View Full Version : Considering Buying a Texas Star
BananaGrower1
12-21-2013, 11:29 AM
I am considering buying a Texas Star Banana due to the fables of super banana strength and cold hardiness which they supposedly posess. I was wondering if anyone else has one and if they can either confirm or deny the "Super Musa" claims that others have made. Also, if you have any photos of a nice stand of Texas stars that would also help me in making my decision on whether to seek out this legend.
All comments and opinions are greatly appreciated :)
sunfish
12-21-2013, 11:41 AM
No such thing. If there was such a cold hardy super banana I think they'd be pretty common,know anyone that has one ?
asacomm
12-21-2013, 06:24 PM
Hello every ones,
I am also much interested in "Texas Star" if it were so nice that have been
advertized sofar.
There are similar cases around Hjaray, Pahari Kela,Dhusre, Virupaksi and
many other bananas that are said to be "very cold hardy".
However, until now I have never met any reports about their fruitings and
even flowrings.
This is to mean that there are no such "dreamy bananas" on earth.
So I now doubt about Texas Star for its cold hardiness.
venturabananas
12-21-2013, 10:21 PM
There are similar cases around Hjaray, Pahari Kela,Dhusre, Virupaksi and many other bananas that are said to be "very cold hardy".
However, until now I have never met any reports about their fruitings and
even flowerings.
Asacomm, my understanding is that Dhusre is another name for Monthan. Several people here have fruited that one. It is not particularly cold hardy. Less so than all the Pisang Awak (Namwah) varieties I have tried.
asacomm
12-22-2013, 03:28 AM
Hello Mark,
Thanks for your information about Dhusre.
In fact, I didn't know that Dhusre is the same as Monthan that I knew about.
siege2050
12-22-2013, 06:26 AM
I think I would stay away from anything claimed by Ty Ty nurseries. From what I gather they are a bit untrustworthy. They seem to find a lot of old stuff in abandoned old places that are mysterious and super cold hardy. Their site scares me, and I think Texas star and the other things they sell are probably just existing varieties with made up names. If it really was that cold hardy, I think it would be much more popular. I have Orinoco ( Not sure if dwarf or tall yet) and it seems to do pretty good dormant in my little greenhouse with a space heater in the winter. Its gotten down in the mid thirties in there quite a few times, and it still looks good, I am guessing its pretty hardy and would handle a stay in a garage overwinter fully leafed out, I am tempted to even wrap the stem next year in ground, and see how it does. Its supposed to be hardy to zone 7b ( Root hardy I'm sure, not stem). I have 4 pups from it growing in my bedroom just in case.
Jose263
12-22-2013, 02:30 PM
I've heard from other members in the past that Texas Star is just a D.Orinoco and Ty Ty is not a good place to buy. But, no personal experience either way.
sunfish
12-22-2013, 03:13 PM
I've heard from other members in the past that Texas Star is just a D.Orinoco and Ty Ty is not a good place to buy. But, no personal experience either way.
No such thing as Texas Star period...
BananaGrower1
12-23-2013, 03:13 AM
No such thing as Texas Star period...
Tony,
It is beginning to look like you are right. I was hoping that someone who has at least tried to buy or grow one of these fantom bananas could give an opinion. But it looks like there is no such person. Maybe its because the banana doesn't exist like you say.
siege2050
12-23-2013, 03:38 AM
I saw stuff about Texas star at first too, then I started finding all kinds of bad info about the company that is trying to sell it. I almost actually bought something from them, but when I saw their website, I was like this is some weird crap. Just creepy lol
PR-Giants
12-23-2013, 11:15 AM
Tony,
It is beginning to look like you are right. I was hoping that someone who has at least tried to buy or grow one of these fantom bananas could give an opinion. But it looks like there is no such person. Maybe its because the banana doesn't exist like you say.
There are many sports and or similar Orinoco type bananas, and any common name can be used, whether it be
Kentucky Wonder, Carolina King, California Gold, Texas Star, Quadrano, Horse, Hog, or Burro banana.
Surely cold tolerances should vary between plants and here we call them Mafafo, I've heard the "Red Mafafo" is the
most cold tolerant of them all.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae272/keithpr1/TARS17126_HARVESTED_zpsf0d8dde9.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/keithpr1/media/TARS17126_HARVESTED_zpsf0d8dde9.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae272/keithpr1/RedQ-fruit_zpsfb125e05.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/keithpr1/media/RedQ-fruit_zpsfb125e05.jpg.html)
TARS 17397 - Musa hybr. - Dwarf Orinoco - Florida, United States (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1648250)
TARS 17133 - Musa hybr. - Mafafo Dominicano - Puerto Rico (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1647315)
TARS 17146 - Musa hybr. - Mafafo de Adjuntas - Puerto Rico (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1647328)
TARS 17126 - Musa hybr. - Mafafo de Puerco - Puerto Rico (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1647309)
BananaGrower1
12-23-2013, 12:00 PM
I saw stuff about Texas star at first too, then I started finding all kinds of bad info about the company that is trying to sell it. I almost actually bought something from them, but when I saw their website, I was like this is some weird crap. Just creepy lol
Ha ha. Yeah, their homo-erotic YouTube ad campaign is creepy as hell! That is partly why I ignored them for so long. There are some other places that claim to have Texas Star bananas as well though. How about them?
