Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas

Simply Bananas · 08-03-2008, 01:39 PM

Edisto Beach is a barrier island about an hour south of Charleston. The wife and drove down today to drop off a few plants and grab a Saba pup from the family beach house.

I have been watching this matt for a few years now and finally had a camera.

As we were looking at over 8 blooms hidden amonst the stems, a fella drove up who owned the fresh seafood place next door. He said it was his mom's house and that she used to tend the bananas and cut them every year and wrap them. She was too old for all of than now and had not done that for the past 5-6 seasons.

She planted them nearly 30 years ago he said. He said they always had fruit. My guess is that they are orinocos. However the leaves on some of them were as large at those on a Saba, easily 8-9 feet long

Some had p-stems of fruit and had even fallen over.

I am not sure how they do so well without gallons of water and fertilizer. I guess just years of leaf litter have created a nutritious soil base. They are on the south eastern side of the house. Across the street is a golf course with water hazards. On the other side of the house is a Tidal creek and probably 5-15 miles of tidal salt marsh. The marsh and water hazards add warmth and the house is good protection.

It appears as if this a great microclimate for bananas!!!

jrozier · 08-03-2008, 02:53 PM

Nice pictures! You're so lucky to have a place at Edisto. That's the way a beach is supposed to be...so many other SC beaches have become tacky tourist traps. If you like historical houses, inland Edisto island has some amazing plantation houses that are open once or twice a year - some of the best I've seen. I love it in Edisto. (and the bananas seem to like it there too!)

MediaHound · 08-03-2008, 03:00 PM

Nice!

Simply Bananas · 08-03-2008, 03:32 PM

I have not been in those plantation houses in quite a few years but will have to keep a eye out for the next tour.

We have had the house there since 1969 when my parents mortgaged themselves to the teeth for a front beach fixer upper for 18k. I do feel very lucky.

The original house was washed away in Hurricane, but Capt Holmes promised his wife that another storm would never wash away their house again. He brought in a Filipino construction crew to build the house. A storm never got it.

Dean W. · 08-03-2008, 04:51 PM

What a nice mat for not being taken care of.

D_&_T · 08-03-2008, 06:29 PM

O to have a climate like that!

Simply Bananas · 08-03-2008, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean W.

What a nice mat for not being taken care of.

I may offer to clean it up for him and tie off the bunches one weekend if I have a chance.

natedogg1026 · 08-03-2008, 10:50 PM

Looking at the fruit I'd say those ARE Quadrano's.

Kenzie_POM · 08-04-2008, 01:00 AM

Very nice. I do hope you can get some of the plants. I was in Edisto Beach several years ago. Family reunion. I did not see any nanners. We were looking for shart teeth. Found some. I can picture sea oats and bananas there now. VERY beautiful place.

08-03-2008, 01:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
Simply Bananas Formerly known as porkpi Simply Bananas's Photo Gallery Location: James Island SC Find me on the map! Zone: 8b-9a Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 203 BananaBucks : 5,039 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 65 Thanked 145 Times in 51 Posts Welcomes: 28	Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas Edisto Beach is a barrier island about an hour south of Charleston. The wife and drove down today to drop off a few plants and grab a Saba pup from the family beach house. I have been watching this matt for a few years now and finally had a camera. As we were looking at over 8 blooms hidden amonst the stems, a fella drove up who owned the fresh seafood place next door. He said it was his mom's house and that she used to tend the bananas and cut them every year and wrap them. She was too old for all of than now and had not done that for the past 5-6 seasons. She planted them nearly 30 years ago he said. He said they always had fruit. My guess is that they are orinocos. However the leaves on some of them were as large at those on a Saba, easily 8-9 feet long Some had p-stems of fruit and had even fallen over. I am not sure how they do so well without gallons of water and fertilizer. I guess just years of leaf litter have created a nutritious soil base. They are on the south eastern side of the house. Across the street is a golf course with water hazards. On the other side of the house is a Tidal creek and probably 5-15 miles of tidal salt marsh. The marsh and water hazards add warmth and the house is good protection. It appears as if this a great microclimate for bananas!!! __________________ Afterall...doesn't everyone want a bigger Banana?

08-03-2008, 02:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
jrozier jrozier's Photo Gallery Location: Charleston, SC Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Joe Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 148 BananaBucks : 1,464 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 59 Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts Welcomes: 228	Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas Nice pictures! You're so lucky to have a place at Edisto. That's the way a beach is supposed to be...so many other SC beaches have become tacky tourist traps. If you like historical houses, inland Edisto island has some amazing plantation houses that are open once or twice a year - some of the best I've seen. I love it in Edisto. (and the bananas seem to like it there too!)

08-03-2008, 03:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
MediaHound Tally-man MediaHound's Photo Gallery Location: South Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10b Name: Jarred Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4,024 BananaBucks : 54,239 Feedback: 58 / 100% Thanks: 932 Thanked 1,099 Times in 383 Posts Welcomes: 247	Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas Nice!

08-03-2008, 03:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
Simply Bananas Formerly known as porkpi Simply Bananas's Photo Gallery Location: James Island SC Find me on the map! Zone: 8b-9a Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 203 BananaBucks : 5,039 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 65 Thanked 145 Times in 51 Posts Welcomes: 28	Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas I have not been in those plantation houses in quite a few years but will have to keep a eye out for the next tour. We have had the house there since 1969 when my parents mortgaged themselves to the teeth for a front beach fixer upper for 18k. I do feel very lucky. The original house was washed away in Hurricane, but Capt Holmes promised his wife that another storm would never wash away their house again. He brought in a Filipino construction crew to build the house. A storm never got it. __________________ Afterall...doesn't everyone want a bigger Banana?

08-03-2008, 04:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
Dean W. Dean W.'s Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Park, TX Zone: 8b Name: Dean Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,199 BananaBucks : 8,041 Feedback: 6 / 100% Thanks: 645 Thanked 222 Times in 209 Posts Welcomes: 199	Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas What a nice mat for not being taken care of. __________________ Dean

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08-03-2008, 06:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
D_&_T 2nd winter growing indoor D_&_T's Photo Gallery Location: Northern Indiana Find me on the map! Zone: 5-6 Name: Dan and Tara Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 705 BananaBucks : 2,964 Feedback: 2 / 100% Thanks: 495 Thanked 105 Times in 93 Posts Welcomes: 176	Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas O to have a climate like that! __________________ Dan & Tara in need of greenhouse

08-03-2008, 10:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
natedogg1026 Banana addict natedogg1026's Photo Gallery Location: Pittsburg, Kansas Find me on the map! Zone: 6b Name: Nate Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 616 BananaBucks : 8,346 Feedback: 2 / 100% Thanks: 134 Thanked 113 Times in 92 Posts Welcomes: 3	Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas Looking at the fruit I'd say those ARE Quadrano's. __________________ Banana's are a safe addiction. Right?Maybe I need classes.

08-04-2008, 01:00 AM	#9 (permalink)
Kenzie_POM Member Kenzie_POM's Photo Gallery Location: Mobile, Alabama Find me on the map! Zone: 8B-9 Name: Kenzie Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 234 BananaBucks : 1,766 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 35 Thanked 19 Times in 17 Posts Welcomes: 11	Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas Very nice. I do hope you can get some of the plants. I was in Edisto Beach several years ago. Family reunion. I did not see any nanners. We were looking for shart teeth. Found some. I can picture sea oats and bananas there now. VERY beautiful place. __________________ Cheers then~ Happy Growing Kenzie

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