Orinoco ripe 1 year later
 

Well, it took a whole year for this bunch to ripen. I hope this won't be standard time for bananas to ripen in my yard!

Here's the bunch after removing a hand or two (which were fully mature and ripened well up to at least month earlier than those left on the plant):
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They were excellent cooked ripe. Just browned in a bit of butter with a sprinkle of salt. Did the same thing for comparison with a couple of ripe plantains from the store (don't know what kind, sorry Keith and Nick). To me and my wife, Orinoco was better. Nice tart, almost apple flavor and nice light texture, as compared to less brightness (no acid) and more sticky, sweet potato-like texture of the plantains. But I wasn't raised on plantains, so sorry if what I just wrote was blasphemous.

Plantain on left, Orinoco on right:
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Before cooking:
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Raw, as a dessert banana, I'd still rather eat a regular old supermarket Cavendish than Orinoco. The flavor is good, but the squishy, fluffy texture when fully ripe isn't my favorite. But I'd rather eat them on my cereal than no bananas! :ha:

Re: Orinoco ripe 1 year later
 

Any difference between dwarf and regular Orinoco ripening time?

Re: Orinoco ripe 1 year later
 

Thanks for sharing!

Re: Orinoco ripe 1 year later
 

I don't know, but I don't think so. Mine was sold to me by a reputable nursery as Dwarf Orinoco, but it isn't. It's flowering again, at 11' of pstem.

I'm sure for most everyone else, these Bluggoe varieties would ripen faster, but we just don't get enough heat where I live for them to mature quickly. During the warmest part of the year, our average highs are in the low 70's and we have cool nights. Maximal banana growth occurs in the mid 80's.

Re: Orinoco ripe 1 year later
 

Yo Mark Again: Wow, both types look yummy! Have you ever thought of putting long johns on yer nanners to warm'em up to 80F.? Sorry I couldn't resist! :-) At least you can grow several varieties down there. We are in zone 7 on Portland, and with our short growing season, I'm gonna be trying several "Patio nanners" which means they come inside house in early fall. Sloppy rainy here for the last two weeks!

Stay Safe, Tom