Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana

Clare_CA · 09-01-2009, 01:10 PM

Has anyone heard of this banana? Any additional information about it would be greatly appreciated.

JuniPerez · 09-01-2009, 01:21 PM

The "sweetheart" is listed in Agri-start's website. I see it's a few years new, but I'm sure it'll be no time before there's plenty out on the market.

It's also on the Wiki here on bananas.org.

pitangadiego · 09-01-2009, 01:48 PM

We Be Bananas

It is a large, sweet banana. Huge pseudostem, tall plant, large bunches.

Clare_CA · 09-01-2009, 01:56 PM

Awesome. Thank you for the links and information. I am glad that I have this one. It was just recently transplanted from my friend's yard to mine. The link said that the temp should stay above 65, but it gets into the 40's here in the winter with an occasional high 30's for a few hours. Maybe I'll have to cover it this winter.

mike · 09-01-2009, 04:02 PM

I have had mine for three or four years. It gets below forty here and I dont have a problem with them coming back. My problem in timing. Mine are ready to fruit at the time the cold comes in every year. Looks as if this will be the problem this year also. This year I am not going to thin and hope for fruit next year. I was not aware they were rare. Mine do not pup much at all one maybe two a year but could just be me. Your stem looks tall and thin. I dont recall mine every looking that way. This could be growing conditions. Mine are pretty thick in the stem and grows pretty thick, different conditions could be the reason. Congrats on the new baby they are beautiful plants and produce pretty nice size bunches.

sunfish · 09-01-2009, 04:09 PM

Clare_CA in zone 10 you won't have any problem growing FHIA-3.

Gabe15 · 09-01-2009, 05:10 PM

This kind of information is not yet available for all the varieties in the international genebank, but for the released hybrids from breeding programs (such as FHIA), there is a new system on the Bioversity International site.

FHIA-03

Clare_CA · 09-01-2009, 09:46 PM

Thanks, Mike, Tony, and Gabe for your replies.

Richard · 09-01-2009, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clare_CA

Awesome. Thank you for the links and information. I am glad that I have this one. It was just recently transplanted from my friend's yard to mine. The link said that the temp should stay above 65, but it gets into the 40's here in the winter with an occasional high 30's for a few hours. Maybe I'll have to cover it this winter.

Sounds like my weather here in northwestern San Diego. My sweetheart continued to put out a few leaves a month last winter. Then it let me know its 15-gallon pot was too small ...

Clare_CA · 09-02-2009, 12:50 PM

Whoa! That's awesome, Richard! It broke right through the pot! Cool. I've had brugmansias do that.

Yeah, our climates are similar, I'm sure. I'm in Camarillo, CA, in Ventura County. I just moved to a new more open location just a mile away from where I used to live, but the microclimates are definitely different so it will be interesting to see how the bananas do here.

JuniPerez · 09-02-2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

Woah... new cultivar??? Musa Hulk?!?!? Ripped right through the pot!

Richard · 09-02-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clare_CA

Yeah, our climates are similar, I'm sure. I'm in Camarillo, CA, in Ventura County. I just moved to a new more open location just a mile away from where I used to live, but the microclimates are definitely different so it will be interesting to see how the bananas do here.

A very good friend of mine lives in Somis. He has no problems growing bananas, not to mention the two fruiting Lucma's (Pouteria lucuma) on his property.

Richard · 10-05-2011, 10:37 AM

Sweetheart ... or not Sweetheart ... that is the question !!!

The first generation of the famous "crackpot" plant discussed 2 years ago did not produce much fruit. However, a pup from the corm grew into a very dense, stout plant with an 11-inch diameter base, 6-inch vertical spacing between leaf petitoles, and a 6-foot high pstem that threw out a large bud of about 120 fingers.

So is it really Sweetheart ... I have some doubts. Here are some photos of leaf front/back, female flowers, and male flowers:

caliboy1994 · 10-06-2011, 12:17 PM

Sounds like a cultivar that I might want to take a look at. I plan on getting a bunch of other varieties next spring (i.e. the REAL Ice Cream, 1000 Fingers, maybe Dwarf Red). The good news is that after we're done working on my backyard there will be a lot more room to plant stuff. The fence around the pool was removed and I was amazed at how much bigger the yard looks now. How does this one taste compared to other varieties like Cavendish types and Ice Cream?

