View Full Version : Does this look like rajapuri? (flower pics)
meizzwang
07-12-2016, 01:40 PM
I acquired a plant at a local farmer's market in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA almost 3 years ago, and it was labeled Rajapuri. It was a hardened off plant from TC, so it likely originated from agristarts. Plant withstood temperatures at around 30F last winter with minimal to almost no burn on the leaves. Height of p-stem is about 7' at flowering. Flag leaf showed up June 27, 2016, and bud was visible July 1, 2016. Now it's 7/12/16, the inflorescence has "dropped" and is hanging, but the bracts(?) haven't yet unfurled to reveal the individual flowers underneath. The plant is slowly leaning due to the weight of the inflorescence and will definitely need propping.
It's been in the high 40's to mid 50's at night and somewhere between mid 70's up to low 90's, the temperature has been swinging like crazy! Due to the cold nights, flower development is at a snail's pace: as of today (7/12/16) the flowers still haven't "opened"! I thought it would take a matter of days to open after you see the flower pop out, but it's been almost 2 weeks since the bud was visible....the price you pay for growing tropical plants in cooler climates....
I will update this thread as the inflorescence develops. While there still isn't enough detail to get a 100% positive ID, can Rajapuri produce a light reddish-orange bract or spathe(?) as pictured below? All the pictures I've seen online of rajapuri have bracts that are bright or dark red. All photos below taken 7/8/16:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7431/28267800665_6e9b44172f_c.jpg
close up of the bract (I'm calling it that for now until someone corrects me). Perhaps environment (ie temperature and pH of soil) might play a role in the color of this plant part?
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8865/28267803995_225c0472db_c.jpg
Crappy picture, but gives you scale of the size of the inflorescence:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8656/27652329694_039a9caf47_c.jpg
The two big mats at the bottom are the suspected raja puri:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8869/28267808535_0f7e80b1c3_c.jpg
meizzwang
07-15-2016, 12:38 PM
Okay fellow banana "nerds," this is the moment you've been waiting for :) If this ain't rajapuri, what is it? Before I delve into a bunch of features of this suspect plant, one thing I noticed is there's a somewhat pungent odor given off by the inflorescence. Imagine the chemical undertone smell of an oriental lily without the sweetness to it, add a little waxy-scent, and make it slightly less potent. that's what the flower smells like! Makes me gag, but I continuously keep trying to smell it for some reason, LOL
Anyways, Here's a summary of this plant:
1) colorful flowers (ie. red pigments in petals..I guess they're petals?), and no red where each finger is attached to the main stem:
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8632/28248735661_3f13b62301_c.jpg
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8720/28248733591_66e58a8b06_c.jpg
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8740/28327111125_ede85766c1_c.jpg
Overview of inflorescence, 17 fingers in this hand, if they all make it:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8859/28327104675_d092484383_c.jpg
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8570/28327101395_2cb6754308_c.jpg
2)Flowering height is at 7', the subject plants are the 2 bottom matts:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8869/28267808535_0f7e80b1c3_c.jpg
3) Withstood 30F for 2 days with minimal damage, this photo is from Feb. 2016 Subject plants are the 2 bottom mats:
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1701/24506056293_917545b542_b.jpg
4) water sprouts have red variegation (plant in foreground, to the right):
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5697/20856274400_9f1773fe07_c.jpg
5) Sword suckers don't have red variegation:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8858/28045206730_9322837077_c.jpg
6) here's the p-stem:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/8/7736/28045193450_262545269a_c.jpg
7) petiole canals are lined with red pigments:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8761/28327106875_d6eeb56937_c.jpg
So what's the verdict?
sputinc7
07-15-2016, 03:08 PM
I don't know what they are but they look like they are happy to me.
My Raja Puri is pretty short.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=60179&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=60179&ppuser=16716)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=60215 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=60180)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=60216 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=60215)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=60217 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=60180&ppuser=16716)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=60218 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=60217&ppuser=16716)
One way you can is by the male bud. It's huge.
crazy banana
07-16-2016, 02:58 PM
Raja Puri will retain its bracts (like in the photo Lau has posted). Just wait another week or so.
meizzwang
07-18-2016, 01:58 PM
Sounds great, I'll post pics as soon as the female flowers are done blooming and the male flowers begin to open.
