View Full Version : Musa Blue Java From Florida Hill Nursery, Real?
BananaGrower1
06-17-2013, 12:42 AM
I bought what I believe to be a Musa Blue Java Ice Cream banana plant from Florida Hill Nursery. I did however read that that recently a number of online nurseries are selling Namwahs as Blue Javas. Does anyone know if Florida Hill Nursery is reputable? Has anyone else bought a musa blue java from them? And can you actually confirm that you got a musa blue java? I will try to post a photo of mine. It is still quite small so I don't know if you can tell what variety it is at this point, but any guidance you guys can provide would be appreciated.
BananaGrower1
06-17-2013, 12:46 AM
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=53336><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=53336&size=1 border=0></a>
Here is my Newest Photo. There is absolutely no red on it at this point.
BananaGrower1
06-17-2013, 12:56 AM
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=53336><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=53337 border=0></a>
FYI - This is what it looked like when I first planted it on April 19, 2013.
Kostas
06-17-2013, 12:28 PM
From what i know,no nursery except maybe Encanto Farms sells true 'Ice Cream'/'Blue Java' in mainland US simply because Agristarts is the source where most all banana nurseries there get their plants,and this one sells a Pisang Awak subgroup variety for Blue Java. Same here in Europe regarding that variety. Pretty much the only way to get a true plant of this variety is to ask for a pup someone with a confirmed true to type mat.
Your plant looks about what my 'Ice Cream'(Pisang Awak one,not the true one) looked like at that size...Its always however safer to wait for a flower to conclude on an ID,but thats what it looks like to me.
alemily
06-17-2013, 01:18 PM
As Kostas said, its likely a Pisang Awak-type since the source of the confusion started with a mislabeled plant from Agristarts. You'll find out when it blooms though.
Very few folks it seems have a real Blue Java and if you want one, you'll have to ask around for a verified variety instead of buying one online from a nursery.
Most of the folks who thought they had Ice Cream/Blue Java turned out to have Namwa, which I will warn you can get big...
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50613&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50613)
GreenFin
06-17-2013, 01:49 PM
I love that pic of the mat next to the house for size reference.
BananaGrower1
06-17-2013, 03:19 PM
Thanks for all of the comments. I figured that would be the case. That is a pretty awesome photo alemily! I hope my plants grow half as well as those. Here is another angle of my small banana plant.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=53343><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=53343&size=1 border=0></a>
Bamabanana
06-20-2013, 04:24 PM
alemily - I purchased my Ice Cream from Magnolia Nursery near you a few years ago. Has yet to flower but its huge. You saying I probably have a Namwa instead ? :-(
alemily
06-20-2013, 04:36 PM
alemily - I purchased my Ice Cream from Magnolia Nursery near you a few years ago. Has yet to flower but its huge. You saying I probably have a Namwa instead ? :-(
Yes it'll be a Tall Namwah, not an Ice Cream. None of the nurseries around here sell the actual "Blue Java/Ice Cream"
Bamabanana
06-20-2013, 04:41 PM
Is a Namwa fruit edible? A quick search on the web and all that came up was Dawrf Namwa.
alemily
06-20-2013, 04:47 PM
Is a Namwa fruit edible? A quick search on the web and all that came up was Dawrf Namwa.
Yes. The fruit is short like the ladyfinger bananas they sell in grocery stores. Fruit is sweet and firm..its not mealy like a Cavendish.
GreenFin
06-20-2013, 05:01 PM
Is a Namwa fruit edible?
Yes. In fact, most members here strongly prefer eating Namwahs over the Cavendish varieties usually found in grocery stores.
sunfish
06-20-2013, 05:16 PM
I don't find cavendish mealy
sunfish
06-22-2013, 08:28 AM
From what i know,no nursery except maybe Encanto Farms sells true 'Ice Cream'/'Blue Java' in mainland US simply because Agristarts is the source where most all banana nurseries there get their plants,and this one sells a Pisang Awak subgroup variety for Blue Java. Same here in Europe regarding that variety. Pretty much the only way to get a true plant of this variety is to ask for a pup someone with a confirmed true to type mat.
