Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

We have 3 beds waiting for 3 new (for us) varieties of bananas. I believe I have finally chosen which three:

1. Dw. Namwah
2. Raja Puri
3. Mysore/Pisand Ceylon.

We are in zone 8b/9. My priorities in choosing were/are:

• Taste- we like sweet
• Texture- a texture like store bought Cavendish, not hard or mushy
• Wind tolerance- don't want to have to prop. We get wind as we are on a hill. But, never had to prop our Orinocos
• Size- not Saba huge. Want to shorter for 2 of the front beds, back left bed can be taller -See pic/beds are circled (ignore red circle).
• Quantity of production

There is so much info. that is varied, I'm not sure what to believe is typical. Considering the traits above, can y'all let me know how the above three compare/contrast?

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Good choices. Of the 3, you'll probably need to prop Mysore. It's one of the varieties I have to prop. The p-stems don't seem to be as thick as some other types and they get taller than dwarf varieties. Put it in whichever spot will have the least wind, although all your spots look pretty out in the open. None have a texture like a cavendish and they're each quite different from each other. They're all sweet, but Mysores are also very tangy. None are really as sweet as a cavendish.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I also think those are great choices. Enjoy!
:woohoonaner:

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Well, now I'm questioning if I should scratch the Raja Puri for a Dw. Cavendish since you mentioned Raja Puri (and others) may not be as sweet. I like the store Cavendish (texture) and hear home grown is all that much better.
Can you tell me the fruit size difference between the Dw. Cavendish and Raja Puri. Also, how would you describe the texture differences?
Thanks for any info.
Lawler

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I don't know what is going to do best in your climate, something else important to consider, but cavendish types are less cold tolerant than Raja Puri. It seems like it's a favorite of many because it's easy to grow and cold hardy. I recall the texture being more chewy, much like a namwah. Certainly more dense. For may taste, they aren't my favorite, but then neither are cavendish types. I've had some locally grown DCs and Williams that were quite good, and I've like my own DCs, but ripped out all my Williams.

The cavendish types and other AAAs tend to have a more soft texture, have no sub-acid (tangy, apple, etc) taste, and are considered very sweet. The others you are considering are sweet, but to me not as sweet and have a better, more complex flavor. Texture wise, none of your options are hard or mushy (though I'd consider cavendish types more mushy than bananas with some B in them).

These are my taste reports of the the 3 you're considering. Just my opinion of course, though I tried to be more descriptive and objective:
http://www.bananas.org/f2/mysore-tas...ort-18251.html
http://www.bananas.org/f2/tall-namwa...ort-18390.html
http://www.bananas.org/f2/raja-puri-...ort-17907.html

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I wouldn't do Cavendish if I were you. You can buy them in the supermarket any day, and they will be bigger and possibly better than what you can grow. At least that's the case for me. It is really a tropical plant and doesn't like cool or dry.

I'd replace Raja Puri with Dwarf Brazilian. The fruit are similar but better, it is more productive, and the plant is a bit hardier and less prone to micronutrient deficiencies (at least in my climate). Its only downside is that it is bigger than Raja Puri. But you won't have to prop it and it is nowhere near as tall as Mysore/Pisang Ceylan.

In terms of sweetness, a lot of that is taste perception, not sugar content. In terms of sugar content, the figures I've seen show Namwah to be the highest of the ones you mentioned, including Cavendish. They are very sweet when fully ripe (black skins), too sweet for some folks. Adding a tart component, like that found in Mysore, Raja Puri, and Dwarf Brazilian I think makes those varieties seem less sweet (and more balanced, to me), but they have similar sugar content as Cavendish.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

D nam wah 6 foot to fruit
Raja puri 5 foot to fruit
D brazillion 6-7 foot to fruit
D brazillion the best tasting raja puri 2nd and d namwah last
I really love raja puri for its stoutness and wind resistance.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Mark, Thanks for the good info. I'm so on the fence and when I read Rob's (robguz24) taste review of the raja puri... I started to get cold feet. I don't want a chewy, rubbery or mealy texture as he mentioned. Yet, he said that RP is still better than Cavendish (but I like the store bananas- he, I don't think does).

So, you mentioned climate- always important. We are zone 8b/9 -near Houston, TX... so a Cavendish should be fine here, right?
Don't know if you have a Dw. Cavendish... Do they have a thicker Pstem and/or are they more sturdy w/ wind than a Mysore?