This inflorescence is secreting a very sweet liquid that tastes just like honey, but isn't super viscous. there's so much liquid that it left a slight puddle on the steps. So many little details you'd never expect. Anyhow, here's some new photos, taken 7/17/16. Taking forever to flower because it's been in the low 50's at night and mid 80's during the day:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8876/27778340214_6728acf06d_c.jpg
Flowers are finally fully open:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8238/28361732986_32265bba0b_c.jpg
oh shoot, I just noticed some red where the banana stems connect to the main inflorescence stem, now I'm confused....it could be caused by the cold, or it's possibly not rajapuri, only time will tell :
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8588/28361735396_89dc7f81ae_c.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8050/27778348154_782f4ab639_c.jpg
https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7484/28112167260_4e4b6c37a7_c.jpg
meizzwang
07-21-2016, 12:11 PM
some more photos of the suspected Musa Rajapuri. It seems like the last 2 or 3 hands of female flowers aren't "engorged" so these will likely abort. Interestingly, it appears the last set of female flowers also has some male flowers mixed in there. Upon closer inspection, I suspect all of the female flowers on this plant also have some male parts in there, although they're much more mutated and not fully functional or developed.
All photos taken this morning, 7/21/16. In this first picture, Notice the pointed stigma subtended by what appear to be stamens:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8310/28455001815_15a1591d53_c.jpg
Some older female flowers:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8246/28422825416_9743d50d79_c.jpg
Overview of the bunch:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/8/7783/28422828276_e339a19535_c.jpg
and overview of the plant with flowering bunch:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8566/28454999695_fbbd714512_c.jpg
robguz24
07-22-2016, 07:02 PM
Those very red female flowers as on Lau's are what you should see (from my understanding anyway). Yours look much less red, though I don't know how much variability there is in that trait for RPs.
meizzwang
07-25-2016, 06:01 PM
couple of updates:
1) only about 6 hands made it and they're developing well.
1) the "male" flowers abort about 1-3 days after they open. All of these subsequent flowers are technically hermaphordites and contain both male and female structures, there's no 100% pure male flowers being produced (not yet at least).
2) bracts fall off about 2-3 days after the "male" flowers open. None of them have stayed on yet.
3) following the 6 hands that are developing bananas, about 5 hands of the hermaphrodite "male" flowers/bracts have fallen off.
4) red pigments where the individual finger meets the stem has gone away, it's pretty much pure green now
So my questions now are:
1) does Rajapuri eventually produce 100% male flowers, or are they all hermaphrodites?
2) With the flowers that are aborting, is it possible that they're still considered part of the "female" flowers, and they're just falling off because the banana doesn't have enough energy to keep them?
3) Does rajapuri ever produce several hands of bananas, then several nodes that are "clean" followed by a bunch of bracts that don't fall off, or is the fact that these hermaphrodite hands keep falling off a tell tale sign that this isn't Rajapuri?
4) As Rob questioned, has anyone seen phenotypic variance in the flower color for rajapuri?
5) has anyone grown out agristarts' rajapuri and confirmed the ID is correct?
6) if this isn't rajapuri, what other cultivar(s) could it possibly be?
7) aside from seeing the bracts staying on the rachis, are there any other photos I can take to help ID this plant?
I just added some more pictures to the post. I can not answer any of your technical questions, but if the male bud on your plant looks anything like the pictures of my plant it is probably a Rajapuri.
Tytaylor77
07-25-2016, 09:50 PM
My raja Puri hasn't flowered yet so I can't compare to mine. Yours look really tall for raja Puri. All the pictures I have seen show very red female flowers also. Lau's I would say is for sure a raja Puri.
Yours looks a lot like my Goldfinger bunches. Maybe some type of FHIA hybrid? I'm no expert. Just sharing what I've seen/read. Pm me your email and I can send you lots of my Goldfinger pics if you want to compare. I take almost daily pictures of progress. There may be a few uploaded here but not many.
meizzwang
07-26-2016, 12:12 PM
Yeah, I haven't seen any pictures either of rajapuri with such light colored flowers, starting to think this isn't one....especially with these new updated pics taken 7/26/16:
Bracts fold backwards-ish, and as mentioned above, they typically fall off 2-3 days after opening:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8565/28282515980_f33d4d5259_c.jpg
Closer shot of the bract:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8655/27949597554_dbbdf26e57_c.jpg
"male" flowers and their corresponding bracts fall off 2-3 days after opening:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8604/28566902075_61817ac1b6_c.jpg
Close up of male flowers, which are actually both male and female. These seem more yellow than the female flowers. For what it's worth, this is the 8th "hand" of male flowers:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8039/28460038842_a8da11525c_c.jpg
The abscission layer where each finger is connected to the rachis has red pigments that look like a red line:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8883/28460050982_5eef57f31b_c.jpg
Got a second flower on another mat, same exact clone that was labeled rajapuri. Flowering height is around 7.5' of p-stem:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8596/28566912545_8d267e1b2d_c.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8729/28460032362_6dc8dc8780_c.jpg
Gabe-any input? I know you're the musa master around here....
