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View Full Version : Musa yunnanensis update - July 2008


bigdog
07-27-2008, 08:50 PM
I just wanted to share a couple of pics I took today of my Musa yunnanensis mat, and compare it to last year. This is today, July 27, 2008:

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=11859&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=11859&ppuser=49)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=11860&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=11860&ppuser=49)

And this pic is from October 11, 2007. It is bigger now than all of last year, and about 3 months left in the growing season.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=6195&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=6195&ppuser=49)

I could have posted this in the Cold-Hardy Bananas forum also. This banana has turned out to definitely be a winner in zone 7a (although this banana hasn't seen zone 7a temps, but several zone 7b temps). It took several dips into the high single digits last year, and I did not protect it one bit. Not even any extra mulch! I highly recommend it to you cold-hardy banana enthusiasts looking for something other than Musa basjoo or Musa sikkimensis. Keep in mind that I live in a southern zone 7a, and we only average one day with a high temperature below freezing per winter.

And also, this is the banana that most nurseries are still calling Musa itinerans. I have discussed it with Toby of rarepalmseeds.com, and he has changed the ID on his site. Markku Hakkinen described this banana officially in Novon late last year, and positively ID'd this banana as M. yunnanensis. Agri-Starts sells this banana as Musa itinerans still (I know because that's where I got this one originally!), as does banana-tree.com and others. This misidentification will probably continue for a long time to come still, unfortunately. The more we can get the word out now, however, the better!

Frank

natedogg1026
07-27-2008, 10:29 PM
Frank, Nice mat! Looks great. Wonder how well they'd do here in 6. Protected of course.

Dean W.
07-27-2008, 10:57 PM
Nice mat thanks for sharing the pictures and info.

Tropicallvr
07-29-2008, 02:00 PM
Nice mat Frank. Do you think it's the third hardiest banana after M.basjoo, and Musa sikkimensis(and hybrids)?

bigdog
07-29-2008, 05:23 PM
Nice mat Frank. Do you think it's the third hardiest banana after M.basjoo, and Musa sikkimensis(and hybrids)?

Kyle, I would actually put it fourth, if you aren't counting Musella lasiocarpa (5th if you are counting it). I would tentatively rank them from most cold-hardy to least cold hardy as follows: Musa basjoo, M. itinerans var. itinerans, M. sikkimensis, M. yunnanensis. I'd put Musella somewhere in there around M. sikkimensis. The only reason I rank the others higher than M. yunnanensis is that they come back from the old pseudostems, whereas M. yunnanensis has not (yet).

Thanks! I don't think a bloom is going to happen this year, but I'm considering protecting one or more of the pseudostems in this mat to try and get one next year. I might have it, M. basjoo, and M. itinerans all blooming next year! :goteam:

magicgreen
08-02-2008, 10:00 AM
Frank, thanks for the photo!
That mat looks great!! I HOPE to have a mat one day!
I remember the thread on this plant last winter, and you were so right about this ones
winter hardiness!

griphuz
08-27-2008, 03:58 AM
Hmm, if you click on Musa yunnanensis on the RPS site, you just get Musa itinerans,....what's the deal with that?
Is the seed itinerans or yunnanensis?
Regards,
Remko.

bigdog
08-27-2008, 08:09 AM
Hmm, if you click on Musa yunnanensis on the RPS site, you just get Musa itinerans,....what's the deal with that?
Is the seed itinerans or yunnanensis?
Regards,
Remko.


Yeah, Toby just didn't change the name on the other page. It is Musa yunnanensis.

tony palmer
09-05-2008, 04:41 AM
Frank, in the UK we have been trying yunnan for several years but unfortunately they have prove to be a no goer for us, the stem doesn’t survive the winter and our summers are to cool for it to attain any height growing back from the corm.
I think that is one of differences between the UK and US when it comes to hardy bananas
We need some of the stem to survive, but with your wormer summers you can get away with it if only the corm survives, although we both need the stem to survive if ever we are to flower them.

bigdog
09-05-2008, 09:25 AM
Frank, in the UK we have been trying yunnan for several years but unfortunately they have prove to be a no goer for us, the stem doesn’t survive the winter and our summers are to cool for it to attain any height growing back from the corm.
I think that is one of differences between the UK and US when it comes to hardy bananas
We need some of the stem to survive, but with your wormer summers you can get away with it if only the corm survives, although we both need the stem to survive if ever we are to flower them.

