Bananaman88

I was at the TNLA (Texas Nursery and Landscape Assoc.) Expo today to check out all the vendors. Several banana sightings but nothing of note really. I did come across one nationally known vendor (though now I've fogotten exactly which one-this is a huge show) with some small (about 14") banana plants that had them labeled as M. basjoo. The problem was that they had red blotches on the leaves and reddish stems; obvioulsy some sort of Cavendish. The guy started telling me how this was the cold hardy basjoo. I told him (nicely) that I didn't agree, that I'd never seen a basjoo with any red blotches on the leaves. I explained to him that I grow bananas as a hobby and had about 20 different types. He told me that they get their plants from Agristarts and I said that I was familiar with them. He then tried to tell me that maybe something happened to them in shipping that caused them to have those blotches. I told him that I thought they were mislabeled and actually a Cavendish. He really didn't seem overly concerned and I'm not one to stand around and argue just to make myself feel better so I wished him a good day and off I went. I just hope he didn't sell a bunch of them to any unsuspecting people. I don't think he was trying to rip anyone off. I just think that he happened not to really know much about bananas himself and was going with what he was told they were. Oh well, it's not like Houston has a lot of problems with needing a cold hardy banana anyhow!

john_ny

I was at the Pennsylvania/New Jersey show a couple of weeks ago and, though I saw more bananas than in previous years, I didn't check on the labeling.
Having dealt with Agri-Starts for many years, I don't think the mislabeling occured on their end.
Hoping to be at the Florida show, in Orlando, next month.

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John

microfarmer

I try very hard to not mislabel my plants, and I sure hope my sources (and yours) try as hard or harder than I do. That said, there is the fact that all the plants we purchase are labelled by a human, and therefore subject to mistakes.

I still think the plant I've been nurturing for a couple years as Double Mahoi (Double is s'posed to get 7'), is in fact a Super Dwarf Cavendish or other 18" tall cultivar and was mislabelled. Fortunately, I have not sold any pups of this plant, so the mistake will stop with me if it is in fact a SDC. I won't know until it fruits the second time (prolly another 2-3 years down the road from now) if it is a Double, but if it fruits at only 18" tall, then I will suspect SDC even more.

I am growing it in the same bed, and with the same care, and was planted the same time as my other plants that are getting over 5' now. The supposed Double is still only 18" tall with 3 pups...little tiny pups...

On the other hand, maybe I have a sport mutation of Double that will only get 18" tall. If so, then I'll have to come up with a catchy name for it. Maybe Super Dwarf Double, or Truly Tiny Mahoi, or Half-A-Double. Twice the bunches and 1/2 the size...whattaya think?

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My new hero...

Dean W.

I think it's really hard with some plants. Especially when they look so similiar to one another.

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Dean

Bananaman88

I agree that it was probably a simple mistake and they weren't trying to decieve anyone, but basjoo and the Cavendishes don't really look that much alike. Of course, if one doesn't know much about bananas they all do look very similar. I think it was just a simple mix up really.

raggedyredhead

I bought a Siam Ruby. Two weeks later I spotted another unlabeled banana plant. I couldn't believe the solid burgundy leaves . I grabbed it before someone else would pick it up. I asked the clerk what type it was,he said Siam Ruby. He was certain because he did the ordering. Coloring came from a lot of sun. My first one is burgundy and green splash. Maybe this is another variety or clerk was right. Any opinions?
Raggedy
Gone bananas in NJ