Sailfish

After reading many old and new threads the variegated plant comes up often.

As a rookie banana grower, i'm wondering what the attraction is about the plant(s).

Is it because they are rare? Hard to grow? Nice to look at? Better tasting fruit?

Just wondering.

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Bananaman88

Sailfish,

Have you seen any of these variegated bananas? If you have, then you'd understand what us normally otherwise sane people are always raving about! I can only speak for myself, but there is just something a little extra special about a variegated plant. Of course, some variegates are common, such as say, variegated pothos or variegated benjamin fig. So common, in fact, that no one even thinks twice when they see them. However, variegated bananas are relatively rare and hard to come by. Yes, they are nice to look at; whether they are nicer to look at or not, is a matter of opinion as well. For me the contrast of the creamy-white and the green of Musa 'Ae-Ae' is hard to beat! I just haven't been willing to pony up the $$$ to purchase another one yet. I say another one because I accidetally broke the one I had and killed it . Cried myself to sleep that night!

Sailfish

No never saw one (other than pics) thats why I posted my querie.
I wasn't sure what part was that 'something special' about variegated.

Just 2 weeks ago was the first time I saw a grower who had a decent amount of banana plants at one location (it was a botanical fair) , but didn't see a variegated one.

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Bananaman88

You certainly don't see them every day, that's for sure. I just ordered a nice variegated heliconia to satisfy my desire for the variegated banana-look. It should arrive tomorrow. Hopefully it will do well and I'll eventually have some pups to share. I'll post some pics when I get a chance. I've been wanting to add to my photo gallery. Hopefully I'll be able to sometime soon.

funsocaltiger

Check out this link which has pictures of the Ae Ae which is probably the most commonly talked about variegated banana plant.

http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Ae_ae

Laurence

Sailfish

I never saw the fruit pics b4.
Those are kewl!!! Beyond kewl.

So from reading and stuff it's sort of like the pink diamonds of the banana world? Rare, prized, hard to come by, even harder to grow.

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jnstropic

Check out this: http://togofcoralgables.com/AeAebananas.aspx

I have grown the Ae Ae banana for 40 years. I have had a digital camera for 8 years and have a large collection of Ae Ae jpgs. Now I see my pictures in other peoples sites. I rarely see pictures of mature plants. When the clump has produced fruit for three years in a row, that's a happy mature Ae Ae.

Kylie2x

jnstropic.. The fact that you have grown them for 40 yrs. is just amazing...
I always enjoy your pics and apprecicate your gift of knowledge .. I live for the oppurtunity to give such a beauty a try....LOL... One of these days....Yeah!!! Variegated Bananas.... are special!!!!
Kylie