I'm watching your thread. I have my 1st musa fruiting. I was told she was a Rajapuri but I didn't dig her up nor was I the one to label her and the peeps who did are a bit flaky and we're no longer in touch. My flower pictures (I took a few bad ones) seem similar to yours in color; I also have only a few hands (6 I believe with 10 fingers each). If yours is not RP then mine probably isn't either but that means misidentification is bicoastal. As if I didn't already know that... ;)
Gabe15
07-26-2016, 11:33 PM
It is not 'Raja Puri', there are a number of traits which do not match but the most obvious is the lack of persistent male bracts and flowers below the bunch on the rachis. I have some ideas but hard to say exactly what it is at this point, keep posting photos and whatever you do LEAVE THE MALE BUD ON! Do not cut it off, it will make ID'ing much more difficult.
meizzwang
07-27-2016, 12:15 PM
much appreciated, thanks Gabe, and will do! Bummer, I was hoping to get this ID'ed quickly so I can chop off the male bud....there's sooooo many yellow jackets swarming this thing and it's becoming a health hazard, haha!
tytaylor77 asked me about the color of the p-stem on a new pup, and I never thought to even look! Couldn't get a pic of a new pup, but here's a 5' or so pup, and I peeled one of the old petioles off. It was surprising to see this light pink color, until now I thought the p-stem was solid green:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8581/28557077536_84974aaba9_c.jpg
Since P-stems are kinda boring, here's an unrelated Epiphyllum flower to make this post more interesting:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8880/28460024312_44c71f7f1b_c.jpg
Anyhow, Whatever this banana cultivar is, it's certainly well adapted to our cooler climate! To be continued, will wait for more hands of the male flowers to open.
meizzwang
07-29-2016, 03:58 PM
Second inflorescence opened on 7/28/16. Here's some pictures of it, taken 7/29/16. Even though it's the same exact clone, the flower is slightly different. There were 2 pairs of bracts prior to the bract that subtended the first hand. In the previous flower, there was only 1 bract prior to the bract that subtended the first hand:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8506/28019429334_cf8138a815_c.jpg
First hand of female flowers:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8781/28352068800_b01d0fa331_c.jpg
An attempt to capture the color of what appears to be both the flag leaf and first bract. Also, notice the coloration of the inflorescence, some red pigments are present:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8591/28352061480_240232df3f_c.jpg
Closer shot of the inflorescence stem:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8666/28019419074_94e76e3267_c.jpg
Overview of the 2 inflorescences:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8108/28019424554_48d946b25c_c.jpg
Now we're looking at the older flower that opened in early July (the one to the left in the previous photo), here are the "male" flowers that continue to fall off 2-3 days after opening. Zero bracts have persisted so far:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7770/28352064790_fb197304b6_c.jpg
some color on the rachis.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8830/28352072200_ca1d069e4d_c.jpg
meizzwang
08-01-2016, 12:33 PM
okay, second inflorescence of this unknown Musa is blooming and to recap, it's the same exact clone as unknown#1 (photo-documented in this thread). Flower color is exactly the same as the first one. Photos taken 7/31/16 and 8/1/16:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8614/28084578124_e4d7a41eb3_c.jpg
Close up of female flowers the day they opened:
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8664/28086112373_1bf0d7f74a_c.jpg
"top view" of the female flowers:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8670/28084581324_5f609bc263_c.jpg
https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7576/28086127103_39a584604f_c.jpg
just opened flowers, the stem where they are attached to the rachis:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8589/28623931081_fe072bae7e_c.jpg
flower pics at night:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7776/28623936401_a3d5211d49_c.jpg
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8280/28086128983_9be7aaa5e0_c.jpg
Notice the color of the flowers on the very first hand that opened, they're much whiter compared to the just opened flowers. Not the best pic to illustrate this point, but the best I have:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8009/28623905881_baf6880d20_c.jpg
Here's some hands from the older inflorescence, it's been cold again so they're taking their sweet time:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8812/28417383310_8c08c59c38_c.jpg
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8165/28417388790_cac0258a8f_c.jpg
Last but not least, one of the more important pictures: clean rachis, hermaphordite flowers and their bracts continue to fall off shortly after opening, I think 12 or 13 sets of these flowers have fallen off so far:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8790/28595883772_7b2011d79d_c.jpg
Also note: the second ratoon is significantly taller, one of the pups is near 10' tall and hasn't yet shown any signs of flowering. Anyone who has grown manzano (not brazilian): do you see any characteristics that would suggest this isn't manzano?
