Clare_CA

I bought some variegated bananas from Ebay last year and also from a good friend, but I didn't label them properly so I don't know which one is which. Is it the pink mid rib which helps to identify it as a Namwah? It may be the case that three through seven are the same?

Thanks,
Clare

Jananas Bananas

Beautiful collection Claire! 1 & 2 I would definitely say Nam Wah Pearl. 3, 5 & 6 look just like mine which is a Thai variegate. Possibly Ta Nee but Gabe said not for sure on mine (because Ta Nee has seeds but the seller claims that the one I purchased has great edible fruit). Do you remember if they were supposed to have edible fruit or not? Gabe will be the best person to identify them. (I love the curl picture!!!!! )

~JaNan

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Jananas Bananas

Clare_CA

Thanks, JaNan! I thought of you as I was posting this because I think your description from EBay was the same one that I had. Mda1515, Michael D'Andrea, Hollywood, FL was the seller, but he didn't say anything about fruit. I think Steven (Miamimax) got fruit from his Namwah.

I guess we'll have to wait and see if fruit comes. Maybe Gabe can help us with identification then on some of the other Thai ones. Whatever they are, I just love them. Yours are really cool too:-)

Jananas Bananas

Oh Claire, I forgot to add that I don't know about the pink mid rib as an indicator for Nam Wah, but I did want to let you know that the very edge of my Thai Variegate is getting the red edge like my Ae from Hawaii - it shows up after the leaf has been open a couple of days. I have an Ae from Florida that does not have any pink or red on it at all. I tried to get a picture of the red edge on it yesterday, but it was blurry. I will try to get another one this evening and post it for you. ~J

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Jananas Bananas

Clare_CA

Thanks, JaNan. I know exactly what you mean about the red edge. Some of mine have it too.

Maybe that red trim will help in identifying ours:-)

coast crab

Clare, the yellow one looks like the one I got from ebay (mda1515) last year as nam wah 'pearl', whick it obviuosly isn't. I think it is actually 'miami gold'. I have pictures in my gallery and in the namwah thread from last summer. Whatever it is, it was a slow dwarf that never got much more that knee high. It didn't survive the winter. Oh well, on to better things.

Last year....



The striped one is BEAUTIFUL!

Russell

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Jananas Bananas

Here's the edge on mine. You don't realize there are that many distinct colors on the leaves until you see it like this. At least I hadn't!!!





Yes, that would be great Clare! ~J

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Jananas Bananas

Jananas Bananas

Claire, I just found this on eBay. These folks call theirs a Bluggoe.

VARIEGATED PINSTRIPED BANANA! MUSA 'BLUGGOE' - eBay (item 180531838092 end time Jul-16-10 13:00:29 PDT)

I don't see any pink mid rib or red edging like ours though, but thought I would let you take a look.

~JaNan

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Jananas Bananas

Clare_CA

Thanks, Russell. I'm sorry to hear about your plant not making it.

Thanks, JaNan, for the pictures and for the link. That is a very pronounced pink trim on yours. I'm going to check and see how many of mine have that. That's an interesting auction. I went to check his location, and it says, "Rainforest, USA." I thought maybe he was in Thailand. That's a pretty one for sure but a hefty price. I see that they are a nursery called Natural Selections Exotics, which is in Florida. I've purchased a few things from them over the years, including one of my variegated plumerias and a ylang ylang.

I just found this link on 'Bluggoe': Musa "Bluggoe" Apparently, it is a synonym of Orinoco.

Tropicman

Hi Clare,
Love your Variegated banana collection,is there some sort of trick from keeping the foliage from burning to a crisp?
I noticed that the ground seems to be a little on the dry side,are you lacking rainfall?
How often do you water and feed?
Have you done a ph test on your soil around your nanners,I'm wondering if that might be something to it in keeping the foliage on the lush side.

Clare_CA

Hi Don! It's great to see you here. My DG subscription just expired, and I'm not going to renew it, but at least I'll get to chat with you over here!

There's no trick really that I know of regarding leaf burn, but I'm still really new to growing these variegated bananas, and mine have only been in the ground a very short time. There has been some morning overcast weather so maybe that has helped the leaves not to burn as rapidly. The white part at least does seem to burn over time in their full-sun positions. I still think that they are better off having more sun than shade for growth, but I hear that morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal.

Yes, my ground here is very sandy even though I always amend the ground with compost when planting anything. It still dries out incredibly fast. I recently added more mulch so hopefully that will keep the soil a little more moist a little longer. I haven't kept a regular schedule with watering due to the flucuating cool/hot weather. This week, it's been particularly warm so I think I watered three times. The plants are on drippers that are 2 gallons per hour, I think. Yes, we are still in a drought condition with very little rainfall this year as in previous years.

I gave each banana some slow-release fertilizer recently. I admit that I am not as diligent as I should be due to lack of time mostly. I will have to develop a regular feeding schedule that I will stick to. There is another thread on how Greenie feeds his bananas that I'll find for you.

I haven't done a soil test, but I think the water is a ph of around 7.0, but I'm not absolutely sure about that. It's pretty crappy soil actually, but at least it isn't clay. I usually plant with half native soil and half commercial garden soil or 1/3 commercial garden soil, 1/3 native soil, and 1/3 Supersoil compost.

I hope all is well with you and your lush tropical paradise there in Kansas!

Here is the thread on what Greenie does for fertilizer: Ae Ae propagation project

Tropicman

Thanks Clare
We are right around the 100* mark today and for the next week,seems the weather is really going to get hot around here for a while.
We have had lots of rain,so far.but the weather man no rain for the next 10 days,so that means I'll be watering mine every day.
Thanks for the link,I'm going to check it out,I'm always looking for new ways to feed,and just how much I can,because you know 6 months is all I can keep them in the ground before winter,and have to dig them up,and let them go dormant,until next spring!

Clare_CA

I remember how hard you work to keep your amazing tropical garden going, Don, and I admire you so much. The bananas, etc. seem to love the dried chicken manure if you can get your hands on some. I could send you some! LOL! Just kidding! Try to stay cool, hun.