Maya Hawaiian Plantain

harveyc · 07-24-2008, 02:22 AM

Is anyone familiar with this plantain? What's the cultivar name?

A fruit grower from Hawaii was discussing on another forum that plantains are fine as a dessert banana but that you need to let them get very ripe. This initially came up in the discussion of Ae Ae fruits.

Another friend, also from California like myself, found some "Maya Hawaiian Plantains" in a market here in NorCal. He has traveled around the world extensively and has eaten many different fruits and is quite selective. But he later reported that after allowing these plantains to ripen, he considered them to be the best tasting banana he has ever had.

Today I had a surprise package in the mail, a box which contained two of these plantains. I don't have time for photos now (will work around the clock tonight as it is), but I'm very curious about these things. They are between 3 and 3.5 inches thick and 6 to 8 inches long. They are big!

I did some searching and see that Maya is part of the Ladex corporation of Miami and this company mostly deals in shrimp and fish. I can't find out much about these.

Thanks in advance,

Harvey

chong · 07-24-2008, 02:35 AM

The only bananas that I know that are that thick are the Hua Moa and the Popoulu, which according to some are the same fruit anyway. Do the fruits that you have, have roundish ends, i.e., as opposed to a bottleneck?

chong · 07-24-2008, 02:40 AM

Also, does the pulp of the fruit you received have orange-pink pulp? If so, then it is the Hua Moa/Popoulu.

harveyc · 07-24-2008, 02:51 AM

Okay, I took a photo. Let's say you would have a tough time poking your eye out with it!

The fruit is not ripe yet, I don't know what the color the flesh will be.

chong · 07-24-2008, 03:04 AM

Popoulu/Hua Moa! Without question.

Gabe15 · 07-24-2008, 03:07 AM

Maya is a misspelling of the Hawaiian word for banana, mai'a (pronounced as my-ah, with a break in between). That fruit you have is a Hua Moa, or another similar member of the Popo'ulu subgroup of Pacific traditional banana varieties (there are various kinds and they go by different names throughout the Pacific). They are generally regarded as cooking bananas (though as mentioned, can be eaten raw when ripe enough) and should not be confused with true plantains, which are very different.

harveyc · 07-24-2008, 04:16 AM

Cool, especially since I have a Hua Moa coming from Sandy any day now.

I had seen photos of them before but didn't even connect them as I hadn't thought they were this big. Grab a couple of these and you're prepared for a short journey!

Also, my wife likes peanut butter and banana sandwiches and a length-wise slice of one of these should be just the ticket if I let it ripen enough.

Thanks Chong and Gabe!

Bananaman88 · 07-24-2008, 07:28 AM

Nice! I just got a Hua Moa from Sandy a few weeks ago and it is growing nicely. I'm hoping for fruit next year!

harveyc · 07-24-2008, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15

Maya is a misspelling of the Hawaiian word for banana, mai'a (pronounced as my-ah, with a break in between). That fruit you have is a Hua Moa, or another similar member of the Popo'ulu subgroup of Pacific traditional banana varieties (there are various kinds and they go by different names throughout the Pacific). They are generally regarded as cooking bananas (though as mentioned, can be eaten raw when ripe enough) and should not be confused with true plantains, which are very different.

Gabe, I don't think Maya in this context probably has anything to do with the Hawaiian name for bananas. The distributor is the Miami-based Ladex Corp. (see LADEX. Distributors of Maya Products.) and they put the Maya name on various products of shrimp and other types of fish. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but a very interesting one at that!

Gabe15 · 07-24-2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyc

Gabe, I don't think Maya in this context probably has anything to do with the Hawaiian name for bananas. The distributor is the Miami-based Ladex Corp. (see LADEX. Distributors of Maya Products.) and they put the Maya name on various products of shrimp and other types of fish. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but a very interesting one at that!

Oh...well, cool coincidence then!

Gabe15 · 07-24-2008, 01:05 PM

'Hua Moa' at the Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead, FL.

harveyc · 07-24-2008, 02:43 PM

Yeah, I saw that in the wiki and wondered where that was from. I hope mine arrives safely and grows up and fruits here in zone 9. The wiki says it is damaged at 40F but then also says it is rated hardy to zone 8-9. Thanks to Sandy, I think several of us will be testing it out.