Tytaylor77
08-01-2016, 08:44 PM
My Manzano is really Manzano the best I can tell. They have wine spots on some pups and also have color on the Pstem. Young pups come up almost red sometimes and have red streaking. Look below at the colors. Manzano leaves are also long and skinny looking. Yours looks to be all green. I hope Gabe can figure it out soon I'm excited to see what I really is.
https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/accessiondetail.aspx?id=1647318
meizzwang
08-08-2016, 11:52 AM
Any way to get a positive ID yet? Photos taken 8/8/16:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8579/28820275506_812d564408_c.jpg
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8819/28820279996_a366e73a14_c.jpg
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8513/28820284356_b32ec62bd2_c.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8088/28820270986_cc2b1aa860_c.jpg
Interestingly enough, the second bunch has 2 fingers that are fused together. Looks like praying hands might have some future competition:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8770/28775344681_1e50611981_c.jpg
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8633/28775346501_c5d6f96278_c.jpg
meizzwang
09-12-2016, 04:02 PM
Does anyone have pictures of FHIA-3 (Sweetheart) flowers? Feel free to post them here if you do.
Some new photos of this unknown, taken 9/12/16. Bananas are still pretty small, but they seem to be filling in a little bit. Any idea what this is, or do I have to wait until they're ripe?
https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8245/29016135033_083e623cc6_c.jpg
male flowers:
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8067/29016137573_ff76db2c39_c.jpg
Nanners close up:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8246/29529601142_39f38e975d_c.jpg
And one of the bunches:
https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8436/29016125773_91e0a4f3a1_c.jpg
meizzwang
10-14-2016, 06:00 PM
Still in the dark as to what cultivar this is, but my williams and namwah were the exact same size and age as this plant, and have yet to fruit. They're in the exact same environment, with the exact same watering and nutrients. This unknown cultivar has so far produced 4 inflorescences, so needless to say, whatever this is, it's something worth growing in our cooler San Francisco Bay Area California weather. This is why I'm dying to know what it is, it might be the next "california gold" but the proof will be next year if I can get to harvest them at optimal maturity and taste the fruit. I don't think we'll get ripe bananas before the first frost, but a heat wave is expected after this rain we're currently having.
Third inflorescence (pictured below) opened on Oct. 3rd, so I'm not expecting any of these to survive. It's massive compared to the first two...the first hand on this large inflorescence has 24 fingers, which is probably shabby for the tropics but outstanding for our conditions:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5575/30292067136_8dfb933a00_c.jpg
https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5674/30326870035_663067551b_c.jpg
To recap, this color fades away as the bananas mature. This photo was taken right when the flowers opened:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8555/29696955524_92eec09400_c.jpg
First hand after the bract fell off:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5348/29696959924_f01b8e1fd7_c.jpg
close up of female flower:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8133/30292078086_e38b58497e_c.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5446/29696961794_c00040a818_c.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5491/29696964114_3fb129d844_c.jpg
The oldest bunch of bananas, which flowered July 14th, 2016. Looks like they still need some time to fill in:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8615/30326871835_747cf03166_c.jpg
And group shot of several different cultivars. The two bottom mats are the unknowns that I'm trying to ID:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5640/30292084966_5fd3babde4_c.jpg
venturabananas
10-15-2016, 10:40 AM
My best guess is this is the TC mutant Goldfinger that is available in the US, which lacks the top-shaped male bud. (At least that's my interpretation of all the back and forth about "real" vs. "fake" Goldfinger in the US.)
As Gabe stated, it's not Rajapuri because it doesn't have persistent male bracts and flowers. That also rules out Dwarf Brazilian. But the general appearance is very similar to a Pome subgroup variety, which is also true of Goldfinger, which has a Pome (Dwarf Brazilian) parent.
I don't think it is Sweetheart (FHIA-03) for a few reasons. FHIA-03 has a strikingly green pseudostem. From your photos, this one has some reddish on it. FHIA-03 is also a really big (large diameter), robust plant. These seem too slender. FHIA-03 is big, not just in girth, but also in height. It's not a tall variety, but by the 2nd or 3rd ratoon, I'd expect it to be around 10', from what I've seen. Also, FHIA-03 has some persistent male flowers on the rachis, at least based on the reliable photos I can find and from the few plants I've seen in person.
Whatever it is, it's definitely a winner in your challenging climate!
I'd like to hear Gabe's thoughts on what this plant is now that you have posted some many great photos. Gabe?
Tytaylor77
10-15-2016, 08:39 PM
I agree. Goldfinger is my best guess. Sweetheart is insanely large at the base. It's not FHIA 3 sweetheart. I'm excited to see what variety this really is. Gabe please share your best guess or possibilities. Would Love to hear your thoughts.
meizzwang
10-26-2016, 01:30 PM
some more updates of this now properly ID'ed American Goldfinger! A fourth flower just opened today, 10/26/16 but I have very low expectations for it because it's so late in the season and it's starting to get cold. Our high temps are in the high 60's, and once this storm passes, lows are expected to be in the 40's.
Photos taken 10/26/16:
Sort of a weird position, but nice thing is this inflorescence can be reached by hand. This is the 4th bloom this year from the American Goldfinger clone, it's super productive even in marginal environments:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5529/30583821345_62c5fba0ba_c.jpg
Don't know how many fingers are on this first hand, but the flower is pretty darn big so there's probably a lot. I can't see the fingers in person. Had to stick the camera under the bract to get this shot:
https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5722/30583816595_8bcba91280_c.jpg
Here's the bunch that opened on Oct 3rd, 2016:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5642/29950148713_36ff65847c_c.jpg
After a rainstorm with cold nights, I noticed some brown spots that looked like rot on these brand new bananas, so I knocked off a few fingers to make sure if it was rot, it wouldn't spread like a wildfire. Turns out, those spots were only on the epidermis (outside) and the fingers were totally fine, I probably should have left them alone:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5520/30583810345_08fa8fdf11_c.jpg
But don't those necrotic brown spots look horrible?
https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8650/30284661090_409c136bc6_c.jpg
Okay, here's another bunch...if only these had fruited a month earlier I'd be eating them now. Instead, the plan is to figure out how to keep these from freezing during the winter and harvest them in late spring when these fully fill out. Growth is very slow right now and will almost stop very soon once the high temperatures are in the mid 60's:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5580/30547525926_70f55335ea_c.jpg
this is the oldest bunch, and I kept the male flowers on just for ID purposes, but now I'm too chicken you know what to cut it off because an open wound when it's cold could mean rot issues down the road:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8652/29950138943_f0e5c00aab_c.jpg
I could probably harvest one or two from this bunch, but we want to know what they taste like when fully mature:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5804/30547518796_ea5c73d60b_c.jpg
And overview of the matts:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5519/29950132143_ea67c38d8a_c.jpg
meizzwang
11-02-2016, 12:35 PM
Here's the bunch of American Goldfingers that started flowering 10/26/16 (the fourth bunch!) Photos taken 11/2/16:
An uncommon perspective:looking down at the bananas instead of looking up. First hand has 28 fingers! Notice on the fingers to the right of the first hand, there are dark anthocyanins (in this case, purple-red pigments) produced. I suspect this is from cold stress:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5516/30101482863_ee8f05128e_c.jpg
It's been pretty cold, nights dipping on the low 50's and day temps in the low 60's. It rained almost all week last week. The last finger on the top hand to the right almost looks like a red banana!
