California Gold: A true cultivar? (Att. JoeReal)
 

I have read a little about california gold at webebananas. At first I confused this one with goldfinger, but now I see they are very different plants.

Concerning California gold, I can't seem to find a source stating that this is a true cultivar. I see JoeReal grows these. I have searched inibap, but couldn't find anything. It could also be the names they use, since I don't know all synonyms. I am wondering if it's a sport of "dwarf brazilian", related to "Walha", or if it somehow belongs in the "pome" group?

Erlend

Re: California Gold: A true cultivar? (Att. JoeReal)
 

California Gold is rather new, its not a landrace like other cultivars really, so its not something youre going to be able to just look up information on. Its fairly certain it is in the Bluggoe group, not Pome, and is very close to Orinoco. There are tons of Musa not available on the MGIS from INIBAP (now Bioversity International), so that is not always a definitive source. Even though you can obtain California Gold, its still somewhat of an enigma and its not certain whether it really is any different from an Orinoco or is a new variant.

Re: California Gold: A true cultivar? (Att. JoeReal)
 

Perhaps if INIBAP can run genetic analysis, we would know some of its parentage. I'm more than willing to provide a sample.

For sure, there are significant morphological differences in the fruits and taste between D.O. and C.G. I grow them side by side. Other information that I obtained is that C.G. may have come from bananas in the Philippines brought by Filipino immigrants, also another resource saying that it may have come from the highlands of Mexico, and in both cases, all very far from the Orinoco River of Venezuela, so I suspect that it may not be as related to Orinoco.

What is important is that the D.O. and the C.G. are different banana plants before me, with C.G. being conistently cold hardier than D.O.

The best proof is right before my eyes, all of my D.O.'s are severely damaged from this round of Arctic Blasts down to 20 deg F for prolonged periods, the D.O. is now showing signs of complete pseudostem rot while my C.G. have the pseudostems green and intact. I know for sure that next late spring I will have blooms on my C.G. while the D.O. would have to resprout back from the ground, and of course there will still be skeptics amongst us who will never want to retain these facts and observations happening right before my eyes in my own backyard.

I may also have a cold hardier type of Dwarf Brazilian as it withstood the arctic blast with flying colors, and a lot better looking green pseudostem compared to California Gold. Based on the recent outcome of the arctic blast, my Dwarf Brazilian is cold hardier than my California Gold. What would really count would be the first cultivar to leaf out in spring, the result would not be posted in a couple of months, with pics of course.

As usual, these are non-scientific tests, so skeptics and optimists beware.

Re: California Gold: A true cultivar? (Att. JoeReal)
 

Just jumping in here to say that my own observation is that my tall Orinoco's are burned beyond belief in this Blast. My CA Gold has one green leaf left, and two pups still looking good.

Re: California Gold: A true cultivar? (Att. JoeReal)
 

I would agree with Gabes asessement. I am not sure if it's an orinoco, or another bluggoe type. If it's the former, maybe a more proper name would be an improved orinoco.


Anna,

As long as you keep the stems from freezing your plants should be fine. For most of the country, just another 6-8 weeks before more moderate springtime weather returns..

Re: California Gold: A true cultivar? (Att. JoeReal)
 

When looking at the p-stem my california gold it is very green and healthy but of course it is well protected by my own method. I don't dare yet to open the protection since I bought it. It is wrapped in burlap many times then Christmas lights, then wrapped again with clear 4 mil plastic and on top is tied a clear large trash can liner, halfway down the ppstem it is wrapped with floor heat mat and around the corm 4 bags of 2 cu ft of red wood bags to retain the heat.
The sorroundings are pretty much protected also with clear plastics which my citrus reside as well. And although the tempt at night is on the low 20's I don't see any damage by the icy blast which is going on right now. So far.

Re: California Gold: A true cultivar? (Att. JoeReal)
 

Joe, I'll see your Dwarf Brazilian and raise you a SDC! This picture is from this morning of my 5 foot tall SDC that survived under the Ice Cremas and Namwahs. Crazy thing is that the Ice Cream that has fruit hanging was rotted down the base last winter and it's maybe 3 feet away from the SDC.


Here is what is directly above the SDC! This whole area shows the least damage from the arctic blast. I think part of the reason is that they are somewhat protected from the strong winds by the neighbors house leaving a nice canopy for the small ones underneath.