View Full Version : What is your favotrite banana?
customgreen
10-07-2018, 07:47 AM
Kind of interested in what everyone's favorite banana is, either to eat or just the plant. . I have 18 varieties, most of them pretty standard. I have only been diversifying for a little over a year so I have only had a couple of varieties that have fruited. My Blue Java for fruit is a favorite. I like the vanilla overtones. As for look, probably my Maoli. It is a very impressive banana plant. Right now I have 8 plants that are fruiting. Most of them Dwarf Cavendish, but also two Blue Javas. I am pretty sure very soon my Apple banana will fruit and probably my Orinoco, which I have had fruit from before.
imclumbi
10-07-2018, 09:53 AM
I love Orinoco for tostones. I love Namwa and pisang Raja.
John
customgreen
10-07-2018, 02:27 PM
My Orinocos had fruit last year. They were pretty good. My Pisang Raja is to young, also my Nam Wah is still to young. Looking forward to some from the Gros Michael, and the Mona Lisa. I just picked up a Pisang Ceylon last week.
Juicy Bananas
10-07-2018, 02:37 PM
My number one is Fe'i by far. But as far as whats more commonly available if have to go with any Popoulu variants.
sputinc7
10-07-2018, 02:46 PM
My favorite tasting banana is Paggi.. A wonderfully sweet with a light tang banana. Like eating blackberries in a banana, sorta. Second is Gros Michel then a toss up between Brazilian and Mysore..
For growing, Brazilian wins, simply because it's the most indestructible one I have, Just keeps growing no matter what happens, pests, diseases, fungi and hurricanes drought and drownings, it just keeps on growing (and pupping).
for looks, GM again.. PC is nice with the maroon undersides, but those bright red fringes on the wide open channels against the green on GM look so pretty in the sunshine.
raygrogan
10-07-2018, 07:20 PM
I don't have near the experience of most of yall, but I will weigh in between our two "apple" cultivars. The tall Brazilian are a little tastier and I have never gotten tired of them. The dwarf Brazilian are fine, very close at first, but after a while not as good. And they are more likely to all go off at the same time. Growing-wise love the dwarf, though.
Botanical_Bryce
10-07-2018, 07:30 PM
Taste wise i have this odd orinoco that makes sweet tasty fruits. I love those things. Unlike any other orinoco. My favorite overall is SH 3640. Tasty fruit on an indestructible plant.
hdynad
10-07-2018, 07:44 PM
Although I have only tried some varieties I would have to say to date I really like Gros Michel & dwarf Brazilian
Happy growing,
Darla
Richard
10-07-2018, 09:26 PM
As famously said by forum member pitangadiego (http://www.bananas.org/member-pitangadiego.html):
The one that is ripe!
Mark Dragt
10-07-2018, 10:29 PM
As famously said by forum member pitangadiego (http://www.bananas.org/member-pitangadiego.html):
The one that is ripe!
That is so true!
Right now I am eating Dwarf Brazillian and they beat out Tall Namwah from earlier in the season. Sometimes it just depends which one is in the kitchen at the time.
I saw you live in Washington south of Seattle. How do you keep your bananas alive and fruiting given where you live?
hydroid
10-09-2018, 01:55 AM
I like the Dwarf Namwah for my area, seems they are hardy and produce good amounts of fruit and pretty tasty.
Gabe15
10-09-2018, 03:12 AM
I've had probably 250-300 different kinds of bananas, but I'm kinda awful at coming up with a favorite for eating, though I get asked all the time. I tend to appreciate all of the differences in the plants, with their various uses, and view eating the fruit as just a relatively small portion of the whole experience.
That being said, I really like cultivars in the Mchare subgroup. Particularly one I grow named 'Muraru Mshale', it's a pretty generous sized fruit, with thick creamy pulp, very aromatic, and with a subtle tartness. In opinion it combines the best attributes of Gros Michel and Pome (Brazilian) types in one (of which it is actually an ancestral parent to both).
'Pisang Jari Buaya' has a very unique flavor, somewhat similar to 'Tuu Gia'. I'd describe it as having a candy-like quality, I don't have plants anymore, but would like to get them again as I think the fruit is so unique and more people would enjoy them.
I also really love Iholenas and Maoli/Popo'ulu types when half-ripe and steamed. There are some PNG cultivars which are even better this way, but I don't get to have them very often.
I usually don't have bananas I don't like, but ripe 'Kru' was kinda off-putting to me. It has a strong sour flavor, but not one I would describe as a pleasant tartness. It was better cooked underripe.
sputinc7
10-09-2018, 12:40 PM
Gabe, your description of Muraru Mshale is exactly how I would describe Hua Moa.
it's a pretty generous sized fruit, with thick creamy pulp, very aromatic, and with a subtle tartness.
Maybe change it to somewhat aromatic...
