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View Full Version : Arm and Leg for Big Mike/Gros Michel Bananas?


mg32257
03-23-2009, 09:29 PM
I'm dying to try a Gros Michel banana. I realize these are both rare and widely dispursed throughout the world, and that I am looking at paying an arm and a leg for shipping, but I am absolutely dying to try one. I have 8 friends who are going to split the cost with me. Does anyone know where I might be able to find some to ship in?

Thanks to everyone in advance!!!

Mike

Tog Tan
03-24-2009, 04:37 PM
Mike, looks like you are in the same boat as Bob!
The nearest thing you can get from the Gros Michel subgroup is the Thai and Indon similars.

The Thai ones are the Kluay Hom Thong, Kluay Hom Thong Plork and the Kluay Hom Thong Short Fruit. The Indon equivalent is the Pisang Ambon.

So far I have only managed to locate the Kluay Hong Thong and the Kluay Hom Thong Short Fruit.

Bob
03-24-2009, 05:06 PM
Good luck Mike! I haven't tasted one since my earliest chilhood. Basically I do remember they're sweeter and if I'm not mistaken had more vestigal seeds(the faint black makings in the middle) than the Cavendish we are forced to eat today. I've been looking for a while now. If I ever do get one and am able to produce pups I'll keep you in mind. I'd probably ask one of the other members if he'd TC it(one of the pups) for me so there would be a small supply for members here. Good luck. With persistance we'll come up with one.

Tog Tan
03-24-2009, 05:22 PM
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16270><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16270&size=1 border=0></a>

Oi Bob, be patient man! This is the latest pix of the Kluay Hom Thong taken 22.03.09 of the pups which regenerated from the 2 big suckers I got from Bkk in Dec '08. They have just started to grow. I will transfer them to another spot in 2 wks time for better growth. As you can see, there are 4 pups here already and it's only 3mths+.

As for the Kluay Hom Thong Short Fruit, only 1 pup each have regrown from the 2 original suckers. I have yet to locate the elusive Pisang Ambon.

lorax
03-24-2009, 05:23 PM
Guys, I might have a line on survivors of the actual 'Gros Michel' line. Let me do some more poking around and get my licensing in line. If I do get pups, you'll be the first recipients.

Otherwise, I'd advise you to start looking for 'FHIA 23' which is a 'Gros Michel'-based hybrid.

mg32257
03-24-2009, 06:13 PM
Guys, I might have a line on survivors of the actual 'Gros Michel' line. Let me do some more poking around and get my licensing in line. If I do get pups, you'll be the first recipients.

Otherwise, I'd advise you to start looking for 'FHIA 23' which is a 'Gros Michel'-based hybrid.

That would be incredible!

Kylie2x
03-25-2009, 11:38 AM
:woohoonaner: That would be Very Cool!!!!!
Kylie

Bob
03-25-2009, 12:23 PM
Actually I'm going to go out on a limb and correct lorax on this one. The FHIA 23 is a gros michel type with no gros michel in it's lineage. It is probably a great tasting banana(I've got 2 ready to go in the ground). I got this from Jon at Encanto farms when doing research on them(GM) early last fall. Thanks again Jon for taking the time to send me the links. I think there is info posted on his site as well. I got mine from Going Bananas but last time I talked to Don I'm pretty sure he said they weren't going to have them anymore. Anyway if these get pups I'll make them available to members here.

Tog Tan
03-25-2009, 01:01 PM
Hey Bob, this one's for you. This is the Pisang 'Moon' with an ambiguous background. It is a very rare and old cultivar of which I can't find any info on it here. It went off the block at about the same time as the Gros Michel. I have a hunch it may be the real deal GM.

Does anyone out there have pix of the GM with fruits and bud for comparison with this pix?

The p-stem is approx 9ft.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16281><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16281&size=1 border=0></a>

I found the plant in an Orang Asli village as the headman, Ulang, kept it from his father's time. He's 60 yrs old now. So the timing seems quite near the era of the GM. I got a pup from him.

Bob
03-25-2009, 03:55 PM
Thanks man. They look more like it. I'm going to see if I can dig upsome pics to post.

lorax
03-25-2009, 05:22 PM
Yup, those are totally Maqueños. I'll be asking around after pups sometime next month provided that my export permits come through.

momoese
03-25-2009, 05:37 PM
Yup, those are totally Maqueños.

