View Full Version : I know, I know - another mystery!
island cassie
02-14-2009, 02:16 PM
Once again I can hear you all sighing - yet another to be identified! This baby is as tall as my Orinocos but quite different, and is one I stole from an empty lot (shame! shame!). Later I met the owner and had to confess, but as she chopped them down and burnt them to plant papaya - I don't think she was too upset. The flower is similar to my Ice Cream, but a different colour - no pink or red tint at all. Any guesses will be gratefully received.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15658&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15658&ppuser=628)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15657&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15657&ppuser=628)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15659&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15659&ppuser=628)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15656&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15656&ppuser=628)
Taylor
02-14-2009, 07:05 PM
I can't look at these pictures right now. Anything that looks warm, green, and generally tropical is painful to my eyes.
:(
Sigh
island cassie
02-14-2009, 09:39 PM
Taylor - force yourself - you know you want to!!!!! lol!
Gabe15
02-15-2009, 05:33 PM
Post some more pictures when the fruit starts to shape up. It looks like an ABB, it could be in the Saba subgroup.
Bananaman88
02-17-2009, 07:28 AM
Cassier,
Hey, I don't think anyone gets tired of trying to help ID bananas. That's what we're here for. Of course, maybe Gabe does, since he does most of the identifying! To me, the good thing is that you provided us with good, quality pics and close ups of the flowers and bud. Much better than some of those we get with a picture of a leaf and a plea for help! No offense to anyone who has done this. I realize that all aren't fortunate enough to live in warmer climates to get blooms. Nice looking banana!
stumpy4700
02-17-2009, 08:00 AM
I for one just like looking at the pictures!!!!!!!
And dreaming that someday it will be mine.
r3tic
02-17-2009, 01:31 PM
Those look similiar to some of the bananas at the Missouri botanical garden. Sadly, they are marked as Musa sp. :(
island cassie
02-17-2009, 06:46 PM
Thanks everyone - I will post some more pics possibly tomorrow night (if it stops pouring!!)
MediaHound
02-17-2009, 09:13 PM
Nice pics!!
Hope you figure out what it is!
island cassie
02-22-2009, 12:36 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15821&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15821&ppuser=628)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15820&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15820&ppuser=628)
Gabe - this is what they are looking like now. If a closer shot would be helpful, I will send someone up the ladder for one - they are sooo tall!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15819&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15819&ppuser=628)
Gabe15
02-22-2009, 01:50 PM
I think it is a 'Saba', but keep on posting photos every so often if you want to be sure.
island cassie
02-22-2009, 01:52 PM
Thanks Gabe - you have made my day! And I will continue to post pics.
island cassie
07-04-2009, 04:13 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18988&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18988&ppuser=628)
Do these still look like Saba Gabe? The first fruit appeared on 20th Feb this year, and they show no sign of ripening yet, which is a long time for us here. My dilemma is - do I let them ripen and take the chance that they will not be good to eat, or cut them for tostones etc! I tend to favour leaving them to ripen on the plant.
chong
07-04-2009, 05:48 PM
It does look like a Saba. I support your opinion on leaving it on the plant until they ripen. At least until one or some of them show some yellow coloration. They will definitely taste a lot better!
Saba King, Chris (Rmplmnz), kindly chime in, please!
Rmplmnz
07-04-2009, 06:01 PM
Without a doubt Saba..the first generation is usually not as tall as successive generations. Additionally, I encountered a field of Saba on Oahu in 1996 that was Orinoco equivalent in height. Different conditions will yield different heights...
Check out the Saba photo album...
Banana Gallery - Sabas (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=571)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18989&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18989)
Gabe15
07-04-2009, 08:17 PM
Yep, definitely Saba or one of its close friends. Additionally, in at least some growing conditions (maybe all relative to other varieties) Saba will take much longer to ripen than other bananas, my friend who lives on Maui says hers usually take about 8 months to ripen.
island cassie
07-04-2009, 10:07 PM
Thanks Chong - I have decided to leave it to ripen on the plant - they always taste better that way imho.
Gabe - It will be interesting to see how long they do take, but now I will stop checking every day.