Richard · 10-06-2011, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caliboy1994

Sounds like a cultivar that I might want to take a look at. I plan on getting a bunch of other varieties next spring (i.e. the REAL Ice Cream, 1000 Fingers, maybe Dwarf Red). The good news is that after we're done working on my backyard there will be a lot more room to plant stuff. The fence around the pool was removed and I was amazed at how much bigger the yard looks now. How does this one taste compared to other varieties like Cavendish types and Ice Cream?

Sweetheart ... or not Sweetheart ... that is the question !!!

sunfish · 10-06-2011, 01:12 PM

What could it be ?

Richard · 11-28-2011, 03:55 PM

Ok, so here's the final count, from 1st hand to last hand with fruit:

29
22
20
20
18
16
19
15 + a few males
8 + males
1 + lots of males
--------------------
168 total.

Typical fruit size: 4 inches (10 cm) long and 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide.

Clare_CA · 11-28-2011, 04:10 PM

Mine hasn't fruited yet so I can't do a comparison to mine. Your leaves look a little wider than mine, and I don't think mine has the white on the back of the leaves that yours do.

venturabananas · 11-29-2011, 02:20 AM

Richard, according to the official FHIA key, FHIA 3 is the only FHIA banana with a pseudostem that is "bright light green, no blotches or very few". The red on the pseudostem of the one in your old photo seems to suggest it is not the real deal, but I've been amazed at how much red/pink some cultivars can get in the pseudostem and petioles under certain conditions.

See attached.

bananimal · 11-29-2011, 02:51 AM

Clare ----- be advised. A few years back I got some FHIA 3 fruit along with a pup from a friend. After tasting the fruit I gave the pup away and tossed the rest of the fruit hand. It was so sickly sweet that I just couldn't get it down.

Try to sample the fruit before investing in a pup. Oh yeah, my buddy told me he tossed his entire mat soon afterwards. He couldn't eat the fruit either. It made good compost.

Dan

09-01-2009, 01:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
Clare_CA Clare_CA's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 590 BananaBucks : 169,153 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,156 Times Was Thanked 844 Times in 277 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Has anyone heard of this banana? Any additional information about it would be greatly appreciated. Last edited by Clare_CA : 11-28-2011 at 04:15 PM.

09-01-2009, 01:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
JuniPerez Puerto Rican Gone Bananas JuniPerez's Photo Gallery Location: Rochester, NY Find me on the map! Zone: 6b Name: Juni Perez Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 313 BananaBucks : 95,655 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 153 Times Was Thanked 202 Times in 117 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 13 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana The "sweetheart" is listed in Agri-start's website. I see it's a few years new, but I'm sure it'll be no time before there's plenty out on the market. It's also on the Wiki here on bananas.org.

09-01-2009, 01:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,489 BananaBucks : 176,683 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,732 Times in 930 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana We Be Bananas It is a large, sweet banana. Huge pseudostem, tall plant, large bunches. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

09-01-2009, 01:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Clare_CA Clare_CA's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 590 BananaBucks : 169,153 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,156 Times Was Thanked 844 Times in 277 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Awesome. Thank you for the links and information. I am glad that I have this one. It was just recently transplanted from my friend's yard to mine. The link said that the temp should stay above 65, but it gets into the 40's here in the winter with an occasional high 30's for a few hours. Maybe I'll have to cover it this winter.

09-01-2009, 04:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
mike More bananas less stress mike's Photo Gallery Location: Savannah Georgia Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 9 Name: Mike Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 289 BananaBucks : 19,322 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 57 Times in 40 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana I have had mine for three or four years. It gets below forty here and I dont have a problem with them coming back. My problem in timing. Mine are ready to fruit at the time the cold comes in every year. Looks as if this will be the problem this year also. This year I am not going to thin and hope for fruit next year. I was not aware they were rare. Mine do not pup much at all one maybe two a year but could just be me. Your stem looks tall and thin. I dont recall mine every looking that way. This could be growing conditions. Mine are pretty thick in the stem and grows pretty thick, different conditions could be the reason. Congrats on the new baby they are beautiful plants and produce pretty nice size bunches.