Abnshrek
12-23-2013, 01:52 PM
Ha ha. Yeah, their homo-erotic YouTube ad campaign is creepy as hell! That is partly why I ignored them for so long. There are some other places that claim that they have Texas star bananas as well though. How about them?
They suck especially for Banana's, and Willis Orchard as well, but all the way around.. I wouldn't buy anything from them.
Claylion
12-24-2013, 10:48 AM
In August of this year I bought a "Texas Star" banana tree along with some others from the Greenearth Co. in Melbourne Fl. They arrived in great condition and I planted them that same day. They are now about three feet tall and doing well. The companies description follows:
'Texas Star' - Banana Tree - Banana Plants Texas Star Banana tree grows 6-8 ft. tall with tasty, medium size fruit, and produces a sweet flavor. The original trees of the Texas Star banana were obtained from Central Texas. Cold hardy, Zones 8-11, nice looking healthy 14" to 18" plant.
TS5 29.95 10.95.
I have no idea if these are real "Texas star" trees as I am a novice grower and I am here to learn but I am in Titusville, Fl. Zone 9 and can expect temperatures down to as low as 27degree F. at the worst. If it survives then I would say that's pretty good.
Abnshrek
12-24-2013, 10:58 AM
I have no idea if these are real "Texas star" trees as I am a novice grower and I am here to learn but I am in Titusville, Fl. Zone 9 and can expect temperatures down to as low as 27degree F. at the worst. If it survives then I would say that's pretty good.
You should be able to grow alot more varieties down there.. Maybe you got lucky & received a D. Orinoco, but if your like me its a Cavendish of sorts.. Have any pics? :^)
sunfish
12-24-2013, 11:19 AM
In August of this year I bought a "Texas Star" banana tree along with some others from the Greenearth Co. in Melbourne Fl. They arrived in great condition and I planted them that same day. They are now about three feet tall and doing well. The companies description follows:
'Texas Star' - Banana Tree - Banana Plants Texas Star Banana tree grows 6-8 ft. tall with tasty, medium size fruit, and produces a sweet flavor. The original trees of the Texas Star banana were obtained from Central Texas. Cold hardy, Zones 8-11, nice looking healthy 14" to 18" plant.
TS5 29.95 10.95.
I have no idea if these are real "Texas star" trees as I am a novice grower and I am here to learn but I am in Titusville, Fl. Zone 9 and can expect temperatures down to as low as 27degree F. at the worst. If it survives then I would say that's pretty good.
No such thing as real TS.
sunfish
12-24-2013, 11:33 AM
Found growing in my backyard. Musa San Diego Sun
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/musanamwah/001-60.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/musanamwah/media/001-60.jpg.html)
PR-Giants
12-24-2013, 11:39 AM
That's Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Got any pups?
Found growing in my backyard. Musa San Diego Sun
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/musanamwah/001-60.jpg (http://s950.photobucket.com/user/musanamwah/media/001-60.jpg.html)
sunfish
12-24-2013, 12:31 PM
That's Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Got any pups?
No pups on this one but there's lots of these similar looking plants in my neighborhood.
BananaGrower1
12-24-2013, 01:32 PM
In August of this year I bought a "Texas Star" banana tree along with some others from the Greenearth Co. in Melbourne Fl. They arrived in great condition and I planted them that same day. They are now about three feet tall and doing well. The companies description follows:
'Texas Star' - Banana Tree - Banana Plants Texas Star Banana tree grows 6-8 ft. tall with tasty, medium size fruit, and produces a sweet flavor. The original trees of the Texas Star banana were obtained from Central Texas. Cold hardy, Zones 8-11, nice looking healthy 14" to 18" plant.
TS5 29.95 10.95.
I have no idea if these are real "Texas star" trees as I am a novice grower and I am here to learn but I am in Titusville, Fl. Zone 9 and can expect temperatures down to as low as 27degree F. at the worst. If it survives then I would say that's pretty good.
Got any photos?
sunfish
12-24-2013, 02:25 PM
I give up.
