I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

I can't look at these pictures right now. Anything that looks warm, green, and generally tropical is painful to my eyes.

:(

Sigh

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

Taylor - force yourself - you know you want to!!!!! lol!

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

Post some more pictures when the fruit starts to shape up. It looks like an ABB, it could be in the Saba subgroup.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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!

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

I for one just like looking at the pictures!!!!!!!
And dreaming that someday it will be mine.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

Those look similiar to some of the bananas at the Missouri botanical garden. Sadly, they are marked as Musa sp. :(

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

Thanks everyone - I will post some more pics possibly tomorrow night (if it stops pouring!!)

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

Nice pics!!
Hope you figure out what it is!

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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!

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

I think it is a 'Saba', but keep on posting photos every so often if you want to be sure.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

Thanks Gabe - you have made my day! And I will continue to post pics.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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!

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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

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Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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.

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

Brings back memories of my Saba harvest - :)
Congrats Cassie. How heavy were they? I know they must have weighed a lot!

Re: I know, I know - another mystery!
 

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.