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

In my opinion, none of the bananas you have selected will survive your winter without serious, labor-intensive protection. Somehow you'll need to keep the plants, corms, and roots from freezing -- and ideally keep them from sustained temperatures below 40F.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

How do the (subject title) selections compare to Orinocos in terms of cold hardiness? We've had Orinocos that... good golly, we couldn't kill on our burn pile (they came back), much less the wild bunch of Orinocos we have always comes back after winter. Yes, they get brown and ugly (one might think they're dead). But come spring, we clean them up and top them to a healthy level and viola'... after some spring weather, they make themselves known.
So, ...back to ?... how does my selection compare in cold tolerance to Orinocos?
To add to the mix, how would Dw. Cavendish compare against Orinocos w/ cold tolerance?
P.S. we're zone 8b/9

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Terrible, not even in the ballpark with Orinoco.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

They are zone 10a+ plants.

Yup.

Your observations of Orinocos have been substantiated by many members here. Members growing the subject naner's in your zone typically over-winter them indoors.

In my opinion, Orinocos are an anomaly of cold tolerance among fruiting bananas.

Dwarf Cavendish falters in zone 9b when left outdoors to its own resources. Also as venturabananas points out, you can buy better Cavendish bananas at the store. I grew D. Cavendish in zone 9b for 2 years and was disgusted with the crops.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I never get freezing temperatures, so it won't be a fair comparison really, but when temps get into the 30's, Dwarf Namwah fares better than Orinoco in my yard. Dwarf Brazilian and Raja Puri are about the same. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon would be the next tier, similar to Orinoco, but a bit less tolerant of cool temps.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Now I'm wondering if I'm back to sq.1... on Wiki here, the three selections show all to be tolerant to zones 8-10 (I'm 8b/9).. with the Raja Puri being zone 8-9 ... :eek:WHAT... I read a bunch about it being more cold tolerant- that's what I put it on the list.
This guy in CA says:

http://www.bananas.org/11332-post14.html

his last with temps in mid/upper 20s.

Perhaps, as I wondered aloud to my better half.. perhaps we're talking that 'tolerant = staying pretty and green'.

What we merely are concerned with, regarding tolerance, is that they don't die. I don't care if they get brown and ugly. If they can be cleaned up in the spring and have the pstem cut back to a decent # feet in height and that they take off & produce, that'd be good.

I'm thinking this is the case if they are in pots and not protected or folks can be in same zone different local and have different results ??

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

What Wiki doesn't tell you is a well established plant is more cold tolerant than something you just stuck in the ground.. :^)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Lawler, I think you just need to give them a try. As I said, in my zone where it never freezes but gets in the 30's, Orinoco isn't a standout for tolerance to the cool, i.e., it looks no better than the other varieties mentioned (Namwah, Raja puri, and Dwarf Brazilian). But that may not reflect how they'll do if you get freezes.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Thanks for the thread. I am pretty disgusted with my DC's right now. They keep sending up flowers around Thanksgiving; though I bring them indoors, there is not enough light to ripen the fruit, which eventually rots away. I am tired of breaking my back dragging pots and getting no fruit. I am going to plant bananas in the ground and over-winter them outdoors. I will try Raja Puri and Dwarf Brazilian, as you have chosen. I already have orinoco.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Well, I am going to stick with my three choices:

1.Dw. Namwah
2.Raja Puri
3.Mysore/Pisang Ceylon.

Believe I have a RP secured.
Just need to find genuine varieties (is it "varieties" or 'types'?) of the other two.
Hear/believe I need to be patient since pups will be arriving as the season(s) move warmer... perhaps the 'woodwork' will reveal a/some sources in the next couple/few months.
:)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I'm probably the less experienced guy around here. And my climate differs from you both in quantity and quality of cold days during the year. However, my experience with rajapuri has been more than disappointing. Another guy from italy, wich has experienced with that plant, says the same. I would put the rajapuri in same class with cavendish. They can take some cold probably, but can't stand extended periods of cold weather. Maybe it's an humidity thing, i don't know. Here it is pretty humid during winter. But i simply think that it can't survive in long periods with low temperatures (even if freezing).
Rajapuri is an amazing plant overall, but in some climates its reputed cold hardiness doesn't work in my humble opinion.

I haven't flowered a single banana yet, but i have tought a lot about this issue. Apparently many bananas start differentiating the flower at some point of the summer. Obviously, since our summer ends just when the flower shows up, we end with a flower at the beginning of the autumn: and this is more and more true if we contimue to push our plant at the maximum speed in hope of obtaining a flower (think about this: if you put attention on it you'll notice tthat most temperate growers get a flower just at the beginning of the autumn).
So, i thought, what can be done to overcome this? The best idea i have come with is to put the plant in a stress once the flower is differentiated, to slow down the development. Yes, i know, quality and quantity of the flower will be affected but it's better to get few finger than no fingers.

