View Full Version : Help me I.D. my Banana Trees pleeeeez
bomber628
08-20-2010, 02:30 PM
I sure would like to know what kind of Banana Trees I have, if anyone can offer some ideas. They can produce edible bananas as I have gotten bananas with a couple trees. But I had to bring 'em in the garage over the winter and re-plant in the spring to get a long enough growing season. It was actually by mistake and quite a nice surprise to see the fruit pods. The bananas looked like store size thickness but about half as long and were very delicious and sweet when they finally ripened. I originally got my first plant from a friend and he didn't know what kind it was. Over the years that one plant has multiplied into many which now frame in both corners of my house and occupy a nice chunk of real estate right by my front porch. Here are a few pics...Thanks to all for any help
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35849&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35849&ppuser=4005)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35848&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35848&ppuser=4005)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35845&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35845&ppuser=4005)
stumpy4700
08-20-2010, 02:46 PM
Nice plants. Most of the time people need to see the pics of the flower and fruit to determine which variety of Banana it is. There may be a few who can give you a guess as to which it is. Good job though.
imclueless17
08-20-2010, 04:07 PM
How tall have they grow. (Height of psudostem not to top of leaves).
sunfish
08-20-2010, 05:19 PM
How many fingers on the one's that fruited ?
bomber628
08-20-2010, 05:40 PM
Thanks for the replies guys. I'll try to find pics of the fruit pods, it was a few years ago when I got bananas. Sunfish, I'm not sure what you mean by fingers if you could explain a bit. As far as how tall they are, the largest one I have is about 8ft tall to the point where all the top leaves start spreading away from the stem. I think that's where the top of the psudostem is, if not please school me.
sunfish
08-20-2010, 05:44 PM
Thanks for the replies guys. I'll try to find pics of the fruit pods, it was a few years ago when I got bananas. Sunfish, I'm not sure what you mean by fingers if you could explain a bit. As far as how tall they are, the largest one I have is about 8ft tall to the point where all the top leaves start spreading away from the stem. I think that's where the top of the psudostem is, if not please school me.
Individual banana fruit are called fingers
coast crab
08-20-2010, 11:31 PM
Looks like Orinoco to me, that's were I'd start.
Russell
bomber628
08-21-2010, 11:29 AM
Thanks Coast Crab, you might be right. I looked at lots of Orinoco pics and they sure look like mine. I found a few photos of one of the 2 trees I got fruit from and included them here. Unfortunately this was the smaller of the 2 trees, the other one was much larger and gave me 30 to 40 bananas that were big enough to ripen and eat. The bananas on this tree pictured were too small, but you can see what the pod looks like...might help with identification. I think they had 10 fingers on each row of bananas but I really can't remember for sure.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35897&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35897)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35896&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35896)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35898&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35898)
LilRaverBoi
08-21-2010, 11:35 AM
Definitely looks like orinoco to me.
jjjankovsky
08-21-2010, 06:48 PM
If they are about half-length, a bit more angular, and tend to ripen just prior to going bad (very short window), in Mexico they are called "Macho", which I believe is an Oronco...wish I had a pic at the moment
bomber628
08-21-2010, 09:12 PM
Wow you hit the nail on the head! The bananas I got had to start turning brown before they became really sweet and quite delicious, a very short window indeed. Thanks for that input jjjankovski :D
LilRaverBoi
08-22-2010, 02:27 AM
Makes sense....Orinoco can be used as a cooking banana when they're less ripe and as a dessert banana when they are fully ripe. Maybe get some expert opinions on the ID (Gabe :ha: ) but I'd say based on what has been stated so far, orinoco is a fair bet.
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