Big, beautiful, and baffling

Nancy · 06-29-2008, 09:40 PM

I bought a banana tagged "Orinoco," but clearly it is not Orinoco. My question is about the tall plants in the back, closest to the house. Just for a sense of scale, the bottom of the window is a little more than five feet above ground level. I am posting pictures of the full-grown tree, its flower, and its fruit to my gallery. (Gee, I hope I'm doing this correctly. If not, just set me straight.) I'd be happy to post more pictures if there's something in particular you'd like to see.

Thanks for any identification help you can offer!

Nancy

Gabe15 · 06-29-2008, 09:57 PM

Thats definitely a perfect example of 'Orinoco', no doubt about that. What led you to believe its not 'Orinoco'?

Nancy · 06-29-2008, 10:13 PM

Well, I *assumed* it was Orinoco until an employee at Just Fruits and Exotics (where they really seem to know their bananas) told me that this was much too tall to be Orinoco. She told me to bring pictures of the fruit, which I did the next time I visited, and she told me she still couldn't identify it. I'm a banana novice, so who was I to argue?

Nancy

Gabe15 · 06-29-2008, 11:01 PM

Maybe she is used to 'Dwarf Orinoco' which is a much shorter plant. Your plant looks normal for the "regular", sometimes called ' Tall Orinoco', or more commonly just 'Orinoco'.

Dean W. · 06-29-2008, 11:04 PM

Nancy, that's a nice mat you got there. They look very happy.

stumpy4700 · 06-29-2008, 11:48 PM

Congrats on a beautiful bunch!!!!!!!!!

mskitty38583 · 06-30-2008, 09:39 AM

nice lookin nanas!! love the flower on the oronicos. congrats

island cassie · 06-30-2008, 10:42 AM

Great looking plants and they look just like my tall orinoco.

Cassie

Nancy · 06-30-2008, 02:48 PM

Thanks a lot to everyone. It's good to know for sure these are Orinoco. They do seem to be very happy plants. The pictures I posted are from a couple of years ago; last year they looked even better. This year the squirrels are devouring them, unfortunately. The bananas on the other side of my house are doing pretty well, though: the Ice Cream bananas are substantially above the roofline, so the squirrels can't get to them so easily, and for some reason the squirrels have no interest in my Raja Puri (which it busy producing its third hand today).

Nancy

Dean W. · 06-30-2008, 02:53 PM

Nancy, what are they eating? The leaves? The fruit?

Nancy · 06-30-2008, 03:13 PM

Squirrels are eating the rolled-up leaves, which is incredibly damaging. Usually they end up severing at least half of the leaf (often much more), and whatever remains sometimes has trouble unrolling properly because the chomping binds the leaf layers together. When I can reach the leaves, I try to unroll them by hand so that the next leaf has room to emerge, but I can only reach so high. The squirrels scale my walls and leap from the house onto the mature leaves... it's very discouraging. Scot (Chironex) suggests that I try spraying nicotine sulphate or capcaicin; maybe that will help.

Nancy

Dean W. · 06-30-2008, 03:20 PM

Those tree rats! LOL!!! I hope the pepper spray works for you. The nicotine sulphate sounds like it could be dangerous. NICOTINE SULFATE, SOLID

Nancy · 06-30-2008, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean W.

The nicotine sulphate sounds like it could be dangerous. NICOTINE SULFATE, SOLID

Indeed -- thanks for the warning! Pepper spray it is......

Nancy

stumpy4700 · 06-30-2008, 04:07 PM

you could always try a taser!!!!!!!!!!!!

mskitty38583 · 06-30-2008, 05:09 PM

go get a psyco cat from the pound.....they like a moveable buffet. the cat would be cheaper then a taser. however, i would love to see that one tangle with a taser.

stumpy4700 · 06-30-2008, 05:10 PM

The taser has a great effect!!!!! psyco kitty,I need one of those for moles!!!!!!

mskitty38583 · 06-30-2008, 05:12 PM

there are plenty at the local shelters that need homes... they are now spayed or neutered so the kitty population dosent get out of hand.

