Foxhound

Hey guys, long time reader and first time poster. Just wanted to share my banana plant and it's growth with some other people who are also into bananas. (My wife is sick of hearing about them lol)

Anyway I'm seeing great growth on this one, and so far, it put out the biggest leaf yet! I think that means that I'm doing a good job taking care of it.

On a side note, the plant was bought from fastgrowingtrees, and they claim it's a hybrid Blue Java x Namwah, I don't think that is possible aside from maybe grafting two rhizomes together?

I don't know, what do you guys think?

Reminosys

If it isn't dead or stalled, that's a job well done.

I'm doubtful that they sold you a Blue Java x Namwa hybrid, but hopefully it'll still satisfy the senses. Banana plants can't really be grafted (they don't have the necessary cell types if I recall correctly), and even if they were, it would just be whatever variety is on top. More probable is that they, like other major companies, sell Namwa as Blue Java, but those aren't the same variety. Namwa can sometimes build up a waxy coating on the fruits that reflects a bluish sheen, like the kind that gives Blue Java its namesake.

Some of the forum members here breed bananas, and it's a fairly time intensive task. They do have to start with varieties that aren't completely sterile, and I don't know if Blue Java or Namwa are sterile. Hopefully they'll chip in with their knowledge.

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Foxhound

Sorry guys, the pictures I tried to insert earlier didn't take. Here's some pics.


This is from yesterday with that new leaf popping out only about a week after the last.
Honestly I've never felt more rewarded growing any plants before.


Here's one I took when the leaf before the newest one popped up. Biggest one yet!




I'll go ahead and post the email sent by fastgrowingtree aswell, I think you guys would be interested in what they were saying.





While my plant definitely has a very powdery coating on the undersides of all the leaves, do you experts know anything about how this could be possible?

pitangadiego

Guessing the X is really there to say that it is possibly either variety, not a cross. As Reminosys indicated Namwa is often sold as Ice Cream/Blue Java. Guessing it will turn out to be Namwa, which is a very nice variety to have.

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CentralFLtropical

Its definitely a Namwah. there is alot of controversy over "Blue Java" 99% of the time when someone tells me they have blue java its a Namwah. True Blue Java cannot be replicated by tissue culture. What you have here is 100% a Namwah. Not a cross. What they are feeding you is a line of BS.

Foxhound

Ahh, that's what I was thinking. It seemed like something that was out of the realm of possibilities.

Seems illegal to be honest.

Thank you for your outlook. As another central Florida guy, if you know where to get true blue java pups let me know!

beam2050

don't be disappointed namwa is a great variety to have.

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CentralFLtropical

Oh namwah is a fantastic variety! Don't be disappointed with it as I'm sure you will find it to be one of the best tasting bananas you have ever had. Depending on where you are in central Florida there are a few places around that I know of. Personally I have gotten my plant from the Reid farm in Deland. I am located in Deland so they are close. There is a guy in new smyrna that has them but doesn't always like to sell. He is a little pricier but he had his corm imported from a champion grower. Join some of the Facebook groups. There are a lot of people in Florida that will even ship you pups/ corms. @foxhould is your name actually fox? There is a guy in one of my private car groups that has the name Fox. Would be a small world if it is you.

chapmanfarms

I purchased the same plant about 5 years ago from them. Now I'm up to around 30, and they are namwah, not blue java. Still good, just not what I expected I purchased. Also Central Florida

Reminosys

Wholeheartedly agree on the company being incorrect on the plant's info. Blue Java and Namwa are indeed hybrids, but of the ancestral species M. acuminata and M. balbisiana, and would be referred to Musa x paradisiaca. That said, they aren't particularly closely related, so it's improper to imply what they sell is related to both without a pedigree proving so.

I do want to touch on a misconception though, it IS possible to tissue culture Blue Java. The Musa Germplasm International Transit Centre in Belgium only distributes TC plantlets for phytosanitary reasons, and
Blue Java is made available (for research) in that way.


Whether these companies are misinformed or lying is unclear, but it certainly leaves an unsavory taste in many folks mouths.

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ecachuh

Our "Blue Java" turned out to be Namwa. It's just aggravating. I emailed a seller on Etsy and she said she buys in good faith but can't confirm. Scientific name should be used instead of just throwing Blue Java out there to get buyers.

Namwa is a very good banana, we love it! I still want to grow the Blue Java as well though.

Ours has the powdery layer that makes the banana a blue tinge. NOT blue like the pics on the internet lol. Definitely doesn't taste like Ice Cream. Kind of appleish to me...Is that a word?

CarolinaShoreFruits

I'm glad to have found this place too lol. I'll stop myself mid thought/sentence to save them the headache of hearing more about the bananas lol.

Art_R

I purchased my Blue Java from Going Bananas in Homestead, FL. It has produced fruit and I can verify that they sold me the real deal. I also grow namwas and there is a clear difference in color between the Blue Javas and the Namwas. Like the previous poster said, blue javas are not actually pure blue like you see on the internet, but the difference is distinct when you compare the two side by side. Both bananas taste great! However I would give the namwah a slight taste edge over the blue Java. Unfortunately Going Bananas does not ship so you will need to make an appointment via email and go there to pick one up. I drove 4-1/2 hours each way to get mine and it was worth it.

I have ordered from Fast Growing trees a couple of times and they have great customer service. However when you look on their website under Blue Java pollination info it says "Ice Cream Banana Trees are self-fertile. You will get fruit with only one plant. However, adding an additional Ice Cream Banana Tree will drastically increase the size of your crop." This is total nonsense and it makes me wonder if they have any clue about what they are selling.

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

Foxhound

First Sucker!

all43

Great to see that little green appearing in the spring sun!

Foxhound

Oh you're right.

Even more exciting since it's the first little guy I've grown!

Foxhound

Oh man, didn't mean to ignore you!

Haha probably not, I have an '02 Eclipse. But it's not in any sort of showing condition! lol

Once I fix the breaks and change the valve cover gasket I'll probably do something more with it.