smeash

Hello all!
Im new to the site, and new to bananas! Tons of information on this site, and lots of knowledge! I recently started a banana patch with what I was told were "blue java" or "ice cream" bananas. At least that's what the nursery sold them to me as.. A few quick reads on here, and I realized that a large percent of these so called blue java plants are not true blue java. Furthermore, looking at the photos of some of the members actual blue jave plants, I noticed that mine seem to have a ton of red on them, where the real ones are all green. Im hoping to post a few pics to see if any of you can make a rough guess at what I have here..
I believe they were all TCs purchased from Wellspring Gardens in FL. They were solid green in their first month, but since being planted out have developed some striking red characteristics on both the main leaf vein, and the P-stem..

Mikemooreflorida

Looks just like my Dwarf Nam Wah pups when they are 1-3 ft range.. seem to loose some red color when they mature or at least the red stays down toward the base more.

dwarf nam wah from what I read is also the most incorrectly labeled as "ice cream" musa plant in recent years in fl

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Current varieties:
Dwarf Cavendish Fruited , Apple Mansano TC unconfirmed, Rajapuri TC Fruited, Gold Finger TC unconfirmed, Dwarf Namwa TC Fruited, Dwarf Orinoco TC Fruited, Sweetheart FHIA-03 Fruited, Tall Red banana Fruited, Blue Java Fruited, Tall Namwa Fruited, Pisang Raja Fruited, Hua Moa TC Stunted, Dwarf Brazilian Fruited, High Gate unconfirmed, Tall Brazilian Fruited, Kokopo unconfirmed, FHIA-17 Fruited, Dwarf Plantain Fruited.

smeash

Thank you for the response! So assuming that is what I have, can you tell me a but about what to expect from a dwarf nam wah? Size, cold tolerance, fruit taste etc.. Thanks!

Backyard Banana Joe

Fyi I believe tall namwa are often sold as ice cream as well as dwarf namwa

Mikemooreflorida

from what i've seen online its dwarf namwa as the main "ice cream" mis labeled musa.

Dwarf has the red in the pups stem/leaves. all the pisang awak (tall) I have don't have much red in stem at all..

then the leaves, short/fat dwarf style vs. skinny/longer on tall ( I even read about a formula once length/width ratio of leaves that determine category of normal vs. dwarf musa)

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Current varieties:
Dwarf Cavendish Fruited , Apple Mansano TC unconfirmed, Rajapuri TC Fruited, Gold Finger TC unconfirmed, Dwarf Namwa TC Fruited, Dwarf Orinoco TC Fruited, Sweetheart FHIA-03 Fruited, Tall Red banana Fruited, Blue Java Fruited, Tall Namwa Fruited, Pisang Raja Fruited, Hua Moa TC Stunted, Dwarf Brazilian Fruited, High Gate unconfirmed, Tall Brazilian Fruited, Kokopo unconfirmed, FHIA-17 Fruited, Dwarf Plantain Fruited.

smeash

Thanks for the info! While I still like the plants, it pisses me off they can do this to customers.. they also sell dwarf namwa, but they are half the cost of the "ice cream" plants... Do you know of any retailers who sell the real deal blue java?

Backyard Banana Joe

It isn't really a GOOD tasting banana, most people think the namwa cultivars are better. Crazy banana and meizzwang as well as Akula grow it.

smeash

Truthfully, ive never tasted an ice cream banana, or a namwa, or anything but the grocery store variety! I will admit, the "blue" color, and purported ice cream flavor sold me like any other noob! I like exotics, but with that said, if I could get a hand of inedible nannas to grow id be a happy camper! Im excited to see if I can get whatever it is I have to grow and fruit! All my dogs are shelter dogs, and they all turned out amazing.. so looking forward to the journey, rather than the pedigree!

Mikemooreflorida

1. there is very little blue coloring on the Blue Java fruits in all reality (many pics online are photoshoped) and 2. Blue java is good, but its still a banana and nothing crazy exotic tasting....

the dwarf namwa is an awesome producing plant and great tasting banana. They produce a ton of pups that can be removed and planted elsewhere for a never ending supply of bananas if you want.. i'd say the dwarf namwa produces 2X as many pups vs. the blue java.

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Current varieties:
Dwarf Cavendish Fruited , Apple Mansano TC unconfirmed, Rajapuri TC Fruited, Gold Finger TC unconfirmed, Dwarf Namwa TC Fruited, Dwarf Orinoco TC Fruited, Sweetheart FHIA-03 Fruited, Tall Red banana Fruited, Blue Java Fruited, Tall Namwa Fruited, Pisang Raja Fruited, Hua Moa TC Stunted, Dwarf Brazilian Fruited, High Gate unconfirmed, Tall Brazilian Fruited, Kokopo unconfirmed, FHIA-17 Fruited, Dwarf Plantain Fruited.

smeash

That's great to know! Now im kind of hoping these are in fact dwarf namwa! Propagation is in fact a goal for me, as I have many areas of my yard where a stand of bananas would do well, and really add to the landscape. When I planted my papayas last year, I planted 5 on the south side of my house, and 3 down near the water. those 3 outproduced the ones near my house, but all 3 suffered extreme damage from lack of protection from the north wind. 2 of those are growing back, but one is a goner. The 5 on the south side, never even had a leaf droop or die, and have already set fruit last month! They get far less sun than those down by the water, but it seems the cold protection has propelled them far ahead of the others this year. I would love to interplant some bananas with them as I think the location is perfect to protect from cold. I know I will have to heavily fertilize and pile on the manure as both species are heavy feeders, but I think they would all do well together.

Mikemooreflorida

papaya's hate wet feet, they get root rot easily. The higher and dryer the better they do. any pap that i had irrigation on stunted growth or died back in the day, now I actually mound them up some and use mainly native sand mix where they are planted so the water drains quickly. bananas companioned with papaya's does work very well.

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Current varieties:
Dwarf Cavendish Fruited , Apple Mansano TC unconfirmed, Rajapuri TC Fruited, Gold Finger TC unconfirmed, Dwarf Namwa TC Fruited, Dwarf Orinoco TC Fruited, Sweetheart FHIA-03 Fruited, Tall Red banana Fruited, Blue Java Fruited, Tall Namwa Fruited, Pisang Raja Fruited, Hua Moa TC Stunted, Dwarf Brazilian Fruited, High Gate unconfirmed, Tall Brazilian Fruited, Kokopo unconfirmed, FHIA-17 Fruited, Dwarf Plantain Fruited.