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09-01-2009, 04:09 PM	#6 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 1,379,827 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,593 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Clare_CA in zone 10 you won't have any problem growing FHIA-3.

09-01-2009, 05:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,449,842 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,244 Times in 2,201 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana This kind of information is not yet available for all the varieties in the international genebank, but for the released hybrids from breeding programs (such as FHIA), there is a new system on the Bioversity International site. FHIA-03 __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

09-01-2009, 09:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
Clare_CA Clare_CA's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 590 BananaBucks : 169,153 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,156 Times Was Thanked 844 Times in 277 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Thanks, Mike, Tony, and Gabe for your replies. Last edited by Clare_CA : 10-01-2010 at 12:25 PM.

09-02-2009, 12:50 PM	#10 (permalink)
Clare_CA Clare_CA's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 590 BananaBucks : 169,153 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,156 Times Was Thanked 844 Times in 277 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Whoa! That's awesome, Richard! It broke right through the pot! Cool. I've had brugmansias do that. Yeah, our climates are similar, I'm sure. I'm in Camarillo, CA, in Ventura County. I just moved to a new more open location just a mile away from where I used to live, but the microclimates are definitely different so it will be interesting to see how the bananas do here.

10-05-2011, 10:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 833,452 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,537 Times in 4,719 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Sweetheart ... or not Sweetheart ... that is the question !!! The first generation of the famous "crackpot" plant discussed 2 years ago did not produce much fruit. However, a pup from the corm grew into a very dense, stout plant with an 11-inch diameter base, 6-inch vertical spacing between leaf petitoles, and a 6-foot high pstem that threw out a large bud of about 120 fingers. So is it really Sweetheart ... I have some doubts. Here are some photos of leaf front/back, female flowers, and male flowers: __________________ Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

10-06-2011, 12:17 PM	#14 (permalink)
caliboy1994 <div style="font-style: italic;"><div style="font-style: italic;"></div></div> caliboy1994's Photo Gallery Location: SFV, California Find me on the map! Zone: USDA zone 10a; Sunset zone 18/19 Name: Andreas Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 2,301 BananaBucks : 299,861 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,474 Times Was Thanked 2,196 Times in 1,148 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 236 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Sounds like a cultivar that I might want to take a look at. I plan on getting a bunch of other varieties next spring (i.e. the REAL Ice Cream, 1000 Fingers, maybe Dwarf Red). The good news is that after we're done working on my backyard there will be a lot more room to plant stuff. The fence around the pool was removed and I was amazed at how much bigger the yard looks now. How does this one taste compared to other varieties like Cavendish types and Ice Cream? __________________ "The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings." ~ Masanobu Fukuoka Find me on linktree here as Solarpunk Farmer: https://linktr.ee/solarpunkfarmer

10-06-2011, 01:12 PM	#16 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 1,379,827 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,593 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana What could it be ?

11-28-2011, 03:55 PM	#17 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 833,452 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,537 Times in 4,719 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Ok, so here's the final count, from 1st hand to last hand with fruit: 29 22 20 20 18 16 19 15 + a few males 8 + males 1 + lots of males -------------------- 168 total. Typical fruit size: 4 inches (10 cm) long and 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide. __________________ Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

11-28-2011, 04:10 PM	#18 (permalink)
Clare_CA Clare_CA's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 590 BananaBucks : 169,153 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,156 Times Was Thanked 844 Times in 277 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Mine hasn't fruited yet so I can't do a comparison to mine. Your leaves look a little wider than mine, and I don't think mine has the white on the back of the leaves that yours do.

11-29-2011, 02:51 AM	#20 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 672,227 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Sweetheart (FHIA -3) banana Clare ----- be advised. A few years back I got some FHIA 3 fruit along with a pup from a friend. After tasting the fruit I gave the pup away and tossed the rest of the fruit hand. It was so sickly sweet that I just couldn't get it down. Try to sample the fruit before investing in a pup. Oh yeah, my buddy told me he tossed his entire mat soon afterwards. He couldn't eat the fruit either. It made good compost. Dan

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