So far, since my growing period goes from april to the beginning of october, my solution has been the following: I uproot and pot up all my plant during the last week of august, at the peak of the gowing season, when temperature are still high but are about to decrease. So far, almost every plant treated this way, got an huge stop in growt. They always take about a month before starting to grow again in pot. This way, i hope, i will slow any flowering plant enought to force any flower inside the plant to emerge after the winter, when you have a long summer ahead to ripen the fruit.
Will this work? I don't know. I think that much depends from the bananas: if they are able to "reset" themselve, and abort the flower already developing, my efforts are vane. But as far as i know, bananas don't about the flower once the flower initiation has started, so we should try to work on it.
And anyway, i should pot my banana every winter, so i'm not adding work to my schedule.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Lawler... please know I'm no expert here but I will give you my 2 cents anyway. I think you will have a hard time with the Mysore and about on par with Dwarf Cavendish. They will need extensive winterization,papering and hope for the best. I've found the Tall and Dwarf Namwah to be not as finicky and on par with Orinoco or close, and have very tasty fruit. I've been very disappointed in the Raja Puri and I must have a bad strain of it as I've only got one small bunch after growing them for about five years with several mats in my yard now. I know people love them but for some reason I can't get them to do much. Hope this helps.
Bo

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Well, I'm still interested in securing these 3 for beds that have been waiting/curing since the Fall:

1.Dw. Namwah
2.Raja Puri
3.Mysore/Pisand Ceylon.

My hope is that someone will want to thin their herd and/or trade, as we have a big mat of Orinocos if anyone wants to trade.

I believe I have the RP secured (got to get w/ my source soon :), but am definitely interested if someone want to work something out.
I'm thinking pups are going to come a bit later in the season as Mr. Old Man Winter didn't want to hang his hat up for nothing this year- least in our parts.
I know ... more patience...
:)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Oops... to clarify:
1.Dw. Namwah
2.Raja Puri
3.Mysore/Pisang Ceylon.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I have a question. I originally wanted to secure the below 3 varieties:

1.Dw. Namwah
2.Raja Puri
3.Mysore/Pisang Ceylon.

I now have the DN and the RP... but am rethinking the Mysore as I hear it may need to be propped. Call me the lazy gardener ....fact is, I have enough on my plate w/o having to prop/babysit a banana plant.

SOOO, my question is: what Banana would you all recommend that has the following characteristics:

1. good cold tolerance -I'm in zone 8b
2. is small/short/dwarf
3. has a fabulous tasting banana.

Thank for any help in this decision!

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

You have your order, but most people south of us will say there is no fantastic dwarf bananas, they are all talls.. I would do a lil babysitting it might be worth it if you want fantastic.. :v)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I have been growing D Namwah for over 2 years and it did much better in the cold than RP, DC and what I now believe to be Pisang Awak. I was about to rip out the PA mat before I knew what they were, they really started growing well after a mild winter. The first 2 bunches of PA last year never grew well after a nasty winter and they were fed to the compost bin. I got 1 bunch of DN last year that were very good considering the bad winter. There are 2 PA bunches and 1 DN hanging now and they both had red pedicles on the fruit and I think it was the PA that had red on the bunch stalk. The PA and DN are very close cousins according to the Kepler, Rust banana book that is often mentioned here. The book also mentions how ABB bananas like PA and DN are easier to grow requiring less water and fertilizer. The book is a work of art and it is well worth the $70+ for the huge amount of information you get. Don't let the Hawaii emphasis stop you, that is part of what makes the book so interesting. You will learn a lot about Hawaii. I think I have my second choke in 2 tries with my DC's, might give up on those soon. A good strategy I am learning and have read a little about in some posts here is trying to time your follower pups so they are about 6ft tall come winter (if they bud around 10ft). That allows it to put out enough leaves the following year to support a bunch if you lose all the leaves in the cold. If your freezes aren't too long in duration there are things you can do to keep your leaves alive below 32F like Christmas lights, propane heaters and water. It is much easier to keep a small plant alive in the cold. With a crazy amount of effort I have kept leaves alive with temps of 28F for a very short time, when it got down to 25F 2 winters back the battle was lost. Leaves died but the stems were fine. I have read that D Brazilian takes a long time from bud to mature fruit, want to learn more about that before I get one.
Good luck

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

The Pisang Ceylon is not a dwarf variety, but certainly one of the prettiest plants in my yard. I have tasted the fruit at a friends house and I loved the texture, sweetness and fruity undertone. Last winter was pretty mild here, only one night with some frost, so I cannot make any comments on the cold hardiness. I would say " go for it".