Bananaman88 · 07-01-2008, 06:28 AM

Nancy,

All of your plants look awesome...thanks for sharing! How tall does your 'Raja Puri' top out at?

Nancy · 07-01-2008, 09:13 AM

My Raja Puri isn't much over six feet, so its flower is now hanging down less than four feet off the ground. I'm used to flowers way over my head, so this looks a little odd to me.

Nancy

06-29-2008, 09:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Nancy Nancy's Photo Gallery Location: Tallahassee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b (maybe 9 in my neighborhood) Name: Nancy Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 68 BananaBucks : 874 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 12 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts Welcomes: 14	Big, beautiful, and baffling I bought a banana tagged "Orinoco," but clearly it is not Orinoco. My question is about the tall plants in the back, closest to the house. Just for a sense of scale, the bottom of the window is a little more than five feet above ground level. I am posting pictures of the full-grown tree, its flower, and its fruit to my gallery. (Gee, I hope I'm doing this correctly. If not, just set me straight.) I'd be happy to post more pictures if there's something in particular you'd like to see. Thanks for any identification help you can offer! Nancy Last edited by Gabe15 : 06-29-2008 at 09:57 PM.

06-29-2008, 09:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
Gabe15 MC Banana Commander Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Honolulu, HI Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,450 BananaBucks : 14,102 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 1 Thanked 627 Times in 253 Posts Welcomes: 1	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Thats definitely a perfect example of 'Orinoco', no doubt about that. What led you to believe its not 'Orinoco'? __________________ The only hemp Im growing is Manila.

06-29-2008, 10:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
Nancy Nancy's Photo Gallery Location: Tallahassee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b (maybe 9 in my neighborhood) Name: Nancy Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 68 BananaBucks : 874 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 12 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts Welcomes: 14	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Well, I assumed it was Orinoco until an employee at Just Fruits and Exotics (where they really seem to know their bananas) told me that this was much too tall to be Orinoco. She told me to bring pictures of the fruit, which I did the next time I visited, and she told me she still couldn't identify it. I'm a banana novice, so who was I to argue? Nancy

06-29-2008, 11:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gabe15 MC Banana Commander Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Honolulu, HI Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,450 BananaBucks : 14,102 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 1 Thanked 627 Times in 253 Posts Welcomes: 1	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Maybe she is used to 'Dwarf Orinoco' which is a much shorter plant. Your plant looks normal for the "regular", sometimes called ' Tall Orinoco', or more commonly just 'Orinoco'. __________________ The only hemp Im growing is Manila.

06-29-2008, 11:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dean W. Dean W.'s Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Park, TX Zone: 8b Name: Dean Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,199 BananaBucks : 7,541 Feedback: 6 / 100% Thanks: 645 Thanked 222 Times in 209 Posts Welcomes: 199	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Nancy, that's a nice mat you got there. They look very happy. __________________ Dean

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06-29-2008, 11:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
stumpy4700 stumpy4700 's Photo Gallery Location: Cane Ridge Tn. Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 6-7 Name: Stumpy Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 294 BananaBucks : 1,566 Feedback: 1 / 100% Thanks: 153 Thanked 58 Times in 48 Posts Welcomes: 252	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Congrats on a beautiful bunch!!!!!!!!!

06-30-2008, 09:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,595 BananaBucks : 15,309 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 456 Times in 390 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling nice lookin nanas!! love the flower on the oronicos. congrats __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

06-30-2008, 10:42 AM	#8 (permalink)
island cassie Senior Member island cassie's Photo Gallery Location: Dominican Republic Find me on the map! Zone: 11+ I guess Name: Island Cassie Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,441 BananaBucks : 3,892 Feedback: 2 / 100% Thanks: 420 Thanked 242 Times in 159 Posts Welcomes: 125	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Great looking plants and they look just like my tall orinoco. Cassie