Tony, the stem hasn't survived yet for me either, but its vigor when it sprouts makes up for that. Some in zone 8a have reported stem survival, and one fella said that his gets to 20 feet! Mine keeps gaining size with each passing year, so maybe I'll have a stem survive in a year or 2. But I'll probably need to protect a stem if I ever want a flower, you're right.

Can't imagine what it might look like now if it was growing in good soil. The soil it's in right now was amended upon planting, but not that much, and not over a wide area, as you can see in the pictures. The surrounding soil is clayey, rocky, acidic soil that isn't very fertile. This is one of the least picky bananas I've grown, as far as soil goes. It did have some leaf curl problems last year, but nothing this year. I've donated one to UT Gardens, and they have theirs in some excellent quality topsoil that is heavily irrigated, so I'm curious to see what it does next year.

Frank

Chironex
02-19-2009, 03:47 AM
Anyone have yunnanensis pups or seeds available? If not, does anyone want to get some from rareplamseeds.com? They are $13/hundred plus shipping. The minimum order size is $100 so I am looking for others wanting this banana. PM me and if we get enough of us, then an order will be placed. By the way, any of the seeds they offer can be used to fulfill the minimum order size, so it is not limited to just yunnanensis. Check out their site at:
rarepalmseeds.com - palm seeds, cycad seeds, banana seeds (http://www.rarepalmseeds.com)

griphuz
02-19-2009, 07:44 AM
I've just made an order last week Scot,...to bad, but then again, a combined order for me in the Netherlands and you in the US wouldn't be that efficient right?
Kind regards,
Remko.

D_&_T
02-19-2009, 03:07 PM
Scot sorry to bust your bubble but it is $150US minimum to order!
We have few interested in ordering to help you get subtotal. Will you need P/C papers?

Chironex
02-19-2009, 03:09 PM
Scot sorry to bust your bubble but it is $150US minimum to order!
We have few interested in ordering to help you get subtotal. Will you need P/C papers?

No phyto papers needed. Anything from RPS is handled by them. $150 minimum is ok we just need several to participate.

Caloosamusa
02-19-2009, 04:27 PM
Chironex,

I would like Yunnanensis seed, PM sent.

bigdog
02-19-2009, 04:28 PM
No phyto papers needed. Anything from RPS is handled by them. $150 minimum is ok we just need several to participate.

I am pretty sure that you need a permit for wholesale orders.

bigdog
02-19-2009, 04:36 PM
BTW, I'm interested to see how my Musa yunnanensis does this year, after such a cold winter. I mulched it with a couple of extra inches of mulch, but this has been the coldest winter that it has ever seen here to date. I just hope it comes back, really!

Frank

Chironex
02-19-2009, 07:10 PM
I am pretty sure that you need a permit for wholesale orders.

Thanks Frank, I will be sure to have that base covered. The plan is to aggregate the orders until we exceed the minimum. Then add the cost of the phyto and shipping to the USA. Shipping and phyto will be apportioned pro-rata based upon each individuals order total to the grand total.
The only other cost will be postage to send them from here to their house. No other costs would be added.

In this fashion, everyone will know their total (except postage from here to there) up front before any money is collected.

Caloosamusa
02-19-2009, 08:23 PM
:03:
Question, does Yunnanensis produce an edible banana? Does it show any resistance to bunchy top?

Thanks:2239:

Chironex
02-19-2009, 09:40 PM
:03:
Question, does Yunnanensis produce an edible banana? Does it show any resistance to bunchy top?

Thanks:2239:

I don't know if it is edible, it is seeded. As to the issue of bunchy top, I haven't looked up anything about its susceptibility.