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Personally, I'd go with Dwarf Brazilian. I love the flavor and find it very similar to Mysore/Pisang Ceylon/Pisang Klotek (though not quite as good as those Mysore varieties when they are all at their best). It doesn't need to be propped and stays shorter than the Mysore varieties. As an example, in my yard right now, the ratoon crop plants of PK and PC are both about 15' of p-stem (and still no flowers) and the ratoon crop plants of DB are about 8' at flowering. DB is a tough plant that doesn't require babying. I don't get freezing temperatures at my house, only down into the 30's and never a solid freeze, so I don't know how these varieties compare in that situation, but during winter here, DB does as well as anything except for Dwarf Namwah, which does slightly better.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Wellllllllll......... after much consternation, I have changed my 3rd of three in what I'd like to put in the ground.

With some sorrow from my taste buds, :( I am not going to put in a Pisang Ceylon ...as much as I have heard about their wonderful taste, I would LOVE to (and maybe someday, I'll get to taste what I will be missing)..... but I do just not have a place set up at this time for the taller Mysore that might need to be propped.
Perhaps next year, I'll carve me out a spot that can be easily reinforced with a support border that still makes the plant easy to access.

Soooo, after much thought and since smaller size and taste are the top two concerns, I'm going try a DWARF BRAZILIAN ....if I can find one :ha:

I have a Dw.Namwah & a Raja Puri :woohoonaner: (thank you Abnshrek & Nicolas Naranja!!) .... any nay-sayers that have an idea on another shorter and tasty banana other than the Dw.Brazilian??

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

That's to bad cause there is a PC of decent size on Ebay.. Lords knows it would get tore up in open country.. Good decision.. :^)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

If you want a short 8' Mysore and don't mind harvesting 40-50 lb bunches, then just separate the pups and keep starting with a new plant crop (no ratooning).

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Thanks, I appreciate the tip! I will keep it in mind when I am in a position to regularly have more time to devote.
Sooo, the "Sweetheart"... got to do some research ....or is this another name for Dw. Brazilian?

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Sweetheart is a good suggestion. It is tough plant, from what I've seen of others growing it, but I haven't grown it or tasted it myself. It is described more as a cooking banana, but so are other varieties that are commonly eaten as dessert bananas.

I agree with PR-Giants: Raja Puri and Dwarf Brazilian are very similar. In my yard, Dwarf Brazilian is a stronger plant that makes fruit that have better texture and maybe slightly better flavor. The Kepler and Rust book expresses the same opinion about better flavor in Dwarf Brazilian, but the difference is not big in my limited (with Raja Puri) experience.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

That worked for PR-Giants, but not for me. Admittedly, he's much better at growing bananas than I am, but my plant crop Pisang Ceylon and Pisang Klotek were both over 10' before flowering and definitely didn't make 40-50 lb bunches. But it's certainly worth a try, because the ratoon crop is a good 5' taller than plant crop in these two varieties in my yard.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

The people I've talked to here that are growing the FHIA-03 have said it's a much better dessert banana than the Namwa, plus it produces heavier bunches, grows faster, and ripens sooner. My 03s have been growing about 6" a week and I'll be harvesting them as cooking bananas but will let a bunch ripen. With all the high quality dessert bananas we can grow here, Raja Puri, Dwarf Brazilian, Namwa, and many others are just not worth growing.

I agree with venturabananas, and would also choose growing a DB over a RP.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I don't agree with anyone.. But I like the warm weather folks input. I'd grow both and see how well they endure for your winters.. Do they finish fruit or freeze, and after a side by side test pick what suits you.. I will continue to grow both.. :v)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Well, I've looked at the Sweetheart... lovely large Pstems.... is taller than I'm looking for. I have space and lay in bed thinking about all these types I want to put in. BUT, the space I'm looking to fill that has border and bubble ready is smaller and I'm looking for a short yummy dessert banana to fill it.

Again, have a Raja Puri and Dw. Namwah...
So, a yummy short dessert banana... more cold tolerant would be a bonus
I am looking at Dw. Bazilian and saw these below on the Going Bananas site.
How would you rate the below 3 with regards to:

• taste
• time to fruit
• time to ripen
• cold tolerance

Thanks for any help!


