Island Brah

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the banana tree world and have some Musa Basjoo trees and my friend is going to give me some of these bananas that I need help identifying. They do produce edible bananas. We live on the border of zone 7 and 8. My friend gets them to fruit because they're dug up every year and put into the garage. Hope this info helps!

THANKS!

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Growing: Basjoo, Blue Java (The Real One), FHIA-01 American Goldfinger, Manzano, Tall Orinoco, Raja Puri (USDA TARS), Veinte Cohol (USDA TARS), Patupi, & SH-3640 High Noon (USDA TARS)

a.hulva@coxinet.net

Great pics and great looking crop!!! Wish mine looked that good.

Botanical_Bryce

That is way cool.

crazy banana

I do not grow them, but it looks like Orinoco banana to me.

Tytaylor77

I agree looks like Orinoco. Congrats!!

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150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more!

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Island Brah

Thanks!

I was thinking Orinoco too. Any other banana experts out there agree with Orinoco?

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Growing: Basjoo, Blue Java (The Real One), FHIA-01 American Goldfinger, Manzano, Tall Orinoco, Raja Puri (USDA TARS), Veinte Cohol (USDA TARS), Patupi, & SH-3640 High Noon (USDA TARS)

Gabe15

100%

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Island Brah

Awesome, thanks!

Okay, so I've done a little it of research about them online and most sites say Orinoco are one of the most hardy banana trees. Which is hardier in winter, the Orinoco or the Ice Cream(Blue Java)?

I live near Atlanta right on the border of Zone 7 & 8 and would like to leave them outside in the winter. My friend who I get the Orinocos from digs them up and puts the roots into a bag with soil through the winter. He stores them in the garage/basement until the next spring without dying. He tells me they water themselves through the winter. Is what he is doing overkill or necessary? My goal is to get them to fruit every year but not trying break my back for nothing.

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Growing: Basjoo, Blue Java (The Real One), FHIA-01 American Goldfinger, Manzano, Tall Orinoco, Raja Puri (USDA TARS), Veinte Cohol (USDA TARS), Patupi, & SH-3640 High Noon (USDA TARS)

a.hulva@coxinet.net

I have been overwintering Orinoco's for 50 years bare root in a heated garage. I have been just cutting off the leaves, digging up, cutting off roots and storing in a gunnie sack/coarse burlap coffee bean sacks. Never had a fatality on anything over three feet tall. I think storing in in pots give them a quicker start in the spring but controlling water to a minimum is difficult. Orinoco's can get so big you can barely move them even without soil. The idea of keeping in bags with soil has marit but again limiting water is an art. If Gabe says it's an Orinoco, it's an Orinoco !
Good luck!