Is Hua Moa grown commercially in Florida? I don't know if my bananas came from Florida or someplace else.

Luis Echeverria · 09-04-2008, 01:57 PM

Guys,
Hi, how are you?! I am starting a project where I need hua moa variety. We are growers of cavendish bananas in Ecuador but would be looking forward to start growing hua moa. Does anybody know where can I get corms for this variety?
Thank you in advance.
Best Regards,
Luis

MediaHound · 09-04-2008, 08:03 PM

I cut my Hua Moa bunch down recently and someone stole it from my front porch when I was out of town for a couple days!

chong · 09-04-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MediaHound

I cut my Hua Moa bunch down recently and someone stole it from my front porch when I was out of town for a couple days!

I hate it when someone steals from my yard. I'd be fuming if it were bananas from my plants. Sorry to hear that Jarred.

island cassie · 09-04-2008, 08:15 PM

That is outrageous Jarred! What next - chain them down? So sorry!
Cassie

NANAMAN · 09-04-2008, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MediaHound

I cut my Hua Moa bunch down recently and someone stole it from my front porch when I was out of town for a couple days!

They took it from your front porch? Makes you wish that you showed up with your fully charged and loaded paint ball gun about that time doesn't it?

Magilla Gorilla · 09-05-2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MediaHound

I cut my Hua Moa bunch down recently and someone stole it from my front porch when I was out of town for a couple days!

Though I live in Santa Barbara, CA my New York heritage would come out if someone stole my plants! I'm sorry to hear someone is that shallow.

Andrew

magicgreen · 09-05-2008, 12:14 AM

Thats a d*mn shame!!!
No matter where you live, seems like there's always a scandalous,rotten idiot!!!

07-24-2008, 02:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,195 BananaBucks : 2,693 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 609 Thanked 320 Times in 194 Posts Welcomes: 40	Maya Hawaiian Plantain (Hua Moa) Is anyone familiar with this plantain? What's the cultivar name? A fruit grower from Hawaii was discussing on another forum that plantains are fine as a dessert banana but that you need to let them get very ripe. This initially came up in the discussion of Ae Ae fruits. Another friend, also from California like myself, found some "Maya Hawaiian Plantains" in a market here in NorCal. He has traveled around the world extensively and has eaten many different fruits and is quite selective. But he later reported that after allowing these plantains to ripen, he considered them to be the best tasting banana he has ever had. Today I had a surprise package in the mail, a box which contained two of these plantains. I don't have time for photos now (will work around the clock tonight as it is), but I'm very curious about these things. They are between 3 and 3.5 inches thick and 6 to 8 inches long. They are big! I did some searching and see that Maya is part of the Ladex corporation of Miami and this company mostly deals in shrimp and fish. I can't find out much about these. Thanks in advance, Harvey __________________ Last edited by harveyc : 07-24-2008 at 02:41 PM.

07-24-2008, 02:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 930 BananaBucks : 6,703 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 170 Thanked 375 Times in 222 Posts Welcomes: 232	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain The only bananas that I know that are that thick are the Hua Moa and the Popoulu, which according to some are the same fruit anyway. Do the fruits that you have, have roundish ends, i.e., as opposed to a bottleneck? Last edited by chong : 07-24-2008 at 02:41 AM. Reason: Finished a sentence.

07-24-2008, 02:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 930 BananaBucks : 6,703 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 170 Thanked 375 Times in 222 Posts Welcomes: 232	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Also, does the pulp of the fruit you received have orange-pink pulp? If so, then it is the Hua Moa/Popoulu.

07-24-2008, 02:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,195 BananaBucks : 2,693 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 609 Thanked 320 Times in 194 Posts Welcomes: 40	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Okay, I took a photo. Let's say you would have a tough time poking your eye out with it! The fruit is not ripe yet, I don't know what the color the flesh will be. __________________

07-24-2008, 03:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 930 BananaBucks : 6,703 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 170 Thanked 375 Times in 222 Posts Welcomes: 232	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Popoulu/Hua Moa! Without question.