DOUBLE (Double "Mahoi")- This beautiful Cavendish type has very wide, dark green leaves and produces a full sized fruit. Also called the Mahoi, the second generation produces multiple bunches of fruit, usually 2 but sometimes more. Height 5-6 ft.

GRAND NAIN - The commercial variety that you can buy in the grocery store. The purchased ones are good but when you grow it yourself and see how delicious this banana can taste you wonder what took you so long to try. These full sized fruit ripen rapidly, so be ready. They can give 40-60 pounds of fruit with ease. Height 6-8 ft.

VEINTE COHOL - A dessert variety originating in the Philippine area and having green pseudostem with some brown patches. The small plump fruit (3-4") are soft and sweet. Height about 8-10 ft. Current research shows it to be rapid to fruit, a real plus in the short summers. This is what you have been asking for, one that fruits fast before the warmth is gone for those short growing seasons!

And would a Dw. Brazilian beat them out on taste, height & cold tolerance?

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Double Mahoi and Gran Nain are in the Cavendish family with all AA genomes.
Having said that, I would not try to grow those without planning on good winter protection, even in my (almost) frost free zone.
Veinte Cohol: have not tried to grow it myself, but other well more experienced growers here in San Diego and on bananas.org have reported very small bunches (pitangadiego grew one from TC to fruiting stage in 2 years with only 3 bananas harvest).

My 2 cents on these varieties: no - no - no
Just follow your first instincts and get a plant in the Mysore subgroup like the Pisang Ceylon and see how it does in your area. Would be more disappointing to me to loose a plant to cold, have a small harvest or a fruit that just does not taste great. Go and get a plant in the ground and do not over-think this.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Where are you getting the idea that Raja Puri and Dw. Brazilian (Prata) are yummy?

There's only a few members left on the org that still believe that. :ha:

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Bananas breaking barriers in Georgia




When most people think of bananas hanging from a branch, they picture tropical places. A University of Georgia researcher wants them to start associating Georgia with the popular fruit, and he’s found a new variety to help do that.

Americans love bananas. They eat 33 pounds per person every year, consuming 31 percent of the world’s bananas. Some 99 percent of all bananas eaten in the U.S. come from another country, said Greg Fonsah, an economist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and head of the UGA banana project.

Bananas could be much like strawberries or blueberries, which have both turned into multi-million dollar crops in just the past few decades in Georgia.

“It will be our new commodity, and at least part of that $1.5 billion spent to import bananas to the United States would be going back to boost our economy,” said Fonsah, who worked with multinational companies such as Del Monte Fresh Produce and Aloha Farms Inc. in Hawaii with bananas before coming to Georgia.

Fonsah and his colleagues have investigated 35 banana varieties in Georgia since 2003. One variety called Veinte Cohl – discovered in Florida -- looks promising, he said.

Viente Cohol

Veinte Cohol is a short-cycle banana that grows well in Georgia and the Southeast. Its pups, or small shoots from the tree, can be planted in April. Its fruit is ready to harvest in October before plant-killing frost hits the southern part of the state. Like all bananas, it doesn’t tolerate cold temperatures.

Fonsah said Veinte Cohol can grow anywhere in the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 8A as an ornamental landscape or nursery plant in addition to fruit production.

Typically, bananas need to mature on the tree for three months before harvest. Veinte Cohol’s bananas need just four to six weeks before they are ready to be plucked.

There are hundreds of varieties of bananas, but Americans typically prefer the Cavendish variety. When compared to Cavendish, Veinte Cohol bananas are smaller and a little tangier with a slight citrus taste.

Veinte Cohol bananas appeal to an ethnic market and sell for as much as $1.99 per pound. Americans typically pay between 45 cents and 65 cents per pound for Cavendish, Fonsah said.

“If we are satisfied to import all of our bananas, the money will go overseas. We may not be able to produce enough to compete oversees, but we can cut into that profit and keep part of our money over here,” Fonsah said. “We can also invest in other parts of our economy by purchasing fertilizer, equipment for farming and creating jobs.”

American Bananas

Most bananas are imported from Central America. American bananas — worth $13 million annually — are currently grown on 1,500 acres in Hawaii and 500 acres in Florida. The types produced in Florida are ethnic varieties, unlike the ones typically found in grocery stores.

“(Veinte Cohol) is perfect for small growers,” Fonsah said. “It is great to grow for fun, part-time, for agritourism and for additional supplemental income. Kids just freak out when they see these bananas growing.”

UGA Banana Team

The UGA banana collaborative team includes UGA plant pathologist Pingsheng Ji, entomologist Will Hudson, agricultural engineers Paul Sumner and Gary Hawkins, Patricia Timper with USDA, and Fulbright scholar Daouda Kone from Cote D’Ivoire, West Africa.