What does Maqueños translate to?

chong
03-28-2009, 11:32 PM
. . . . . . . . .

Does anyone out there have pix of the GM with fruits and bud for comparison with this pix?

The p-stem is approx 9ft.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16281><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16281&size=1 border=0></a>
. . . . . . . . . .

No flower bud, but here's a picture of a bunch from John_NY's gallery:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=6988&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=6988&ppuser=826)

Bananaman88
03-31-2009, 06:27 AM
Guys, I might have a line on survivors of the actual 'Gros Michel' line. Let me do some more poking around and get my licensing in line. If I do get pups, you'll be the first recipients.

Otherwise, I'd advise you to start looking for 'FHIA 23' which is a 'Gros Michel'-based hybrid.

Please put me on the list in the event this comes to fruition, Beth!

lorax
03-31-2009, 10:06 AM
What does Maqueños translate to?

Something quite rude. In the most polite terms, it refers to the fact that ripe ones are as long as a lady's forearm, and about as big around.

lorax
05-16-2009, 04:06 PM
HaHA!
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=17411&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17411)

Maquenos were cheap in the market today! A short hand for 50 centavos, which usually costs a buck. I'm gonna savour these!

just j
05-16-2009, 05:15 PM
what are u willing to pay for one

lorax
05-16-2009, 05:19 PM
I'm willing to pay up to $1 for a full or heavy hand (10-12 bananas). I'm willing to pay up to $20 for a pup, but I generally prefer to trade with farmers here.

Bananaman88
05-16-2009, 09:34 PM
Nice!

just j
05-18-2009, 03:17 PM
if mine fruits this year i will send u a hand if u dont taste one by that time

lorax
05-18-2009, 03:19 PM
(J, I assume you're talking to Brent? The concept of sending bananas to Ecuador is a bit redundant...)

just j
05-18-2009, 03:27 PM
yes

Bananaman88
05-19-2009, 07:18 AM
Oh, thanks J! You have an actual 'Gros Michel'? I'd love a pup if you get one. I'm willing to trade if I have anything on my list you are interested in.

just j
05-19-2009, 09:47 AM
Oh, thanks J! You have an actual 'Gros Michel'? I'd love a pup if you get one. I'm willing to trade if I have anything on my list you are interested in.
yeah i found one from a guy that had this green house for years he has a huge clump of them in a cow watering tank and after about 2 years he finally sold me a pup that was about 4 feet of pstem it now has 3 little pups on it when they get big enough i will separtate them. i just moved it out side and the wind did a nice job on the perfect leaves it had, it has been super windy here all week it busted lots of leaves off my other bananas too

Bananaman88
05-19-2009, 11:28 AM
Cool! So, this guy had an old GM form way back when? Wonder where he got it? Yeah, I'd definitley like to try a pup sometime.

just j
05-19-2009, 04:00 PM
Cool! So, this guy had an old GM form way back when? Wonder where he got it? Yeah, I'd definitley like to try a pup sometime.

he said he start out with a pup 15 years ago and never did anything with it, just left it grow wild

hatfam
05-27-2009, 05:52 PM
I would be interested also if you have any left.

Thanks
Tom

harveyc
05-27-2009, 08:45 PM
J, please add me to your waiting list!

bananafarmer
06-13-2012, 08:38 PM
Hello,

I discovered that all the plants in my greenhouse are Gros Michel.

I first supposed they are Gran Nain but they arent.


The plants came from an open air plantation, where they were cultivated over fifty years.

We never had that Black Sigatoga epidemy here because we are in a subtropical zone maybe also because of great distance to South America.

When you want to see Gros Michel , there are many new videos from inside my greenhouse.

smjmd
06-13-2012, 11:13 PM
Hi,
Chance1945 on bananas.org has some TC'S of the Gros Michel he had agristarts TC for him. I am not sure how many he has left in stock, but if you want one contact him. I just bought 10 of them myself. I dont know if that helps :)

blownz281
06-20-2012, 09:13 PM
I got one from Terry as well great deal.

sddarkman619
09-05-2012, 10:29 AM
Just thought I'd post that I've got some Gros Michel plants for sale, see this post here:
http://www.bananas.org/f3/gros-michel-banana-plants-sale-16505.html

Thanks
Larry

shilisha
10-09-2012, 03:50 AM
WOW!That's really cool!