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BananaLee
05-11-2010, 05:14 PM
Hey! It's my Birthday today and my Mom gave me all these great presents! Including some great plants: White bird-of-paradise, canna plant, and a unknown banana (all of these are banana relatives :) ) The tag didn't say what it was but it said it was zones 7-10. To me it looks identical to Musa Sikkimensis but I just want to be sure and ask the pros. Thanks! Lee

Banana Gallery - Musa Sikkimensis? (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31468) Banana Gallery - Musa Sikkimensis? (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31466) Banana Gallery - My Birthday plants! (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31464) Banana Gallery - Musa Sikkimensis? (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31470)

Gabe15
05-12-2010, 02:12 AM
Not M. sikkimensis, but M. acuminata subsp. zebrina/sumatrana (the true taxonomy in this area is a bit fuzzy). AKA 'Blood Banana', 'Christmas Banana' and 'Rojo' among some other common trade names. It is a wild species, and so does not make edible fruit.

Dalmatiansoap
05-12-2010, 04:43 AM
Happy Birthday BananaLee ;)
:nanadrink:
:birthdaynana:

Bob
05-12-2010, 06:45 PM
happy birthday from me too... sorry we missed it:birthdaynana:

BananaLee
05-12-2010, 07:59 PM
Thanks guys! I had a great Birthday!! Even though it was cold and raining all day, the plants were worth it! Does Sikkimensis or blood banana have powder on the pseudostem like this? (Banana Gallery - Musa Sikkimensis? (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=31494&cat=1410)) Also the leaves on one banana are all purple on the bottom whereas the biggest one isn't entirely purple on the bottom.

Bob
05-12-2010, 08:13 PM
Not sure but the sikkimensis var " Darjeeling Giant" I grew from seed had a lot of redish color and no powdering on the p-stem. It turned progressivel greener as it matured. Not uncommon for some varieties to have a different color pattern as juvinile plants and from what Ive seen loose a lot of it as they mature which might explain less purple on the biggest ( newest? ) leaf.