In addition to growing bananas as a food crop, the team’s engineers are looking at the potential of using bananas or its byproducts for alternative fuels.

The team first started the project at the UGA Bamboo Farm and Coastal Garden in Savannah, Ga. In 2009, they began studying them on the UGA campus in Tifton, Ga., too.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Mr. PR.

Questions:

Do you like the store bought Cavendish?

Am I reading correct that you recommend the Dw. Brazilian because the AB factor (and taste)?

Thanks for your input,
Lawler

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I've yet to try a Veinte Cohol, but am growing it now. Double and Grand Nain taste similar, with Double or regular dwarf cavendish a bit better to my tastes. I've tasted a few dozen types at this point. DB, Gros Michel, and Mysore are my top 3 favorites. Raja Puri I don't care for (and I'm in the minority thinking it's not that similar to DB--something about the texture makes it unappealing). DB would beat those cavendish types in taste and cold tolerance, is similar to GN in height, and is taller than Double.

I think Mysore is more interesting tasting than DB, but mostly because DB is my default banana that I eat most days. I love DBs in Hawaii. Oddly, the ones I had all over Brazil were nowhere near as good. In my very limited experience selling at my farmers market, DBs sell very well and most people pass on cavendish types when I have them. Statewide though, most of our food, including bananas are imported. So that means cavendish types sell far more overall.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Okay, well I have been reading and reading.... and trying to decide between a DW. BRAZILIAN and, now, VEINTE COHOL..... I swear, there is info. on both ALL OVER THE BOARD as to taste and whether VEINTE COHOL is cold hardy or not.

It seems I have read more comments that VC taste better than DB. Okay, but DB still taste good, right?.... I mean, I DO like store bought Cavendish-- so there you go- THAT'S how discerning my taste buds are to give a frame of reference.

Regarding cold hardiness, the forum discussion has been inconsistent at best -all depends on writer. As far as I'm concerned with 'cold hardiness', I'm not talking having a potted beautiful plant to take outdoors when it starts to warm up in spring.
Any banana we have will be outside in the ground [zone 8b/9] and as long as it survives winter with minimal care (maybe a heat tape and some frost cloth), I don't care what it looks like just as long as it lives.

SO.... VEINTE COHOL ... what are y'all getting as a typical flowering height?
and just HOW cold surviving is it?

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

I don't think VC would do much but loose it's stem in low 30's.. Leaves turn yellow w/ low 40's.. But like the bananas it produces.. :v)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

So, when you say "lose it's stem in low 30's", do you mean it (the corm underground) would survive?

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

http://www.bananas.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=80892

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Yes, this is just one of the posts I read (I read MANY) .... and there seemed to be no consensus as to taste. It appeared to be based on complete personal opinion.
I did note, however, some of the more ....?... persnickety ... or shall I say, discerning :) connoisseurs of a banana's flavor seemed to like it above the Dw. Brazilian.
Soooo, ???? I am left with wondering about how well it could survive to what temps.

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Growing Magazine - Going Bananas in Georgia - November, 2011 - SOUTH FEATURES


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Features
The Evolution of Olive Harvesting
Growers Cut Back on Fall Plantings
Winter Conference
Seed Sources, Nursery Stock & Saplings
Great Lakes Expo - Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market
North Features
It's Not Just "Local" Anymore
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Going Bananas in Georgia
Better Results with Less Work
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New Methods Address an Age-Old Problem in Almonds
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Comparing Apples to Apples
New Gear & Goods
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Growing Magazine - November, 2011
SOUTH FEATURES
Going Bananas in Georgia
Little-known variety produces between freezes

Banana enthusiast and researcher Richard Wallace successfully cultivates fast-producing banana plants in the nontropical climate of Southeast Georgia.

Using the Viente Cohol variety, which originated in the Philippines, he is able to plant an 18-inch banana plant after the last freeze of spring, and it flowers and produces mature fruit before the first freeze of winter.

Ag economist Esendugue Greg Fonsah of the UGA inspects an African Red ornamental banana plant-a classic example of an ornamental that can grow successfully in the Southeast. Research on cold-hardy banana plants is defining new potential markets for the region.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ESENDUGUE GREG FONSAH UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

"It has something to offer from a genetic standpoint that's not widely distributed," says Wallace, a classically trained professor of organic chemistry at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga., where he has conducted banana research since 2002. "The Viente Cohol has a lot of potential because of its cycle time."