.
robguz24
10-09-2018, 06:03 PM
Tu'u Gia, Huti (Shumba Nyeelu), Mona Lisa off type, Dwarf Brazilian seem to be my favorite lately.
robguz24
10-09-2018, 06:04 PM
Gabe, your description of Muraru Mshale is exactly how I would describe Hua Moa.
it's a pretty generous sized fruit, with thick creamy pulp, very aromatic, and with a subtle tartness.
Maybe change it to somewhat aromatic...
.
They couldn't be more different though, despite a similar description.
Gabe15
10-10-2018, 01:58 AM
Tu'u Gia, Huti (Shumba Nyeelu), Mona Lisa off type, Dwarf Brazilian seem to be my favorite lately.
That's funny Rob your top two are basically same as mine apparently!
I haven't had much of the Huti Shumba Nyeelu yet, but the one time I did have a fruit they were pretty much the same as the other Mchares. All of my Mchare are fruiting now, 4 or 5 varieties/accessions, so will be able to compare all soon.
robguz24
10-10-2018, 12:26 PM
Yeah, the 3 I've had are similar. The first Muraru Mulalu bunch I had I didn't love, but the 2nd was excellent. Years of growing the Mshale and I've never gotten it to fruit. The Huti grows well too. They've all gotten bunchy top though, but fortunately still have at least 1 of each not infected.
customgreen
10-17-2018, 05:58 PM
Sure enough my Apple Banana has produced a flower, or coming out. I will be interested in trying that. I think that my "Costa Rican Sweet" will be flowering soon. That is the name of the plant was told to me by the gentleman I bought it from. I have no idea if he was telling the truth or if he even knew himself. I couldn't find anything regarding a Costa Rican Sweet. The plant is a healthy tall (about 10 feet right now) and has produced 4 pups. Interesting about the Kru. I was all set to get a Red Kru, after reading that it was a good variety. I just picked up a Pisang Ceylon which has now started to get moving after releasing it from a very small pot which was very pot bound. My little engine that could Kandarian is now starting to gain strength. It has been almost a year and still is only 6 inches tall. Growing much better now.
mushtaq86
10-18-2018, 07:19 AM
I usually don't have bananas I don't like, but ripe 'Kru' was kinda off-putting to me. It has a strong sour flavor, but not one I would describe as a pleasant tartness. It was better cooked underripe.
Hi Gabe
That's interesting about Kru. In previous threads on this forum for the people who I remember fruiting Red Kru(Chris Knight & Jarred) they said it was one of the best tasting banana varieties . I wonder if the flavour changes in different conditions.
bananimal
10-18-2018, 08:09 AM
Fhia 2 without a doubt. This years big bunch was out a sight!!! :08:
The 3 dogs agree as well.
Gabe15
10-18-2018, 11:33 AM
Tu'u Gia, Huti (Shumba Nyeelu), Mona Lisa off type, Dwarf Brazilian seem to be my favorite lately.
Hi Gabe
That's interesting about Kru. In previous threads on this forum for the people who I remember fruiting Red Kru(Chris Knight & Jarred) they said it was one of the best tasting banana varieties . I wonder if the flavour changes in different conditions.
How good something tastes is totally subjective, so we can all be right.
Natureboy
10-31-2018, 12:55 PM
If we are going with the title of this thread, my "favotrite" banana (one that is lacking originality or freshness) would be Dwarf Cavendish.
If we are talking about our "favorite" banana, that's a different story, but still difficult to say since we could be talking about the actual taste of the fruit or a variety of other characteristics.
For me, there are a lot of factors, taste being the most important, but not the only one (and taste is also very subjective). I like dwarf varieties generally because they are not prone to being blown over and a bit more cold-resistant since the denser collection of leaves protect the p-stems. (A concern in my zone 9b) They are also easier to harvest each hand individually vs. cutting off the entire bunch at once.
My all around favorite is Dwarf Namwah: tastes great, nice texture, attractive plant and fruit, plant is just the right size fruiting at around 6-8ft, cold tolerant, produces lots of pups, beautiful pink p-stems when small, and more. I also like Apple/Manzano but it grows very tall for me and fruits at around 16 ft. It's a strong plant, but can easily get blown over at that height. And it sucks to have a bunch of bananas on there and have them all go to waste because they never got to fill out.
I recently got a Dwarf Iholena (white I think) and a Dwarf Maoli and will soon have a Pisang Raja, so I will have to review those down the road.
fisherking73
10-31-2018, 08:49 PM
Anything I grow is my favorite lol the option is store bought or atleast in a pinch can drive down to going bananas and buy some if they have. Recently have enjoyed some namwas, and hua moa and orinico for cooking.
LiorGal
11-01-2018, 12:36 AM
My Fe’i Aiuri
Richard
11-01-2018, 12:48 AM
It's Better to be a Student of Reality, Than a master of Illusion.
Exactly.
Tytaylor77
11-01-2018, 03:52 AM
All time overall favorite I would say Musa Patupi. Although so many have unique flavors that I love! It makes it hard to choose just 1.
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