Tips for a first-timer?

[JStinson]

Hey folks,

I have recently become interested in weird tropical fruit vines and trees. I already have 4 Passion Fruit vines and now want to epand to a couple of banana trees. I live in zone 8 in middle Georgia.

I'll admit that I have done little research on banana trees. All of what I know about them comes from the TyTy nursery website, which I have discovered is a sketchy place, at best, to get information from , much less to buy from.

What I want is a variety of banana that produces tasty fruit, but is also ornamental. I'd like it to be tall. My idea was to plant a couple of Carolina King trees near a pond where I live. What advice can you offer a noob about this plan? Also, where is a good place to get the trees? Any other unsolicitied advice is greatly appreciated, since I know little about this stuff.

Thanks!

[oakshadows]

Plenty of info here. Many of the members are advanced in the subjects and well educated. Gabe, who is one of my favorites, Richard and harvey are a few of the well versed on the subject. Tony is my favorite for passion flower vine info and photos, the list is big, just surf the lists. Look at the wiki section, plenty of info and pics. Check out the photo gallery to find what many plants look like.
Banana plants are actually a herb, their stem is formed by new leaves. Look through the forum list and you will find much of what you are looking for. Passion flower vines, elephant ears, many tropical vines are just a few of what you will find. Tropical plants outside of their natural location require much attention, more feed and irrigation are needed than a lot of the local plants. The reward is well worth the extra time and care .
Good luck with your quest.

[Abnshrek]

The main factor to the variety of tastiest you wish to grow is how much your willing to do to protect them in winterization. You know heat-tape, insulate, house wrap them. If its none you want a hardy so it doesn't kick the bucket. I can say I do have a raja puri that made it thru the winter(2) here w/o protection. Hope this helps. :^)

[RobG7aChattTN]

Ty Ty definitely has had lots of mis-information on their site. Some have speculated at times that their "Carolina King" and their "Texas Star" were just made up names for Orinocco. The tried and true fruiting cold hardy bananas are Raji Puri and Orinocco...both of which I've overwintered in the ground in 7a, but I gave up on waiting for them to fruit and just let them die so I could focus more on species bananas and some that are more ornamental. In your zone you can probably get some fruit. Try checking the Cold-hardy section for some good advice about what you can grow and how to over winter them.

[TommyMacLuckie]

You may be able to find bananas at Lowes, Home Depot or Wal-Mart. They do carry them. Ask. They seem to generally get Grand Nain (the common commercial variety), Robusta (another commercial variety that is also called Valery, Williams, Giant Cavendish or Robusta) and... Dwarf Cavendish (aka Petite Naine).

Those are the ones I've seen. Sometimes they might get a Orinoco (regular or dwarf is difficult to tell).

Stokes Tropicals in New Iberia, LA is a good place to order from.

Bananas

There's always the place here at bananas.org, plants for sale or whatever it is.