With the plant's produce cycle proven, Wallace is now working to find ways to make the Viente Cohol more cold-hardy and broaden what is already considered a potential new market for locally grown banana trees and fruit.

"I think there will come a time when there's a limited commercial potential for this," says Wallace. "Whether or not [Viente Cohol] is the ultimate answer is still out there. Initially, the goal was to see if we could find a banana with cold tolerance that would produce quickly. That's how Viente Cohol was identified."

Greg Fonsah and entomologist Will Hudson, both of the UGA, work at the university's banana farm in Tifton, Ga., where research for the Viente Cohol and other banana cultivars is getting lots of interest from area growers.
A banana obsession

Wallace's love of the banana in all of its glory - ornamental and edible - has been cultivated for many years.

"Bananas have always had a special place in my heart because they are so beautiful. Along the way I discovered there was a lot of unexplored research, and the university allowed me to work on that."

He started out as a backyard breeder, with about 100 banana and citrus plants at home. At the university, where Wallace uses bananas as a teaching tool, he has grown several hundred banana plants during the course of his research.

"This is a beautiful example of organic chemistry and plant biotechnology working together," Wallace says.

The Viente Cohol's unique characteristics emerged in 2005 after Wallace studied more than 50 cultivars in search of an edible banana outside of a tropical environment. He kept modestly sized plants in a protected environment over the winter and then transplanted them in mid-April after the danger of spring frost had passed. Plants as small as 18 inches tall reliably produced mature fruit by mid-October, with an average bunch weight of about 17 pounds and about 160 fingers per bunch.

The Viente Cohol fruit is about 4 inches long and 1 inch in diameter and is smaller than the Cavendish variety most commonly seen year-round in grocery stores. Those who've tasted the banana say it has hints of citrus.

Richard Wallace of Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga., has proven the Viente Cohol banana can produce bananas in Southeast Georgia's nontropical climate.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHERINE ARNTZEN.

"This could be a specialty crop, creating jobs, saving fuel and keeping specialties local," he says. "There are so many exciting things to consider."

While interest is growing in the Viente Cohol as it is now, Wallace is developing new hybrids with distantly related but compatible bananas to find even better candidates that would expand the geographic area for banana production in the U.S. and worldwide.
Ready to go

Esendugue Greg Fonsah spends a good bit of time convincing southeastern farmers to be patient. News reports - in publications and on television - about the Viente Cohol's potential in Zone 8 have generated lots of interest in a new locally grown crop.

"Growers know about this product, and they are very excited to start," says Fonsah, an ag economist with the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and head of the UGA's banana project.

Growers in Georgia and throughout the Southeast have the opportunity to plan ahead for banana crops, including the short-cycle Viente Cohol, which can flower and produce fruit between spring and winter freezes if cultivated properly. Greg Fonsah of the UGA speaks to a group of growers about the potential.

However, he points out that there are a few hurdles relating to logistics and research that need to be cleared before farmers dive in. For example, Viente Cohol seeds and plants are not yet widely available for purchase. Even if they were, there is critical research required to meet EPA regulations for chemical use with banana crops in the U.S.

Fonsah's banana team, which includes a pathologist, an entomologist, and agricultural and bio-engineers, writes feverishly for grants to fund ongoing research that identifies solutions for potential threats from disease and pests. The group's research has already verified viable threats, such as root rot.

"Once we get one grant we'll be able to expedite this; right now money is hard to come by," says Fonsah. "Otherwise, [Viente Cohol] is ready to go."


Bananas multiply, creating instant income potential with seeds and plants. Greg Fonsah extracts banana seeds from a banana tree at the University of Georgia's banana farm in Tifton, Ga.
The research network recently expanded to include scientists at Auburn University in Alabama and Florida A&M University, where Fonsah helped to set up growing facilities.

Fonsah's life has centered around bananas since 1988. He has worked with Del Monte Fresh Produce, Lapanday Food Co. in the Philippines and Aloha Farms, Inc. in Hawaii, where he initiated their banana export market to Japan, Dubai and Hong Kong. He also served as a banana and marketing consultant in many countries. Fonsah is widely published on the subject of bananas. He published a book, "Economics of Banana Production and Marketing in the Tropics: A Case Study of Cameroon," in 1995 and has contributed to other books and published scientific and academic articles almost four dozen times.

Economically speaking, Fonsah easily frames the banana market as a whole: about 99 percent of the $1.5 billion banana market in the U.S. is imported, with only 2,000 acres grown in Hawaii and Florida. Americans consume a third of the world's production, averaging 33 pounds per person each year.

