2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

This may sound crazy. So I knew this would be the perfect place fot it. I've decided to give my Bananas annual "awards" based on their performance that year. I thought that some would find this helpful as well. Feel free to add your own categories and make your own!

Best overall appearance: Cardaba

Surprise of the year: Manzano (crazy fast growth)

Best winter return: Brazilian

Most vigorous: Misi Luki

Best new plant: Cardaba

Best fruit: Praying hands (only one for me)

Dissappointment of the year: Reg Sikkimensis; Daj Giant

Re: 2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

Why didnt you like the sikkimensis? I would like to get one and was wondering what issues it had...

Re: 2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

I grew mine from seed this spring. They are very weak and are my slowest growers. I hope they pick up speed next year. I hope long term they'll make up for their first year. I do like them though.

Re: 2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

For me the sikkim has always been the slenderest banana I had. I now have a Darjeeling Giant sikkim for the first time, and it is still the puny one of the bunch, even though it's only a few weeks in my garden.

Re: 2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

I do not grow Sikkimensis, but I suspect that it has the same problem in warmer areas as other mountain banana species. They do not like temperatures above 90F, and stop growing or experience greatly slowed growth at such temperatures.

Musa itinerans, Musa yunnanensis, and Musa thompsonii all display this habit where I grow them. The highest growth rate in these conditions is Musa itinerans itinerans. In the spring, late summer, fall, and winter is when these cultivars grow best in my South Florida location.

Musa yunannensis


Musa itinerans itinerans


The best overall appearance and best producer award in my experience is SH 3640.



:2239:

Re: 2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

For sheer good looks and hardiness, I can't see anything topping basjoo.

Re: 2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

Best looking banana-Ice cream banana
Best recovery (a bit of frost and a winter in the basement closet)-Dwarf cavendish
Most growth- Ice cream banana (but I think basjoo is pretty much tied with it!)
Most shade tolerance- Definitely basjoo!
Worst performer of the year- Thai black banana
Most likely to fruit (In the future)- Ice cream banana

Thats who my awards go to! Thai black has been a disappointment and the leaves are getting light green and it only made 4 leaves for the year. My ice cream banana has been through so much including rot in the beginning of the summer but It made a great recovery and I cant wait to plant it in the ground next spring!

Re: 2010 Annual Banana Awards
 

My categories (and I'm simply making these up out of my a$$)

Best overall look: Ice Cream
Best recovery from slow growth: Siam Ruby (due to fast growth starting in mid-summer, but nearly now growth prior to this)
Best overall lushness, growth and vigor: Super Dwarf Cavendish

Wish I had more plants to base categories off of! Great thread!!!