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07-24-2008, 03:07 AM	#6 (permalink)
Gabe15 MC Banana Commander Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Honolulu, HI Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,544 BananaBucks : 17,276 Feedback: 5 / 100% Thanks: 1 Thanked 795 Times in 332 Posts Welcomes: 1	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Maya is a misspelling of the Hawaiian word for banana, mai'a (pronounced as my-ah, with a break in between). That fruit you have is a Hua Moa, or another similar member of the Popo'ulu subgroup of Pacific traditional banana varieties (there are various kinds and they go by different names throughout the Pacific). They are generally regarded as cooking bananas (though as mentioned, can be eaten raw when ripe enough) and should not be confused with true plantains, which are very different. __________________ The only hemp Im growing is Manila.

07-24-2008, 04:16 AM	#7 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,195 BananaBucks : 2,693 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 609 Thanked 320 Times in 194 Posts Welcomes: 40	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Cool, especially since I have a Hua Moa coming from Sandy any day now. I had seen photos of them before but didn't even connect them as I hadn't thought they were this big. Grab a couple of these and you're prepared for a short journey! Also, my wife likes peanut butter and banana sandwiches and a length-wise slice of one of these should be just the ticket if I let it ripen enough. Thanks Chong and Gabe! __________________

07-24-2008, 07:28 AM	#8 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Pearland, TX Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,104 BananaBucks : 8,833 Feedback: 15 / 100% Thanks: 113 Thanked 311 Times in 214 Posts Welcomes: 8	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Nice! I just got a Hua Moa from Sandy a few weeks ago and it is growing nicely. I'm hoping for fruit next year!

07-24-2008, 01:05 PM	#11 (permalink)
Gabe15 MC Banana Commander Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Honolulu, HI Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,544 BananaBucks : 17,276 Feedback: 5 / 100% Thanks: 1 Thanked 795 Times in 332 Posts Welcomes: 1	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain 'Hua Moa' at the Fruit and Spice Park, Homestead, FL. __________________ The only hemp Im growing is Manila.

07-24-2008, 02:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1,195 BananaBucks : 2,693 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 609 Thanked 320 Times in 194 Posts Welcomes: 40	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Yeah, I saw that in the wiki and wondered where that was from. I hope mine arrives safely and grows up and fruits here in zone 9. The wiki says it is damaged at 40F but then also says it is rated hardy to zone 8-9. Thanks to Sandy, I think several of us will be testing it out. Is Hua Moa grown commercially in Florida? I don't know if my bananas came from Florida or someplace else. __________________

09-04-2008, 01:57 PM	#13 (permalink)
Luis Echeverria Location: Miami, FL Zone: 10 - 11 Name: Lalo Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 85 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Guys, Hi, how are you?! I am starting a project where I need hua moa variety. We are growers of cavendish bananas in Ecuador but would be looking forward to start growing hua moa. Does anybody know where can I get corms for this variety? Thank you in advance. Best Regards, Luis

09-04-2008, 08:03 PM	#14 (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: 4,062 BananaBucks : 57,358 Feedback: 58 / 100% Thanks: 975 Thanked 1,140 Times in 402 Posts Welcomes: 251	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain I cut my Hua Moa bunch down recently and someone stole it from my front porch when I was out of town for a couple days!

09-04-2008, 08:15 PM	#16 (permalink)
island cassie island cassie's Photo Gallery Location: Dominican Republic Find me on the map! Zone: 11+ I guess Name: Island Cassie Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,666 BananaBucks : 2,198 Feedback: 2 / 100% Thanks: 510 Thanked 333 Times in 200 Posts Welcomes: 168	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain That is outrageous Jarred! What next - chain them down? So sorry! Cassie

09-05-2008, 12:14 AM	#19 (permalink)
magicgreen magicgreen's Photo Gallery Location: cincinnati OH. Z6 Find me on the map! Zone: Z6 Name: Lynn Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 828 BananaBucks : 3,092 Feedback: 8 / 100% Thanks: 379 Thanked 146 Times in 123 Posts Welcomes: 122	Re: Maya Hawaiian Plantain Thats a d*mn shame!!! No matter where you live, seems like there's always a scandalous,rotten idiot!!! __________________ (Started growing bananas July 2007) (Zone 6)

09-05-2008, 12:22 AM	#20 (permalink)
Chironex Dayyyyyyyy-O Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Las Vegas, NV Find me on the map! Zone: 9