As a niche market, which is what the Viente Cohol would be, Fonsah says bananas will be a powerful investment and a lucrative business. The plants multiply, creating seeds and plants that can be replanted and sold. In addition to producing fruit, the flowers and leaves are also profitable crops.

In addition to the research on the Viente Cohol, the UGA's banana project has identified two other cultivars that may have better potential for bunch sizes. The group is also focused on the potential for cold-hardy banana plants in the landscaping and ornamental industries, and as an alternative energy source.

"This will boost the economy," says Fonsah, who adds that as growers need seed, plants, fertilizer, and chemicals, "this will create employment too."
Banana Bites

Imported: According to the United Fresh Produce Association, the bananas available in the U.S. year-round are primarily imported from Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras.

Prices up: Banana prices are up in 2011 because of limited supplies after storms and floods destroyed crops in major Latin American growing regions. Supplies reached normal amounts over the summer and were expected to remain in line with demand through the end of the year barring any additional weather problems.

Concern: The Cavendish banana, the variety found in grocery stores every day, is being threatened by a strain of fungal wilt in Asia and Australia. Industry players are concerned about its potential spread to Latin America.
Finding a Viente Cohol

Whether growers are interested in the Viente Cohol plant for personal, landscaping or commercial uses, they all share one challenge: they need something to grow.

"The bottleneck right now is plant availability," says Gerard Krewer, a blueberry farmer and consultant who was a fruit specialist at the University of Georgia for 28 years. He worked with Wallace on Viente Cohol research extensively. "Until we get some plants available, there's not much that can be done."

Many tropical plant nurseries are relying on tissue cultures to provide plants to buyers, and they are not becoming widely available quickly enough.

Don and Katie Chafin, owners of Katie's Going Bananas farm in Homestead, Fla., say they receive steady interest in Viente Cohol plants from individuals who want them for landscaping and other ventures. Going Bananas is a banana plant nursery and mail order company with between 80 or 90 cultivars at any given time. This is where Wallace encountered his first Viente Cohol.

"The lab has had a problem with tissue culturing the plant," says Don. "In general, all of our field-grown Viente Cohol bananas are doing fine. We're just not able to grow sufficient quantities fast enough to meet the demand. We have many customers who have been waiting some time to get a chance to grow these. At the present time, our projection is in the spring of 2012, depending on winter conditions in Florida and the tissue cultures now being developed."

Among those biological technology companies that provide tissue cultures, Agri-Starts, Inc. of Apopka, Fla., is developing Viente Cohol plants.

"We are planning on having it for sale to growers in the spring in small numbers and build from there," says Ty Strode of Agri-Starts.
Commercial applications

For growers with smaller operations or pick-your-own businesses, the Viente could work nicely as a dancing chicken.

"As I see it, and I'm a farmer, I could use it as a loss leader, as a way to entice people in," says Krewer. "For example, if you are selling pumpkins in the fall, you might offer the bananas and banana ice cream. That would be a big hit. This is a possibility for South Georgia and coastal South Carolina."

In this model, Krewer suggests that the bananas might be sold for $1 a pound, compared to the 59 cents that the Cavendish averages.

Growers considering commercial-scale production need to have a greenhouse for Viente Cohol until a more cold-hardy version is available. Krewer says Viente Cohol responds to lots of fertilizer and irrigation.

The plants a grower puts out should be at least 18 inches tall, and will produce between 15 and 20 pounds. Be prepared - when this fruit ripens it happens all at once.

"My impression is if you put them out and don't take care of them, you won't get anything," he says. "It's not a cheap crop."

Jennifer Paire is a freelance writer based in Canton, Ga.














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Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

Great information! Thanks for posting. At the end of the video, a # was presented. Well, I called and talked to Dr. Fonsah from the video- great call, comprehensive info. and was welcoming with it too saying if I had more questions, to call again.

The short cycling nature is a definite draw for me (although a Dw. Brazilian is still enticing for the size aspect).
From what I can ascertain, the Veinte Cohol seems to be worth the moderate yield.
Dr. Fonsah did say that they are not cold tolerant --but that's in Georgia...so where I am is a ?? (zone 8b/9).

Sooo, does anyone have/know of a Veinte Cohol procurer with pups? I love to work something out. :-)

Re: Dw.Namwah vs. Raja Puri Vs. Mysore/Pisang Ceylon
 

My VC survived winter in Southern California without any issues. Some of the leaves turned brown, but it sprang right back in spring. We had some nights in the mid 30's. I don't think we had anything in the low 30's and no frost in my area.