08-2007, 12:36 PM
Here's a picture of my Helens Hybrid.

Basjoofriend
05-08-2007, 01:15 PM
Mine also are looking like yours. :2748: Next week I will plant them out on the new banana bed at my greenhouse, my new banana bed is still under construction.

Best wishes
Joachim

Basjoofriend
05-08-2007, 01:17 PM
@mrbungalow - Did your Helen's Hybrid survive the past winter? Do they resprout again?

Joachim

mrbungalow
05-08-2007, 02:38 PM
Joachim, the corm survived, and I could see a small sprout popping up a couple of days ago . That's pretty impressive, because the weather here has been relatively cool so far. Unfortunately though, I managed to step on the small sprout while planting something else.

:rollerbananadone:

bigdog
05-08-2007, 09:58 PM
Mark, you have some good coloration on that leaf! Mine started showing some coloration like that on the newest leaf on the pup, but not on the main pseudostem. I am going to plant mine out by the weekend. The undersides of the leaves on mine are an intense burgundy-red.

Erlend, glad to hear that yours are sprouting, now quit stepping on it, lol!:2747: