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View Full Version : My banana has amnesia


chickenfreak
07-09-2017, 04:54 PM
Hello! :2691:

I'm obviously new around here, and I was hoping somebody could identify my mystery naner. I bought it in central Florida (north of Deland) from some Mexican people. The only English they could say was "short, fat, sweet". Since the woman didn't wink, I figure she was talking about the fruit and not me.

The flower popped out about 9 months after planting. Where it came out is about 7' high. About 5 months after I planted, hurricane Matthew blew through and tore up the leaves, but the stalk was unhurt, so it seems to have strong roots. The leaves get shredded VERY easily, as opposed to a dwarf Namwah I just planted where there hasn't been any shredding at all. The fruit took a little more than 4 months before it was rounded enough to harvest. The plant produced two hands, with 8 fruits each.

I've included pix below. The shot of naners on stalk was taken a couple weeks after they appeared. I ate the one in the picture and it was slightly tart in the middle, but that could've been because it was just a tiny bit not ripe.

If anyone could help, I would really appreciate it. I have limited space and don't want to buy the same thing again. Thank you!
(I tried to upload photos from my gallery, but they didn't appear.)


http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=61958&cat=500&ppuser=25849

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=61959&cat=500&ppuser=25849

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=61961&cat=500&ppuser=25849

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=61960&cat=500&ppuser=25849

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=61962&cat=500&ppuser=25849

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=61963&cat=500&ppuser=25849

crazy banana
07-09-2017, 05:53 PM
Looks like Orinoco to me.

Tytaylor77
07-10-2017, 01:07 AM
I agree! Deffently Orinoco!

edwmax
07-11-2017, 09:01 AM
A Dwarf Orinoco. I think you had only 2 hands due to lack of (not enough) fertilizer and potassium. ... The Orinoco and variant Bluggoe bananas are favorites of Mexico & Central American people as it can be eaten as cooked (green) and as desert (fully ripe). ... As in your picture, a ripe Orinoco will show a fair amount of black on the skin.

chickenfreak
07-11-2017, 04:03 PM
Orinoco it is! :sumbrero:

This makes a lot of sense because I remember reading that these are one of the more cold tolerant plants, and where I bought it was inland where it gets colder than the shore area.

Thanks for your time and replies! I liked the tip about not enough potassium being the reason for only 2 hands - I was wondering about that. Since March, I've been pushing the plant with 2 cups of 20-0-50 once a month. We'll have to see how the next soodostem performs.

Thanks again! :nanerwaveytrain:

edwmax
07-11-2017, 09:10 PM
Look at the fertilizer recommendations in the forum wiki (link at top). A banana plant only needs about 1 lb of nitrogen and 1 1/2 lb of potassium during the growing season. ... 5 lb of 20-0-50 will furnish 1 lb of nitrogen and 2 1/2 lb potassium. What micros are in the 20-0-50? ... If none, then these can be furnished by using a tomato supplement.