Rmplmnz - thanks for the link to your Saba gallery - they do look very similar - so hooray! Another one identified ! And they are the height of the Orinocos.
island cassie
08-08-2009, 03:46 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=20764&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=20764&ppuser=628)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=20762&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=20762&ppuser=628)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=20761&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=20761&ppuser=628)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=20763&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=20763&ppuser=628)
Yesterday we had very strong winds as a front came through and the saba, which I didn't think needed propping as it looked strong and upright, folded in the middle. So I cut the bunch and overnight it has started to ripen and change colour to yellow. I will wait until they are really ripe to taste them. 151 fingers and the hands were very densely packed - some looked like double hands too. That is 5.5 months since it flowered and the fingers were starting to show a little colour change anyway.
MediaHound
08-08-2009, 04:29 PM
Brings back memories of my Saba harvest - :)
Congrats Cassie. How heavy were they? I know they must have weighed a lot!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=12146&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12146&si=saba&what=allfields&name=MediaHound&name=MediaHound)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=12155&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12155&si=saba&what=allfields&name=MediaHound&name=MediaHound)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=12152&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12152&si=saba&what=allfields&name=MediaHound&name=MediaHound)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=12147&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12147&si=saba&what=allfields&name=MediaHound&name=MediaHound)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=12148&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12148&si=saba&what=allfields&name=MediaHound&name=MediaHound)
island cassie
08-08-2009, 04:38 PM
I didn't weigh them as I didn't want them to mark my bathroom scales (must get a hanging scale), but they must have been around 70lbs as my other half could just lift them unaided.
Rmplmnz
08-08-2009, 05:28 PM
Yesterday we had very strong winds as a front came through and the saba, which I didn't think needed propping as it looked strong and upright, folded in the middle. So I cut the bunch and overnight it has started to ripen and change colour to yellow. I will wait until they are really ripe to taste them. 151 fingers and the hands were very densely packed - some looked like double hands too. That is 5.5 months since it flowered and the fingers were starting to show a little colour change anyway.[/QUOTE]
Take the greenest ones on the top and make tostones...awesome!!
MediaHound
08-08-2009, 05:29 PM
I didn't weigh them as I didn't want them to mark my bathroom scales (must get a hanging scale), but they must have been around 70lbs as my other half could just lift them unaided.
Bravo :)
Those in my pic were 64 lbs as I recall. Sounds about right. Congrats again :)
Rmplmnz
08-08-2009, 05:34 PM
Brings back memories of my Saba harvest - :)
Congrats Cassie. How heavy were they? I know they must have weighed a lot!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=12146&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12146&si=saba&what=allfields&name=MediaHound&name=MediaHound)
You know you are a banana nut when your bananas have a chair and you are left standing!!
:nanadrink::nanadrink:
island cassie
08-08-2009, 05:36 PM
So true!!!!
Bananaman88
08-08-2009, 06:13 PM
Hey, Cassie, those are some nice 'Sabas' you have there. If someone had said that to you before you started growing bananas you might have been offended! Congrats!!
Hey, Cassie, those are some nice 'Sabas' you have there. If someone had said that to you before you started growing bananas you might have been offended! Congrats!!
Whoooo, there's an ice breaker! You must be the most popular at parties:ha::ha::ha:
island cassie
08-08-2009, 07:55 PM
You guys are so funny - keep 'em coming!!
CookieCows
08-08-2009, 08:09 PM
I agree ... first Paul and now Brent.. two in one day got me bursting out laughing. :ha:
Your nanas look so good Cassie.... you're going to be busy!
Deb
island cassie
08-09-2009, 10:31 PM
Well - tomorrow I am going to be giving them away asap - so hot and humid here that they are ripening before I can use them!! Currently at 11.30 pm we have 86f and 80% humidity and that is with the "cool" breeze. So tomorrow, everyone who doesn't run away fast enough will get a hand. I will keep a few for us as the ripe ones taste nicely "appley". We are rushed off our feet atm getting the poorest kids kitted out for the start of the school year which starts on the 18th. Schooling is free but they have to have uniforms and books - haha! perhaps I can make them take a few Saba each!
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.