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5647/30736858255_1d974d5e44_c.jpg
So unsurprisingly, I saw this damage on the young, tender fingers, probably due to a combination of cold, wet conditions:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5515/30436306150_72011e4788_c.jpg
Still have some hands opening up:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5530/30620070692_5e24448be4_c.jpg
https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5693/30101474813_706d5f096f_c.jpg
And unfortunately, I have a 5th bloom on the way...was hoping this wouldn't show until next spring:
https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5545/30648586621_0e412359d9_c.jpg
One of the keys mentioned that the original FHIA-1 has bracts that open one at a time on the male flowers. I think about 90% of the time, that has happened with the american goldfinger, but occasionally, 2 or 3 will open up simultaneously. It's especially prevalent when we have warm days followed by cool days and then it warms up again:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5757/30648589521_977298896f_c.jpg
meizzwang
11-10-2016, 02:57 PM
some new pics of the 4th flower that opened at the end of October. I thought this would have no chance to develop, but with this recent unexpected abnormal heatwave we're having, there just might be a shot. There is some damage on some of the "skin" of the developing bananas, but the fingers are totally fine. Photos taken 11/10/16, not sure if this is done yet, but certainly this flowering bunch has the most fingers out of all the bunches:
https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5668/30813442391_1648d69ae1_c.jpg
https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5753/30865848106_3a3b3e088d_c.jpg
And for fun, an overview of several different cultivars, including the american goldfinger. The leaves will probably all turn brown once we get frost, to be continued:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5772/30813435761_92ca13bb9a_c.jpg
meizzwang
12-06-2016, 06:23 PM
Update on the american gold finger bunches: another inflorescence has opened, bringing the count up to 5 bunches currently developing! Photos taken 12/6/16:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5570/31433566956_5eaf854918_c.jpg
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5579/31433564316_8bc54b2a45_c.jpg
The red color on the flowers is much more intense this time of year, probably due to cold stress. We've had nights in the mid 30's (approx 2C) recently:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5619/31433562376_b1d6c39641_c.jpg
With the cold weather and threat of frost very soon, I've made some make-shift banana bags out of greenhouse plastic, but the big plants won't be covered. I also completely covered up the little AEAE at the top so now it won't get rained on and hopefully won't freeze this winter (see upper left hand corner of the pic below). so, far it's taken 36F (2.2C) just fine
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5546/31433581596_7a2775d56d_c.jpg
Close up of a makeshift banana bag, so far no cold damage to the bunches that opened in July 2016:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5584/31433578096_d7301d009b_c.jpg
A peek inside the bag. Notice the color of the bananas have a yellow tinge. I suspect this is from cold stress and not necessarily maturity. The leaves of the plants have turned slightly yellow, and new growth is pretty yellow on some P-stems:
https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5491/31324711002_7aa7236e68_c.jpg
A peek inside another bag. These are the oldest, I think these started flowering July 14 2016:
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5591/30662621993_31a590d123_c.jpg
this bunch opened in October, but seems to be okay. I think these just might make it:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5347/31433571096_e93ef18017_c.jpg
JBijl
12-07-2016, 12:10 PM
Damm i am hoping for one and you have 5 bunches currently developing.
Thanks for share and for the real nice pics.
meizzwang
04-20-2017, 04:37 PM
Got another american goldfinger flower that just opened today, 4/20/17. This will be #6 total that has flowered within the past year from 2 mats.
The recommendation is to have maybe 2-3 p-stems per mat, but I prefer having 3 mature and 3 back-ups, all at different stages of development because this increases the chance that at least a few of the p-stems will flower at the right time. So far, 2 of the 6 blooms flowered too late in the season (one in late oct, and the other in Dec), so those are lost, but 4 of the 6 will work out. To recap, I'm in Northern California (SF Bay Area Peninsula) where we have a very short grow season for bananas.
Anyhow, here's the 6th inflorescence. I'm not sure how full the bananas will be this time around since all the leaves got some form of crispy-ness from the cold winter months:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2859/33781082280_e8f62e5540_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2912/34035018491_4f36153bc1_c.jpg
venturabananas
04-21-2017, 11:50 AM
Mike, given your climate, I think that 6 p-stem approach makes a lot of sense. If you let the mat get a lot bigger, though, I think you'd start to see the average bunch size really drop due to competition among p-stems for light, nutrients, and water.
meizzwang
04-21-2017, 11:56 AM
It's very true, even with the 6 pstem "technique," bunch sizes seem to suffer a bit. I'd love to have just 2 p-stems total per mat, but that's like russian roulette up here....at least with FHIA-1
Interestingly, the dwarf namwah at the thai restaurant near my house fruited in the middle of winter, and when I recently looked, the fruit have really developed quite a bit! Not a single fruit died off, definitely felt jealous, haha! The leaves on the plant were fried just like my rajapuri and american goldfinger, but it seems the fruit from dwarf namwah can possibly tolerate more cold stress.
meizzwang
05-15-2017, 06:54 PM
FINALLY!!!!! After 2 days shy of 10 long months of waiting, this American Goldfinger FHIA 1 is finally mature and showing signs of ripening! The flowers first opened on July 17, 2016 and we have had an abnormally cold spring, so things were super-slow. I think these can finish in 5 months here so long as you have a warm spring/summer/fall, and get them to bloom in the early spring.
Photos taken 5/15/17, this is my first bunch ever to finish:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4187/34644405326_bae70a2e41_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4193/34684832145_3fbc305ee8_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4178/34644405806_1068a8a00e_c.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4174/34644406056_3f02310dfb_c.jpg
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