Your plant looks about what my 'Ice Cream'(Pisang Awak one,not the true one) looked like at that size...Its always however safer to wait for a flower to conclude on an ID,but thats what it looks like to me.
You can buy a real Blue Java from Laverne nursery
http://www.bananas.org/f2/my-new-java-blue-banana-plant-14237.html#post171019
BananaGrower1
06-22-2013, 11:20 AM
You can buy a real Blue Java from Laverne nursery
http://www.bananas.org/f2/my-new-java-blue-banana-plant-14237.html#post171019
LESSON = DO NOT BUY FROM FLORIDA HILL NURSERY
Sunfish thank you for this info! You should let everyone know where to go to get the real deal. The one I have has grown a new leaf and it is clear now that it is in no way a real ice cream since it now has redish/pink lining around the leaf. This has been quite disappointing. I would not recommend anyone buy from florida hill nursery if you want to get the actual variety you pay for. I just bought another one that was called an ice cream from a local Arizona nursery. This one shares the characteristics of an actual blue java and it is bigger than the one in the photo above. If this one also turns put to be a fake, I will definitely call La Verne Nursery. Thanks again!
sunfish
06-22-2013, 11:41 AM
LESSON = DO NOT BUY FROM FLORIDA HILL NURSERY
Sunfish thank you for this info! You should let everyone know where to go to get the real deal. The one I have has grown a new leaf and it is clear now that it is in no way a real ice cream since it now has redish/pink lining around the leaf. This has been quite disappointing. I would not recommend anyone buy from florida hill nursery if you want to get the actual variety you pay for. I just bought another one that was called an ice cream from a local Arizona nursery. This one shares the characteristics of an actual blue java and it is bigger than the one in the photo above. If this one also turns put to be a fake, I will definitely call La Verne Nursery. Thanks again!
Just passing along the info.Bigbananaboy is the one you should get credit :ha:
BananaGrower1
06-22-2013, 11:50 AM
Here are the latest photos of the NON-Musa Blue Java I bought from Florida Hill Nursery. Notice the reddish/pink lining around the leafs and the open petioles. I am being told by a number of members that these two attributes demonstrate that it is surely not a Musa Blue Java Ice Cream Banana. Feel free to weigh in on the matter. All comments are welcome. Thanks.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=53427><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=53427&size=1 border=0></a>
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=53426><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=53426&size=1 border=0></a>
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=53425><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=53425&size=1 border=0></a>
crazy banana
06-22-2013, 12:15 PM
Sorry guys, but I bought a so labeled Blue Java from La Verne last year, but even my unexperienced eye can tell it is not and probably a Namwah/Pisang Awak type. After I had friends over from Hawaii and from the CRFG and both confirmed it was not a Blue Java, I returned it. But what I did not know was that it already had a pup, so that one is still growing in my yard. Plenty of red on p- stem, mid-ribs of leaves and red outlined leaves.
Have seen lots of Blue Java labeled plants from La Verne nursery since then and not even one looked similar to my REAL DEAL Blue Java from Jon. Hope that helps someone to make the right decissions about La Verne plants.
BananaGrower1
06-22-2013, 12:43 PM
Sorry guys, but I bought a so labeled Blue Java from La Verne last year, but even my unexperienced eye can tell it is not and probably a Namwah/Pisang Awak type. After I had friends over from Hawaii and from the CRFG and both confirmed it was not a Blue Java, I returned it. But what I did not know was that it already had a pup, so that one is still growing in my yard. Plenty of red on p- stem, mid-ribs of leaves and red outlined leaves.
Have seen lots of Blue Java labeled plants from La Verne nursery since then and not even one looked similar to my REAL DEAL Blue Java from Jon. Hope that helps someone to make the right decissions about La Verne plants.
Thanks for the info. Wow, it is interesting how many of these plants are being mislabeled. I'll be very cautious about my next purchase.
Kostas
06-22-2013, 02:42 PM
Has Big Tony's plant flowered and checked out to truly be the real deal?
crazy banana
06-22-2013, 02:45 PM
Has Big Tony's plant flowered and checked out to truly be the real deal?
