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.

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

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!

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

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

[IMG]

[/IMG]

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

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!

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.

02-14-2009, 02:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	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.

02-14-2009, 07:05 PM	#2 (permalink)
Taylor Taylor 's Photo Gallery Location: VA Find me on the map! Zone: 8a Name: Taylor Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,084 BananaBucks : 248,408 Feedback: 15 / 100% Said "Thanks" 355 Times Was Thanked 662 Times in 334 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 283 Times	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

02-14-2009, 09:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	Re: I know, I know - another mystery! Taylor - force yourself - you know you want to!!!!! lol!

02-15-2009, 05:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,377,052 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,243 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	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. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

02-17-2009, 07:28 AM	#5 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 241,687 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	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!

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02-17-2009, 08:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
stumpy4700 Going Ape for Bananas stumpy4700 's Photo Gallery Location: Satellite Beach, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 10 Name: Stumpy-----a.k.a Jeff Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1,194 BananaBucks : 43,206 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,353 Times Was Thanked 678 Times in 349 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,300 Times	Re: I know, I know - another mystery! I for one just like looking at the pictures!!!!!!! And dreaming that someday it will be mine.

02-17-2009, 01:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
r3tic r3tic's Photo Gallery Location: Drexel Hill, PA Find me on the map! Zone: 7-8 Name: Dave Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 216 BananaBucks : 48,857 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 531 Times Was Thanked 123 Times in 71 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 306 Times	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. __________________

02-17-2009, 06:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	Re: I know, I know - another mystery! Thanks everyone - I will post some more pics possibly tomorrow night (if it stops pouring!!)

02-17-2009, 09:13 PM	#9 (permalink)
MediaHound Tally-Man MediaHound's Photo Gallery Location: Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Jarred Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5,261 BananaBucks : 2,140,791 Feedback: 66 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,856 Times Was Thanked 5,087 Times in 1,353 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,086 Times	Re: I know, I know - another mystery! Nice pics!! Hope you figure out what it is! __________________ Apologies in advance if I am slow to reply to your PM. I suggest posting in the forums for support if you need something urgent.

02-22-2009, 12:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	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!

02-22-2009, 01:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,377,052 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,243 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	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. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

02-22-2009, 01:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	Re: I know, I know - another mystery! Thanks Gabe - you have made my day! And I will continue to post pics.

07-04-2009, 04:13 PM	#13 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	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.

07-04-2009, 05:48 PM	#14 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,851 BananaBucks : 103,327 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,309 Times Was Thanked 1,702 Times in 759 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 991 Times	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!

07-04-2009, 06:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
Rmplmnz Banana Patch Attendent Rmplmnz's Photo Gallery Location: Tampa, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Rmplmnz Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,448 BananaBucks : 128,482 Feedback: 40 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,246 Times Was Thanked 2,348 Times in 636 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 36 Times	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 [IMG][/IMG] Last edited by Rmplmnz : 07-04-2009 at 06:30 PM.

07-04-2009, 08:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,377,052 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,243 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	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. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

07-04-2009, 10:07 PM	#17 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	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.

08-08-2009, 03:46 PM	#18 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	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.

08-08-2009, 04:29 PM	#19 (permalink)
MediaHound Tally-Man MediaHound's Photo Gallery Location: Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Jarred Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5,261 BananaBucks : 2,140,791 Feedback: 66 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,856 Times Was Thanked 5,087 Times in 1,353 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,086 Times	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! __________________ Apologies in advance if I am slow to reply to your PM. I suggest posting in the forums for support if you need something urgent.

08-08-2009, 04:38 PM	#20 (permalink)
island cassie 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: 3,170 BananaBucks : 416,182 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	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.

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