PR-Giants
12-24-2013, 02:26 PM
It should look and taste like an Orinoco, but may or may not be able to survive colder temps.
These posts might help... just substitute 'California Gold' for 'Texas Star' .
July 20 2005
Oh, and on the 'California Gold' subject, I got mine for $40 directly from Jeff Earl himself, however, I have the power to make this plant readily available within the next year or two, but I dont know if its worth putting Jeff "out of business" so to speak.
Sept 8 2006
Ok, so I havent read pretty much any of this thread, but from what Ive seen, there seems to be some confusion as to what is supposed to be different about 'California Gold' as opposed to regular 'Dwarf Orinoco'. Even though the plants and fruit may be the same, thats not what is meant to be different, the thing that is supposed to be different is its cold hardiness which has no relation to plant morphology. Im not supporting or denying anything, Im just putting it out there that it can indeed have different genetic while appearing the same as another plant. Its in the way it grows, not the way it looks or what kind of fruit it produces.
Jan 15 2007
California Gold is rather new, its not a landrace like other cultivars really, so its not something you're going to be able to just look up information on. Its fairly certain it is in the Bluggoe group, not Pome, and is very close to Orinoco. There are tons of Musa not available on the MGIS from INIBAP (now Bioversity International), so that is not always a definitive source. Even though you can obtain California Gold, its still somewhat of an enigma and its not certain whether it really is any different from an Orinoco or is a new variant.
Niko43
12-24-2013, 02:40 PM
There are many sports and or similar Orinoco type bananas, and any common name can be used, whether it be
Kentucky Wonder, Carolina King, California Gold, Texas Star, Quadrano, Horse, Hog, or Burro banana.
Surely cold tolerances should vary between plants and here we call them Mafafo, I've heard the "Red Mafafo" is the
most cold tolerant of them all.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae272/keithpr1/TARS17126_HARVESTED_zpsf0d8dde9.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/keithpr1/media/TARS17126_HARVESTED_zpsf0d8dde9.jpg.html)
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae272/keithpr1/RedQ-fruit_zpsfb125e05.jpg (http://s979.photobucket.com/user/keithpr1/media/RedQ-fruit_zpsfb125e05.jpg.html)
TARS 17397 - Musa hybr. - Dwarf Orinoco - Florida, United States (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1648250)
TARS 17133 - Musa hybr. - Mafafo Dominicano - Puerto Rico (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1647315)
TARS 17146 - Musa hybr. - Mafafo de Adjuntas - Puerto Rico (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1647328)
TARS 17126 - Musa hybr. - Mafafo de Puerco - Puerto Rico (http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/acc/display.pl?1647309)
thanks for sharing
sunfish
12-24-2013, 02:40 PM
http://www.bananas.org/f2/place-sales-ca-gold-plants-13478.html#post158237
sunfish
12-24-2013, 02:42 PM
Greg they have changed the wording in their advertisement. Two years ago they advertised a Dwarf Orinoco also known as Texas Star and California Gold. I think they are just trying to sell bananas. I have the original advertisement that I copied and posted here on the org somewhere. I will try and find it for you!
sunfish
12-24-2013, 03:09 PM
In August of this year I bought a "Texas Star" banana tree along with some others from the Greenearth Co. in Melbourne Fl. They arrived in great condition and I planted them that same day. They are now about three feet tall and doing well. The companies description follows:
'Texas Star' - Banana Tree - Banana Plants Texas Star Banana tree grows 6-8 ft. tall with tasty, medium size fruit, and produces a sweet flavor. The original trees of the Texas Star banana were obtained from Central Texas. Cold hardy, Zones 8-11, nice looking healthy 14" to 18" plant.
TS5 29.95 10.95.
I have no idea if these are real "Texas star" trees as I am a novice grower and I am here to learn but I am in Titusville, Fl. Zone 9 and can expect temperatures down to as low as 27degree F. at the worst. If it survives then I would say that's pretty good.
Greenearth Co.buys their TC's from Agri-Starts,Agri-Starts does not TC California Gold or Texas Star but they do TC Dwarf Orinoco :) aha :drum::0519:
PR-Giants
12-24-2013, 03:55 PM
Why grow a PIG BANANA
if you can grow a RHINO HORN
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51290 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51290)
Abnshrek
12-24-2013, 03:57 PM
Greenearth Co.buys their TC's from Agri-Starts,Agri-Starts does not TC California Gold or Texas Star but they do TC Dwarf Orinoco :) aha :drum::0519:
Ah Ha? I can say the Texas Star & 2 Caligolds I ordered from them last year were all a Cavendish of sorts. The Goldfinger actually might be the only thing they got right, but I doubt it.. :^)
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