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Main Banana Discussion This is where we discuss our banana collections; tips on growing bananas, tips on harvesting bananas, sharing our banana photos and stories.


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Old 04-03-2006, 10:28 AM   #1 (permalink)
Greenwood, S.C.-Zone 8a
 
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Default Best bananas for me?

Hey folks, I am wanting to add to my banana collection. I live in Greenwood, S.C., which is a very strong 7B and according to some maps an 8A. Anyway, I currently have a Musa basjoo which is putting on great growth. I would like to know if the following types would be hardy for me. When I say hardy, I mean that the plants would come back each year like a perennial. Also, are there any other edible bananas that I could try besides the ones listed below?

Orinoco
Dwarf Orinoco
Raja puri
Sikkimensis (not edible I know)
Dwarf Red
High Color Mini
Ice Cream

If I have included some types that are not good choices, please let me know. In addition, if you know of some good ones for me to try, please enlighten me. In addition, are there any banana plants out there that can tolerate some shade? Thank you in advance.
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Old 04-03-2006, 09:02 PM   #2 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

Foregt the reds, they are the most cold sensitive. The high color Mini is not worth the effort.
I don't know about yur climate, but Sweetheart, Belle, Misi Luki and the Namwahs seem to never quit here in SD, so may be less cold sensitive.

The fellows at http://www.cloudforest.com/cafe/index.html have a lot of experience growing bananas in the cold.
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Old 04-05-2006, 07:21 PM   #3 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

if yur gonna leave them in ground, here's yur best bet.

Dwarf Orinoco
Raja puri

and yu might wanta gve them some winter protection..

above are pretty cold hardy..

some folks here are in same zone and lower..

my zone is 7b, but by new zone chart shows 8..
but d.o. didn't make it outside, without any protection.

my suggestion is to get the bloom time down and dig them up for winter, till yu hve extras then start to leave some out thru winter.. trial and error
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Old 04-05-2006, 09:56 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

Some good hardy species bananas for you to try:

musa mannii - may never bloom for you, but it is very hardy.
musa velutina - mulch it well, and it'll come back very well in your zone.
musa coccinea - A hardy, beautiful banana!
musella lasiocarpa - One of THE HARDIEST bananas known to mankind! An absolute must!
Orinoco has come back in the ground after 10F low for me in Nashville, TN. It was mush at 1F the year before. No protection either time. No experience with DO.
musa itinerans - some sketchiness concerning actual hardiness of this species. Needs more trials. I can say that I have a buddy in Nashville that I gave a couple of these to last year and both are returning already with no protection other than a thin layer of mulch (and it was pretty thin). Low this year was in Nashville was 12F.

So many more species to try, and new ones becoming available all the time. Experiment!
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Old 04-05-2006, 11:37 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

Hey Bigdog,

Does M. coccinea have enough time to grow from the ground and bloom before the cold comes again in the fall in TN?

Many Thanks!
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Old 04-06-2006, 09:19 AM   #6 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

Thank you so much for the suggestions. I appreciate each and every one.
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Old 04-06-2006, 12:00 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

I don't know the answer to that yet, Richard. I've not met anyone growing it here. I know of others in zone 7 in NC growing it, but don't know if it has time to bloom or not. I haven't had mine in the ground to test yet since my move to Knoxville, but should know more next year. I hope it does have time to bloom, because it is spectacular!
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Old 04-06-2006, 10:15 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

Big dog- I agree with you about M. coccinea. It is to me one of the best looking of the ornamentals. The fact that it holds the bracts just adds to its good looks. How are you coming with getting everyone out from under the house and getting them ready to go in the ground?

It looks like you may have some storms coming your way in the next few days. Hang in there.

I've finally started putting together a few web pages showing some of the things I'm growing. At present there are only a few of the bananas listed but there are lots more on the way. If interested you can take a look at http://home.coastalnow.net/~rhwaww/

Best Wishes,

Richard
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Old 04-06-2006, 11:09 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

I'm still in no hurry to wake up the bananas. Storms are on the way for tomorrow night into Saturday, and Sat. night is supposed to be in the 30s. The last two mornings have been in the high 30s here, so I would be wasting my time planting anything out anyway. I have been tilling up a large area for my veggie garden and bananas, and am still not done. A couple more passes should do it. My girlfriend is scared that I'm going to plant everything in rows like I had at my Nashville house . I have so much more room here to plant stuff now! I suppose I could make a couple of the beds all curvy and wavy like she wants .

Great-looking website, by the way! Your tutorial on hand-pollinating bananas is a must-see for the serious hobbyist interested in that.
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Old 04-06-2006, 11:24 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

Big Dog- It is so nice to have new open space to work with. Good luck on planning and designing the beds. I always look forward to getting things planted in the spring. I am hoping that we are done with the really cold nights for the year.

I also wanted to mention that if you ever have a pup from your real African Red that you want to trade, I would love to get one from you. Let me know and I can send you a list of what I've got to offer. The one labelled "African Red" on my website looks a little like it to me but the colors are much better on your plant. I got mine from a nursery in south FL as an "unknown hybrid".

Thanks for the kind words on the pollination page. The first of the seedlings from the cross pollinations I have been doing are starting to bloom now (5 have bloomed so far and about 175 more are on the way.) I'll try to post some pictures on the next few days.
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Old 04-18-2006, 08:00 AM   #11 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

Does anyone have experience with Musa ' Manzano ' Apple banana plants?
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Old 04-18-2006, 09:15 AM   #12 (permalink)
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Default Re: Best bananas for me?

I have grown them for almost 2 years. We had a mild winter here, just a couple light frosts, but they were one of the best as far as leaf yellowing and browning goes. My Ice Creams and Lady Finger were the best.
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