Sikkimensis Red Tiger?

Longwoods Tropicals · 09-13-2015, 07:28 AM

Three years ago I managed to only germinate a single seed from a large order from The Banana Tree. It came from a batch labeled as musa acuminata. It never looked like any other Cavendish I'd seen, then I saw a picture of a Zebrina and for a while I thought that was it, but after pouring over the google images I now believe it to be a musa sikkimensis red tiger...

Another reason I believe it to be this is that it sailed through the frosts I had mid to late May this year (they were covered up as was everything else, but temps hit the upper 20s on two occasions and this plant was the least affected)

Should I risk it and just protect it as if it was a Basjoo or should I just dig it up for the winter?

Thanks

Mark Dragt · 09-13-2015, 10:08 AM

If you have more than one, then try to leave in the ground. If you only have the one, then I would treat it like its the most valuable,rare,cold sensitive,best, and the favorite plant I own. I like to have a backup plant when I take chances.

Longwoods Tropicals · 09-13-2015, 10:24 AM

Yeah, I've got two pups that I will remove from it as an insurance policy, but I still would like to get some opinions on it's variety.

Longwoods Tropicals · 09-13-2015, 10:25 AM

it's

apostrophe fail...LOL

siege2050 · 09-13-2015, 03:11 PM

My Sikkimensis tend to have reddish leaf backs in full sun, more so in my Red Tiger, but seed grown Sikkimensis are highly variable like people, and all of my plants look different than each other, but at the same time the same. That might not even be Red Tiger, and just plain Sikkimensis as the green can have stripes too, just not as vivid. One hint is the leaves will point upward a little more than other Musa, and the markings are different than Cavendish, being more like streaks extending from the midrib than blotches. Sikkimensis does have the powder as seen your photo. For sure keep a backup handy if you try leaving it out. Here are photos of one of my Red Tigers when small. Note the streaks extending from the midrib and not blotchy like zebrina. Mine has a bit more color on the leaf backs than I am used to seeing on the net, but it matches my plain green Sikkimensis in every other way. I would say yours is Sikki, but not positive.

Longwoods Tropicals · 09-13-2015, 03:41 PM

Thanks for the info.

Here's a photo from 2013, its first year, the back of the leaf looks red to me.

siege2050 · 09-13-2015, 04:02 PM

Yeah, that looks like Sikkimensis.

09-13-2015, 07:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
Longwoods Tropicals Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 31,415 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 244 Times in 73 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Sikkimensis Red Tiger? Three years ago I managed to only germinate a single seed from a large order from The Banana Tree. It came from a batch labeled as musa acuminata. It never looked like any other Cavendish I'd seen, then I saw a picture of a Zebrina and for a while I thought that was it, but after pouring over the google images I now believe it to be a musa sikkimensis red tiger... Another reason I believe it to be this is that it sailed through the frosts I had mid to late May this year (they were covered up as was everything else, but temps hit the upper 20s on two occasions and this plant was the least affected) Should I risk it and just protect it as if it was a Basjoo or should I just dig it up for the winter? Thanks

09-13-2015, 10:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
Mark Dragt Location: Rochester,Wa Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 823 BananaBucks : 34,456 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,357 Times Was Thanked 1,718 Times in 635 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 332 Times	Re: Sikkimensis Red Tiger? If you have more than one, then try to leave in the ground. If you only have the one, then I would treat it like its the most valuable,rare,cold sensitive,best, and the favorite plant I own. I like to have a backup plant when I take chances. __________________ Mark's Banana Forest Paradise

09-13-2015, 10:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Longwoods Tropicals Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 31,415 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 244 Times in 73 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Sikkimensis Red Tiger? Yeah, I've got two pups that I will remove from it as an insurance policy, but I still would like to get some opinions on it's variety.

09-13-2015, 10:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
Longwoods Tropicals Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 31,415 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 244 Times in 73 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Sikkimensis Red Tiger? it's apostrophe fail...LOL

09-13-2015, 03:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
siege2050 Hobby obsessor maximus Location: Oklahoma Find me on the map! Zone: zone 7 Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 1,092 BananaBucks : 361,263 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 854 Times Was Thanked 1,295 Times in 614 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 85 Times	Re: Sikkimensis Red Tiger? My Sikkimensis tend to have reddish leaf backs in full sun, more so in my Red Tiger, but seed grown Sikkimensis are highly variable like people, and all of my plants look different than each other, but at the same time the same. That might not even be Red Tiger, and just plain Sikkimensis as the green can have stripes too, just not as vivid. One hint is the leaves will point upward a little more than other Musa, and the markings are different than Cavendish, being more like streaks extending from the midrib than blotches. Sikkimensis does have the powder as seen your photo. For sure keep a backup handy if you try leaving it out. Here are photos of one of my Red Tigers when small. Note the streaks extending from the midrib and not blotchy like zebrina. Mine has a bit more color on the leaf backs than I am used to seeing on the net, but it matches my plain green Sikkimensis in every other way. I would say yours is Sikki, but not positive. __________________ If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any Banana pudding! How can you have any Banana pudding if you don't eat yer meat?! Click for weather forecast Last edited by siege2050 : 09-13-2015 at 04:11 PM.

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09-13-2015, 03:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
Longwoods Tropicals Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 31,415 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 244 Times in 73 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Sikkimensis Red Tiger? Thanks for the info. Here's a photo from 2013, its first year, the back of the leaf looks red to me.

09-13-2015, 04:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
siege2050 Hobby obsessor maximus Location: Oklahoma Find me on the map! Zone: zone 7 Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 1,092 BananaBucks : 361,263 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 854 Times Was Thanked 1,295 Times in 614 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 85 Times	Re: Sikkimensis Red Tiger? Yeah, that looks like Sikkimensis. __________________ If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any Banana pudding! How can you have any Banana pudding if you don't eat yer meat?! Click for weather forecast

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