👍
sunfish
06-22-2013, 02:51 PM
Has Big Tony's plant flowered and checked out to truly be the real deal? :08:
robguz24
06-22-2013, 03:02 PM
Petioles on my namwahs are closed, as much as they are on Ice Creams. Many of my varies banana types have some pink as yours do. So they could be anything at this point, but probably not anything that has closed petioles.
sunfish
06-22-2013, 03:18 PM
Big Tony told me he asked the folks at the nursery and they told him it has the blue fruit. They grow it right there
Kostas
06-22-2013, 04:28 PM
Thanks Tony! Sounds promising! Has it fruited for Big Tony yet to know for sure?
BananaGrower1
06-22-2013, 05:58 PM
Petioles on my namwahs are closed, as much as they are on Ice Creams. Many of my varies banana types have some pink as yours do. So they could be anything at this point, but probably not anything that has closed petioles.
Man! Its not even the second best thing (i.e. a Namwah)! Whats next, not a banana, not a plant, not a carbon based form of life, non-terrestrial? Thanks Florida Hill Nursery... Good job guys, you sold me a piece of space debris :ha::ha::ha:
robguz24
06-22-2013, 07:47 PM
On the plus side, as long as it's an edible banana, it will taste better than a real Ice Cream!
sunfish
06-22-2013, 08:16 PM
:08:
Doesn't look like Blue Java looks like namwah
RWalleyTX
06-08-2014, 09:44 AM
Is it easy to tell what a blue java looks like in a picture? Does where it's grown change how it may look? Are there any banana places that sell the real deal stuff 100% of the time? Anyone have a ice cream that knows 100% they are willing to sell a pup?
PR-Giants
06-08-2014, 10:24 AM
Is it easy to tell what a blue java looks like in a picture? Does where it's grown change how it may look? Are there any banana places that sell the real deal stuff 100% of the time? Anyone have a ice cream that knows 100% they are willing to sell a pup?
http://www.bananas.org/f2/blue-java-real-deal-18885.html
RWalleyTX
06-08-2014, 10:57 AM
Link does not work lol
If you got the Pisang Awak (Namva) and not the Ice-cream, its a great tasting Banana you wont be disappointed.
GreenFin
06-09-2014, 01:02 AM
I placed an order with FHN about 18 months ago for 4 cultivars (Rajapuri, Double, Dwarf Namwah, Ice Cream), and all 4 turned out to be Dwarf Orinoco plants instead...which I already had a mat of.
I will never order from FHN again.
crazy banana
06-09-2014, 01:33 AM
I placed an order with FHN about 18 months ago for 4 cultivars (Rajapuri, Double, Dwarf Namwah, Ice Cream), and all 4 turned out to be Dwarf Orinoco plants instead...which I already had a mat of.
I will never order from FHN again.
OMG. I have heard many horror stories about FHN here on bananas.org and from fellow CRFG members, but four Orinoco's that is simply sad.....
RWalleyTX
06-09-2014, 08:19 AM
Wow...sorry to hear that. How could u tell? Did you call them about it?
hanabananaman
06-09-2014, 08:53 AM
I have also been a victim of FHN, similar story as yours. The owner was posting here as a satisfied customer and got busted, but he could not comprehend how deceitful he was being and kept trying to defend his ridiculous actions. The guy needs some serious help. Tried talking to him but that was a complete waste of my time. I also bought an Ice Cream from Laverne and it turned out to be Namwa, not a big problem because the bananas were great and it tolerated the cold better than the others. Bought a Dwarf Lady Finger from Laverne and I am pretty sure it is a Pisang Awak. Both of them had red pedicles and PA had a red bunch stem. This laugh is on me, the DLF that was a PA had a mature height of 4ft listed on the Laverne tag. Well this plant was already 3ft so I'm thinking nanners in a few months. "Ha- Ha" as Nelson Muntz would say not happenin, when it hit 8ft last year I called Laverne and the guy told me I was giving it too much N and that's why it's not flowering at 4ft. Well with a little more learning I figured that guy was full of good fertilizer and I did not have a DLF. I will soon sample the PA and I expect they will be quite good from all I've read.
GreenFin
06-09-2014, 12:23 PM
Wow...sorry to hear that. How could u tell?
I have fruited all 4 plants, which made it easy to positively i.d. what they are.
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