Barnes19

I'm looking for the best edible banana that really tastes like banana for my climate.

I can't use the map as my internet is too slow, but I'm in the far north of New Zealand, we are classed as a "subtropical" area but my previous bananas (dearly beloved, we are gathered here today etc ...) begged to differ.

They were ordinary Lady-finger bananas. Variety called Missy Luki, and one called Dwarf Ladyfinger.

Our climate is actually very good, hot dry summers, warm wet winters, but we have half a dozen light overnight frosts in a year. These frosts are only just on the freezing point of water, the dew on the grass freezes overnight and thaws in the morning. We never drop below 0C, or -1C at the worst.

But my bananas (which always grew into stunning palms over summer) just dissolved at the first touch of frost and had to start from the ground again. They never got to fruiting. The climate must be very close ... other people have success.

So it doesn't necessarily need a super-hardy type, but something a bit tougher anyway. But I really want a decent quality fruit that tastes like a normal banana. I don't mind if its a bit small, and I don't mind if it has a few seeds, just as long as there is a reasonable amount of pulp as well.

Gabe15

Have you tried the fruit of 'Ice Cream' or 'Namwah'/'Pisang Awak' and not liked them? They are reported to do well there, but don't taste like Cavendish if that's what you mean by a "normal" banana.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Barnes19

Haven't had the opportunity to try them ... I'll see what I can find on them.

I have conflicting reports on the Blue Java, most say it is cold tolerant, but one NZ site said it doesn't fruit so well in warm temperate and they don't recommend it. If I can find a sucker though I might try it anyway it sounds good.

When I say 'normal banana' ... put it this way ... I know ladyfinger varieties are a little different from Cavendish, and that is fine by me, they're still a banana flavour ... but the varieties I've thought looked good for hardiness I've later found described as tasting like a Kiwifruit or a Watermelon !!??? ... and well, what I'm looking for is a banana not a fruit salad Lol.

Richard

Namwah.

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