06-30-2008, 02:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
Nancy Nancy's Photo Gallery Location: Tallahassee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b (maybe 9 in my neighborhood) Name: Nancy Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 68 BananaBucks : 874 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 12 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts Welcomes: 14	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Thanks a lot to everyone. It's good to know for sure these are Orinoco. They do seem to be very happy plants. The pictures I posted are from a couple of years ago; last year they looked even better. This year the squirrels are devouring them, unfortunately. The bananas on the other side of my house are doing pretty well, though: the Ice Cream bananas are substantially above the roofline, so the squirrels can't get to them so easily, and for some reason the squirrels have no interest in my Raja Puri (which it busy producing its third hand today). Nancy

06-30-2008, 02:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
Dean W. Dean W.'s Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Park, TX Zone: 8b Name: Dean Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,199 BananaBucks : 7,541 Feedback: 6 / 100% Thanks: 645 Thanked 222 Times in 209 Posts Welcomes: 199	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Nancy, what are they eating? The leaves? The fruit? __________________ Dean

06-30-2008, 03:13 PM	#11 (permalink)
Nancy Nancy's Photo Gallery Location: Tallahassee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b (maybe 9 in my neighborhood) Name: Nancy Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 68 BananaBucks : 874 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 12 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts Welcomes: 14	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Squirrels are eating the rolled-up leaves, which is incredibly damaging. Usually they end up severing at least half of the leaf (often much more), and whatever remains sometimes has trouble unrolling properly because the chomping binds the leaf layers together. When I can reach the leaves, I try to unroll them by hand so that the next leaf has room to emerge, but I can only reach so high. The squirrels scale my walls and leap from the house onto the mature leaves... it's very discouraging. Scot (Chironex) suggests that I try spraying nicotine sulphate or capcaicin; maybe that will help. Nancy

06-30-2008, 03:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
Dean W. Dean W.'s Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Park, TX Zone: 8b Name: Dean Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,199 BananaBucks : 7,541 Feedback: 6 / 100% Thanks: 645 Thanked 222 Times in 209 Posts Welcomes: 199	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Those tree rats! LOL!!! I hope the pepper spray works for you. The nicotine sulphate sounds like it could be dangerous. NICOTINE SULFATE, SOLID __________________ Dean

06-30-2008, 04:07 PM	#14 (permalink)
stumpy4700 stumpy4700 's Photo Gallery Location: Cane Ridge Tn. Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 6-7 Name: Stumpy Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 294 BananaBucks : 1,566 Feedback: 1 / 100% Thanks: 153 Thanked 58 Times in 48 Posts Welcomes: 252	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling you could always try a taser!!!!!!!!!!!!

06-30-2008, 05:09 PM	#15 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,595 BananaBucks : 15,309 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 456 Times in 390 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling go get a psyco cat from the pound.....they like a moveable buffet. the cat would be cheaper then a taser. however, i would love to see that one tangle with a taser. __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

06-30-2008, 05:10 PM	#16 (permalink)
stumpy4700 stumpy4700 's Photo Gallery Location: Cane Ridge Tn. Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 6-7 Name: Stumpy Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 294 BananaBucks : 1,566 Feedback: 1 / 100% Thanks: 153 Thanked 58 Times in 48 Posts Welcomes: 252	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling The taser has a great effect!!!!! psyco kitty,I need one of those for moles!!!!!!

06-30-2008, 05:12 PM	#17 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,595 BananaBucks : 15,309 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 456 Times in 390 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling there are plenty at the local shelters that need homes... they are now spayed or neutered so the kitty population dosent get out of hand. __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

07-01-2008, 06:28 AM	#18 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Pearland, TX Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,039 BananaBucks : 7,465 Feedback: 15 / 100% Thanks: 107 Thanked 275 Times in 185 Posts Welcomes: 6	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling Nancy, All of your plants look awesome...thanks for sharing! How tall does your 'Raja Puri' top out at? Last edited by Bananaman88 : 07-01-2008 at 12:16 PM.

07-01-2008, 09:13 AM	#19 (permalink)
Nancy Nancy's Photo Gallery Location: Tallahassee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b (maybe 9 in my neighborhood) Name: Nancy Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 68 BananaBucks : 874 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 12 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts Welcomes: 14	Re: Big, beautiful, and baffling My Raja Puri isn't much over six feet, so its flower is now hanging down less than four feet off the ground. I'm used to flowers way over my head, so this looks a little odd to me. Nancy