51st state
02-20-2009, 03:45 AM
like Frank I'll be interested to see if mine has made it through the winter. It's still wrapped up at present. I'll update in a month or so. nearly spring, nearly

Caloosamusa
02-20-2009, 06:10 AM
Thanks Chironex,

I've added Helen's Hybrid to the order, see PM. It has many promising charactoristics, like possible edibility and cold hardiness.

D_&_T
03-09-2009, 10:16 PM
Chironex you order seeds yet?

Chironex
03-10-2009, 01:19 AM
No, we need more people to participate to meet the minimum order. Anyone that wants to participate may still do so. Please send one PM to me summarizing your order. This will help me to ensure all of your desired seeds are ordered.

Caloosamusa
03-10-2009, 01:20 AM
:2750:Thanks D_&_ T,!

Chironex, Thank you for your initiative!:2239:

D_&_T
03-10-2009, 01:47 AM
Ok just waiting on our tax refund to come this should be here this week!

Tog Tan
03-10-2009, 06:39 AM
Scot, just a thought here... My last batch of M yunnanensis had 0/100 germination(which was listed before this current fresh batch). As with most seed people, they have a rotation system where by the old stock goes out first. So it's good you guys haven't rush in with the order yet.
All the best.

Chironex
03-10-2009, 04:27 PM
Thanks Tog, let's hope they have fresh seeds. I think we will set a cut-off date for this seed order of April 1st. If anyone else wants to get in on this order, please PM me before that date.
Thanks!

D_&_T
03-29-2009, 11:04 PM
Request sent in PM!!!

Chironex
03-30-2009, 12:35 AM
Just a reminder, the first is this Wednesday. Once I have the final tally, I will PM each of you with your totals. Please remember to PM me with your final orders, if you haven't already done so.

Chironex
04-04-2009, 04:53 PM
Update:
After getting everything assembled for this order, Rarepalmseeds.com does require an import permit. I must have misread this. So, I tried to apply for one. It requires me to give open access to the USDA to everything on my computer. I have client files and many confidential files on this computer, so I am unwilling to grant them this open privilege without adequate guarantees of privacy protection. Therefore, I am sorry to say that I will not be placing this order. Far too many headaches for the limited time I have.

Caloosamusa
04-05-2009, 02:35 PM
Chironex,

Your efforts are appreciated. Just too bad things didn't work out.

Thank you for your efforts.:2239:

Bananaman88
04-06-2009, 11:22 AM
That's ridiculous that they'd need access to everything on your computer. Who in their right mind would grant them that?!

Tog Tan
04-06-2009, 11:29 AM
Scot, I have been ordering from RPS for quite awhile now and there's an option on whether you want to leaglise your shipment, ie., import permit and what not. Here you have to take the risk on your side whether your stuff is checked as it will be sent in as an ordinary parcel declared most of the time as 'ornaments'.

Chironex
04-06-2009, 11:55 PM
Thanks all. If the shipment were just for seeds of my own, I would take the gamble, but being this would have been for several others....
There are a few members here that have import permits already. Rather than get too far off the thread topic, perhaps one of them will begin a new thread and place the orders for you.

penJ.
10-31-2009, 03:59 PM
Dug 'em up today. Mother plant gained 1.9m of p-stem withoud leaves this season, it was thin as my finger and below 50cm of p-stem when i planted it begining of june. Nana Nancy, and little ones, are going to sleep now, wish them luck :waving:

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=25979&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=25979&ppuser=1693)

penJ.
08-10-2010, 06:59 AM
Here they are today, made it through the winter quite good. The biggest one is about 3,5-4m high, still no sign of the flower.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35430&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35430&ppuser=1693)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35429&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35429&ppuser=1693)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=35431&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=35431&ppuser=1693)

Dalmatiansoap
08-10-2010, 08:04 AM
Stari, super su!
:nanadrink:
Looking great penJ.! I lost my during Spring, stupid error but I learned something:ha:
:woohoonaner: