View Full Version : Ice Cream/Blue Java banana?
Red Sky
10-06-2015, 02:24 AM
I couldn't resist buying this since I've been wanting one, but I've gotten mislabeled bananas at the box stores before. So do you think this is the real deal?
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z394/sdmessmer/Garden%20pix/Ice%20cream%20banana2_zpszn94qeyc.png
Jamie p
10-06-2015, 06:49 PM
Just curious, does it have a redish colored midrib on the leaves? If it does it could be a namwah,which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
CountryBoy1981
10-06-2015, 09:07 PM
The problem of not getting an ice cream is the source where the big box stores get their plants from. If there is pink in it then it is a namwah
Mark Dragt
10-06-2015, 10:25 PM
I have a IceCream/Blue Java that turned out to be a Namwah. Nice looking plant,grows well. Some day maybe fruit. Seems to be a common plant substitute. Tissue culture people are getting their tissue from a Namwah instead of the real IceCream/Blue Java. I think that org. members even tried to donate the real deal IceCream to the tissue culture people to try to get this problem resolved. I guess to accept would mean to admit that there is a problem in the first place. Enjoy your Namwah. If you want the real deal, I would try to get it from a org. member that knows what they are growing. Just my 2.
:08:
Red Sky
10-07-2015, 02:22 AM
I checked and it's all green so far. How soon does the pink show on a Namwah?
CountryBoy1981
10-07-2015, 07:40 AM
As Jamie said, a reddish pink midrib on the leaf and on thwarting of the leaf.
Jamie p
10-07-2015, 06:34 PM
As big as yours looks it should have a red midrib but if it stays all green you might have an Ice Cream! But there are many others it could be but if it's not an ice cream then it is most likely a Namwah.
crazy banana
10-07-2015, 09:46 PM
Let's say it this way: you would be the first person to my knowledge that has bought a correctly labeled Blue Java plant from a "Big Box" store.
Does your label refer to a particular nursery? I cannot zoom in to get a clear picture but your label looks like a mislabeled BJ from La Verne origin.
Red Sky
10-07-2015, 10:31 PM
Not very good odds! Here's a close up of the label.
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z394/sdmessmer/Garden%20pix/5d756ceb-3083-4785-bfb4-5fa8632e6ba6_zpszawh8wvq.png
epicyardfarm
11-02-2015, 04:41 PM
I have similar issue with my supposedly Ice Cream banana purchased from a local nursery. The problem is not all the mature leaves of pink midrib, only a couple of them, and my fruit definitely dose not look like Ice Cream / Blue Java...
I love this forum, it really helps to have all the banana experts help us out misidentified varieties... but I wonder if mine is Namwah or something else... I will be happy to start a new thread if need be, here are a few of my banana photos.
Planted the pup May of 2014. Flowered July 2015 and waiting for the fruit to start ripening any time now.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/523/19323067094_19172921f4_c.jpg
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3781/19268862803_d9d0bfff2b_c.jpg
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5775/21712495794_3d90c588d5_c.jpg
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/676/21712491494_db0dca8bfe_c.jpg
robguz24
11-02-2015, 06:40 PM
It's a namwah.
Red Sky
11-02-2015, 09:21 PM
I'm pretty sure mine is too now. The new leaves have pink mid ribs. :( Not that I mind a Namwa, it's just that it wasn't my first choice and I have limited room.
Here is the plant with the current new leaf. The mid rib is pink on both surfaces.
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z394/sdmessmer/Garden%20pix/Namwa%20or%20Ice%20Cream%20banana%20plant_zpsuxjsiian.png
http://i1187.photobucket.com/albums/z394/sdmessmer/Garden%20pix/Namwa%20or%20Ice%20Cream%20banana%20plant2_zps8x7oit5z.png
epicyardfarm
11-09-2015, 01:51 PM
I'm pretty sure mine is too now. The new leaves have pink mid ribs. :( Not that I mind a Namwa, it's just that it wasn't my first choice and I have limited room.
Here is the plant with the current new leaf. The mid rib is pink on both surfaces.
Me too, I am still on the hunt for a true Ice Cream. Hubby just gave me a bunch of space in the backyard for growing, so I am going to get two more varieties of bananas to grow. Just can't decide which ones yet. Definitely going to try and find an Ice Cream, either locally in Phoenix or online somewhere... :08:
siege2050
11-09-2015, 11:40 PM
Nawah is supposed to taste better, if that is why you are wanting one, according to a lot of people. But you probably won't get a true Blue Java unless it's from somebody on here, etc. Most sellers online are selling tissue culture Namwah as Blue Java.
epicyardfarm
11-10-2015, 08:29 AM
Nawah is supposed to taste better, if that is why you are wanting one, according to a lot of people. But you probably won't get a true Blue Java unless it's from somebody on here, etc. Most sellers online are selling tissue culture Namwah as Blue Java.
siege2050, thanks for chiming in on this. When I first researched on which banana to get, it seems like Ice Cream was the best tasting. But now that I am researching on here, most members suggest that Namwah tastes better. I will probably stop searching fro Ice Cream as hard as I have been then.
Now I just have to start looking in our previous threads to see what are other interesting and better tasting bananas that I should try. :-)
siege2050
11-10-2015, 11:27 AM
I think the reason why people said Ice Cream was better tasting is because they were actually eating Namwah by mistake lol
epicyardfarm
11-10-2015, 11:41 AM
I think the reason why people said Ice Cream was better tasting is because they were actually eating Namwah by mistake lol
LOL! You might be right!!!! :ha:
robguz24
11-10-2015, 12:13 PM
Of the 40 or so types I've tasted, I put Ice Cream in the bottom 1/4. Some can be good, but even the best one I've had isn't wonderful. If they weren't called Ice Cream I doubt many would seek them out aside from the novelty of them being blue while they grow. Namwah can also be good, but it's certainly not in my top 10. I'd start with what you are certain you can get to fruit where you live and go from there. If you can get your hands on a Mysore or a Dwarf Brazilian, those are both far superior to Namwah & Ice Cream.
epicyardfarm
11-10-2015, 12:43 PM
Of the 40 or so types I've tasted, I put Ice Cream in the bottom 1/4. Some can be good, but even the best one I've had isn't wonderful. If they weren't called Ice Cream I doubt many would seek them out aside from the novelty of them being blue while they grow. Namwah can also be good, but it's certainly not in my top 10. I'd start with what you are certain you can get to fruit where you live and go from there. If you can get your hands on a Mysore or a Dwarf Brazilian, those are both far superior to Namwah & Ice Cream.
Awesome input Rob! Finding varieties that will thrive in the low desert area does post somewhat of a challenge. I wish I can have the opportunity to taste these interesting varieties before planting, but I am going to take you guys' advice of passing on the Ice Cream for sure. I am going to look into the Mysore or a Dwarf Brazilian. How would you describe the flavor for those two?
robguz24
11-10-2015, 01:49 PM
Here's a taste report on the tall Brazilian, which tastes the same: http://www.bananas.org/f2/tall-brazilian-taste-report-21194.html
And mine on Mysore: http://www.bananas.org/f2/mysore-taste-report-18251.html
And my Namwah report: http://www.bananas.org/f2/tall-namwah-taste-report-18390.html
If you search above for "taste report" you'll find several others.
epicyardfarm
11-10-2015, 02:09 PM
Here's a taste report on the tall Brazilian, which tastes the same: http://www.bananas.org/f2/tall-brazilian-taste-report-21194.html
And mine on Mysore: http://www.bananas.org/f2/mysore-taste-report-18251.html
And my Namwah report: http://www.bananas.org/f2/tall-namwah-taste-report-18390.html
If you search above for "taste report" you'll find several others.
Awesome! Thank you Rob! I would love to come visit your farm some day when we go to Big Island!
robguz24
11-10-2015, 03:07 PM
Awesome! Thank you Rob! I would love to come visit your farm some day when we go to Big Island!
Absolutely! Just send me a PM when that happens.
Me too, I am still on the hunt for a true Ice Cream. Hubby just gave me a bunch of space in the backyard for growing, so I am going to get two more varieties of bananas to grow. Just can't decide which ones yet. Definitely going to try and find an Ice Cream, either locally in Phoenix or online somewhere... :08:
I have had Namwah fruit in large containers. If you don't have enough space in the ground and you want to plant something else move the Namwah Plant into a large container. I have two Namwah Plants fruiting now. I moved two large 6' plants into large containers and they are both fruiting. :goteam:
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.