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Want Them All
03-07-2015, 01:35 AM
I picked up some "Red" bananas from Albertson's supermarket. Waited a few days for them to soften up, I found them to be very good tasting. So now I'm looking to plant one. The label indicates they're from Ecuador. Anybody growing them in Southern CA? Where can I find one? The few nurseries I've visited don't have any "red" kind. I have several other cultivars, but they're all the green type.
Thanks!

Richard
03-07-2015, 02:05 AM
There's about a dozen listed in the Wiki. Good luck meeting the minimum temperature requirements.
:08:

Lau
03-07-2015, 09:47 AM
Reds like to be warm and they take a long time to produce fruit in my area. I got one to flower years ago. Good luck.

mushtaq86
03-07-2015, 01:41 PM
There's about a dozen listed in the Wiki. Good luck meeting the minimum temperature requirements.
:08:

HI Richard

Out of interest how does kru, dwarf red and red iholena do for you, that's if you have grown them

raggedyredhead
03-07-2015, 09:30 PM
I picked up some "Red" bananas from Albertson's supermarket. Waited a few days for them to soften up, I found them to be very good tasting. So now I'm looking to plant one. The label indicates they're from Ecuador. Anybody growing them in Southern CA? Where can I find one? The few nurseries I've visited don't have any "red" kind. I have several other cultivars, but they're all the green type.
Thanks!

Wellspring gardens on Ebay has them but, they are pups. I think around $5.99 each.

venturabananas
03-08-2015, 01:37 AM
I grow Dwarf Red in So. Cal. The plant is right up against the house for warmth. It doesn't like cool temps, so I doubt it would work for you in central CA, zone 9. Over the last 4 years, I've harvested one bunch from it and two others are hanging now.

mushtaq86
03-08-2015, 03:43 AM
I grow Dwarf Red in So. Cal. The plant is right up against the house for warmth. It doesn't like cool temps, so I doubt it would work for you in central CA, zone 9. Over the last 4 years, I've harvested one bunch from it and two others are hanging now.

Hi Mark

Have you lost any in Winters, where cool temperatures have substained for a long periods, or is it more of a problem with growing fruit.

Lau
03-08-2015, 07:25 AM
Hi mushtaq86, I lost a large tree from cold about 2 years ago. My red was planted at the back of my property and it got too cold and the top died. My reds are tall and skinny, so they need a lot of protection and sun. The wind in my area can do a lot of damage too. I have two reds planted at the back of my house and 2 more (4 pups) planted in large rope handle buckets. Good Luck :goteam:

venturabananas
03-08-2015, 10:57 AM
Hi Mark

Have you lost any in Winters, where cool temperatures have substained for a long periods, or is it more of a problem with growing fruit.

I only have the one Dwarf Red mat. It does not die back during my winter, which is mild, seldom dropping below 40 F for the night time low temp, and typically at least 50 during the day (and often much warmer). Also, it is right next to the house, which keeps the temps up some. It is just a very slow grower over winter, maybe a single leaf produced over 3 months, whereas other varieties (especially the Pisang Awak ones) will grow more than that. As a result, it is slow to produce fruit.

crazy banana
03-08-2015, 11:30 PM
Wellspring gardens on Ebay has them but, they are pups. I think around $5.99 each.

No, they are tissue cultures.

Richard
03-09-2015, 01:13 AM
HI Richard

Out of interest how does kru, dwarf red and red iholena do for you, that's if you have grown them

I grew Dwarf Red for two years in zone 9b. The plant fruited near the end of summer in the second year. The fruit didn't ripen properly and tasted poor.

servatusprime
03-09-2015, 08:25 AM
I only have the one Dwarf Red mat. It does not die back during my winter, which is mild, seldom dropping below 40 F for the night time low temp, and typically at least 50 during the day (and often much warmer). Also, it is right next to the house, which keeps the temps up some. It is just a very slow grower over winter, maybe a single leaf produced over 3 months, whereas other varieties (especially the Pisang Awak ones) will grow more than that. As a result, it is slow to produce fruit.

Was it worth the wait?

venturabananas
03-09-2015, 11:15 AM
Was it worth the wait?

From my perspective, no, not for the fruit. Although the first bunch ripened fine, the flavor and texture wasn't as good as in reds I've had that were grown in the tropics. I'm interested to see if the two bunches that are hanging now turn out any better.