Most Common Banana In North America...
 

...seems to be Orinoco. At least in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast. It's obvious why. That's been my observation anyway.

What I'm curious about is, aside from Ornatas, Dwarf Cav, Bordelon and Zebrina, all of which grow profusely and are also very very common, is there another kind that would do just as well as Orinoco?

I have others but they aren't nearly as productive or aggressive or whatever language you'd like to say in terms of 'they grow a lot and reproduce like mad'. Saba are doing well but no matter what they do not seem to reproduce even half as much or fast as any of the others I mentioned.

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

For me Goldfinger has grown faster and flowered sooner than Orinoco

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

Ice cream grew about twice as fast as my orinoco in the 1st year. Orinocos seem to transplant more easily in my experience, which may explain their dominance.

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

I would venture that 'Orinoco' is probably the most common as well and I second that 'Ice Cream' would probably do just as well. I know mine has but it also probably depends upon what region of the country one is in. 'Ice Cream' has proved to be very cold hardy and vigorous for me.

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

I have both Ice Cream and Goldfinger. Goldfinger has second generation pup with fruit. The Ice Cream has second generation pups that may fruit this winter.The Ice Cream was planted about two months ahead of the goldfinger

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

Given its hardiness, fast growing and suckers easily, I'd say Basjoo, at least above the deep South. Many Northerners don't have any other true choice.

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

Southern ca. is full of Orinoco's

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

Im surprised no one has mentioned cavendish yet. They are in lots of nursuries here that sell them and are easy to find (and thats in a zone 7). Cavendish (and relatives), the blood banana, and eneste are the most common here and even in the south I always see lots of cavendish

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

Orinoco in Florida, they are everywhere. People have given me so many pups (each time thinking they are unique) describing them all different ways.

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

I remember Orinocos in my neighborhood when I was a kid. Orinoco's and loquat were popular landscape plants here in the 50's

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

I thought about Dwarf Cavendish, as I do see a lot of them in nurseries; certainly doesn't rate up there as very hardy, though.

Howard, I'm sure you are correct as far as hardiness goes. I was purely thinking in terms of edible varieties.

Re: Most Common Banana In North America...
 

Based on my observations of the four places I have Orinoco and Dwarf Cavs growing that managed to get through this January with temperatures getting down to 18F, the DCs have come back insanely and one wouldn't know we had the horrible month we did.

The Orinocos are doing pretty good in some places. Some are already setting fruit. Ornatas are blooming too now.

From what I've learned, Basjoo would not grow where I am, which is very very very humid, hot and, well, humid. We get a heap of moisture off Lake Pontchartrain every day. It's - I dare say it - hotter here than in New Orleans.