Log in

View Full Version : Hello To All Banana Lovers


Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 09:56 AM
I'm not much of a forum type person, but I do love growing anything tropical! So please bare with me as I learn the ropes! I am new to bananas, but have been growning Plumerias for over 25 years. They get along really well! I live in Southern Cal. and am looking for really tall growing banana varieties, preferably that also have edible fruit. I am also looking to buy green bananas to make pastelles (a Puerto Rican delicacy.). If someone can direct me to the right place for this I would be very grateful!!! I'm excited to learn more about growing bananas and collecting more of the amazing varieties out there. I currently have Williams, Pisang Ceylon, Gran Nain, Ice Cream, Apple, Lady Fingers and an unknown, very tall, ornamental that I would like help identifying some time. Looking forward to making everyone's acquaintance! :waving:

Tytaylor77
09-10-2017, 12:37 PM
I would recommend Saba, Kandarian, praying Hands, pelipita, and maybe a Thai black for looks. Thai black is a seeded banana. I grow them all but only have 1-2 mother plants of each. So not sure I will have more pups till spring.

We have several experts in Southern CA. Hopefully they can point you to the best types for your area.

Good luck and welcome!!

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 12:41 PM
I would recommend Saba, Kandarian, praying Hands, pelipita, and maybe a Thai black for looks. Thai black is a seeded banana. I grow them all but only have 1-2 mother plants of each. So not sure I will have more pups till spring.

We have several experts in Southern CA. Hopefully they can point you to the best types for your area.

Good luck and welcome!!
Thank you TyTaylor77!

I will check out all of those varieties! I appreciate your help and feedback!
Mary

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 12:53 PM
I would recommend Saba, Kandarian, praying Hands, pelipita, and maybe a Thai black for looks. Thai black is a seeded banana. I grow them all but only have 1-2 mother plants of each. So not sure I will have more pups till spring.

We have several experts in Southern CA. Hopefully they can point you to the best types for your area.

Good luck and welcome!!
Please put me on your buying list for one of each of those you mentioned for the spring! Thank you so much for your suggestions! Banana growing is turning out to be as much fun as growing Plumerias!! :)

Richard
09-10-2017, 01:37 PM
Mary, do you have a tropical plant business?

HMelendez
09-10-2017, 05:08 PM
Welcome to the banana gang!.....:2723::bananarow::2723:

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 05:14 PM
Mary, do you have a tropical plant business?
Someday perhaps! But I would have to get much better about giving up some of my babies to have a business! LOL
I do lecture every so often to local garden clubs, and I give a way plants to special people now and again. I like promoting the plumeria fancy and helping people with identifying their plants or growing issues. But even with 300 Plumerias of various sizes, I am still in collector's mode, and selling for me is still really hard to do. I am more into discovering new hybrids and expanding my collection. I have recently gotten into gingers, Ti plants and bananas, which I am enjoying very much! ;)

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 05:23 PM
Please put me on your buying list for one of each of those you mentioned for the spring! Thank you so much for your suggestions! Banana growing is turning out to be as much fun as growing Plumerias!! :)
Praying Hands has to be the weirdest banana I have ever seen! I totally need one of those!! ;)

Richard
09-10-2017, 06:34 PM
... I am still in collector's mode ...

:woohoonaner:

Are you familiar with Ohana Tropicals, Oceanside CA (http://www.ohanatropicals.com) ?

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 06:45 PM
No, I haven't heard of them. Are they from Hawaii? Do they have banana plants, gingers or Plumerias? I will have to check them out and see if they have anything I can't live without!
;). Thank you for the heads up!

Richard
09-10-2017, 07:15 PM
No, I haven't heard of them. Are they from Hawaii? Do they have banana plants, gingers or Plumerias? I will have to check them out and see if they have anything I can't live without!
;). Thank you for the heads up!

Let me warn you not to order from them. They are a duplicate entry to the online site Aloha Tropicals which has many poor reviews here and at Dave's Gardens.

I actually knew Andy -- the founder of the business(es) prior to my retirement from plant sales in 2012. He'd come by and chat at my booth at the Leucadia Farmer's Market. :)

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 07:24 PM
OMG!!! Geez, thanks a lot Richard. Giving me that info was like taking a gambling addict to Las Vegas for a weekend getaway!! My credit card is about ready to start squealing like a stuck Kalua pig!!

I'm going to have to try pacing myself on my want list!

LOL At least they don't have any plumeria varieties I need! ;)

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 07:28 PM
Oh gracious!! That sucks!! Thank God I sent the order to my office to review before completing.

I thought I had discovered El Dorado!! Who do you recommend for banana plants and some of the other fruiting trees? I would love a papaya, a mango and a breadfruit that could survive in Simi Valley!

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 07:41 PM
Below was what I was going to order right away, and then go thru their catagories again at the office. Any idea where I can get any of these plants?

Red Iholena (banana)
Ele Ele "Hawaiian Black" (banana)
Musa Musella Lasiocarpa "Chinese Yellow" (banana)
Laurus Nobilis “Sweet Bay” (Bay Leaf)
Chrysophyllum Caimito “Star Apple”
Litchi Chinensis "Lychee"
Rambutan

Thank you again for the heads up!!!

Richard
09-10-2017, 08:52 PM
Aloha/Ohana Tropicals is one of many online sellers who prays on people in complete zone denial.

In your location:
* You can buy much better Papaya and Lychee in the store
* Star Apple is marginal and a health risk
* Rambutan is dead
* the Mango "Timotayo" will work -- and is at local nurseries
* Bay Leaf is available at local nurseries

There are a number of fruiting bananas that you can successfully grow which will fruit in 18 months such as Namwa and Mysore. There are also some purely tropical ones that will take years to fruit -- if they survive. I recommend you only buy banana plants from reputable members here, incl. crazy banana, HMelendez, sddarkman619, and TyTaylor. They're likely to contact you if they haven't already. No one here will be surprised when I say you should not buy plants from PR Giants.

Note: by nurseries, I mean places like Green Thumb -- not big box stores.

Mary's Ohana Tropicals
09-10-2017, 09:25 PM
Great advice Richard! Thank you! I buy a lot of my landscaping stuff from Green Thumb on Topanga already. I will buck up, and place an order for some of these other things on my want list thru them. I really appreciate your help and guidance and I will look forward to paying you a visit in the very near future!
:) :) :)

P.S. I LOVE your Avatar!! ;)

simplefarmer
09-12-2017, 10:55 AM
Richard, I am looking forward to next spring, adding new varieties to my collection. I have good experience with going-bananas.com, which was recommended in this forum. I have contacted Ty regarding any future plants for sale.
Please give some more info about PR Giants. This member seems to be a lot of rare varieties. As new members thanks for the fair warning. Dharma.

Richard
09-12-2017, 01:39 PM
I will look forward to paying you a visit in the very near future!


We're looking forward to meeting you too!