Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

Hi,

do Musa basjoo hybrids exist, e.g. Musa basjoo x sikkimensis, M. basjoo x Dwarf Cavendish, Musa basjoo x Orinoco, Musa basjoo x Dwarf Orinoco, Musa basjoo x itinerans, Musa basjoo x Rajapuri, Musa basjoo x velutina? If yes, are there sources, which also ship to Germany and also to Peru? Are these also as hardy as Musa basjoo? Are there also triploid Musa basjoo and triploid basjoo hybrids already existing?

And I'm looking for sources of the hardy fruit banana "Californica Gold", which will also ship to Europe and Germany/Europe and also to Peru/South America? Is "Californica Gold" as hardy as Musa basjoo and will survive in the northern US states and in Germany/Europe under the same winter protection like Musa basjoo (thick mulch cover of straw and dry leaves in one box with rain protection roof)?

Best wishes
Joachim

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

this quote is from joereal, which he recieved from jeffs post on another forum..

RE: California gold

Here's from that link:
"A bit about the California Gold Banana
The California Gold Banana is believed to be related to Orinoco.
I grow both Dwarf Orinoco and California Gold. The California Gold get's a bit taller (6-7ft) than Dwarf Orinoco(5-6ft) and yields more hands of fruit. Cold hardiness seems to be the
same. California Gold is a bit Tastier."
and here's from pitangadiego's site:
CALIFORNIA GOLD
DESCRIPTION:
There is one fruiting banana that bears fruit consistently year after year. It was grown and identified by Jeff Earl in Modesto. It can survive 20 F temperature and still bears delicious fruit the summer that follows. Jeff calls this California Gold Banana. I suspect that it is a cold-hardy mutation of dwarf orinoco cultivar growing prolificly in the high altitude and low temperature areas around Mexico and Texas. Here's a quote from one of the lucky winners of eBay when Jeff auctioned his pup: "Rare Dwarf banana plant that is proven to be the cold hardiest of all edible fruit-producing bananas in Northern California. An excellent cold hardy sport of dwarf orinoco, distantly related to Bluggoe. For more than 10 years, this banana has consistently produced an average of 25 lbs of good tasting yellow fruit in Northern California, thus nicknamed "California Gold" - a real cold hardy fruit producer. Exceptionally frost hardy compared to other bananas, produces good fruit, year after year, without any frost protection. Only a few banana plants might equal the cold hardiness of California Gold, such as the inedible Japanese fiber banana Musa basjoo. Cavendish type banana plants such as Super Dwarf, Williams and Double Mahoi, and most of the other edible banana plants will freeze to the ground and die during the cold winter spells when left outside without any winter protection. The California Gold banana shakes off the cold. It may lose its' leaves after a hard freeze, but then continues to grow when the weather warms in the spring. The leaves lost during the winter don?t seem to slow this plant down. California Gold have produced tasty bananas outdoors during the summer after enduring winter low temp in the low 20?s! These plants should be able grow fine in USDA zone 7 and above as an outdoor plant. They have been fruited as far north as Washington State and British Columbia with only minor winter protection. The mature plant is small only 5-6 ft tall. Some of plants have produced fruit in as early as 11 months from a pup. This exotic looking plant makes a stunning tropical impression in any garden as well as a lovely indoor potted plant. Delicious fruits rival any store bought fruit in quality and flavor, with just a hint of lemon and strawberry. " I'm dying to get hold of this very rare banana that has just been shared by Jeff Earl after more than 20 years of testing in Modesto. (906) [L]et me clarify a few things. #1 ... Is the banana that I call California gold one in the same as Dwarf Orinoco? ... Answer, I honestly don't know. My guess is that they are in the same family... as is Ice Cream, Blue Java , Blugo etc. It was labeled "Hardy Mexican Apple banana" But the guy I bought it from said that he gave it the name. The fruit looks like its' in the Orinoco family. It has fruited at 4 ft tall and as high as 7 ft. I bought the parent banana before anyone ever mentioned Dwarf Orinoco or even regular Orinoco. Bananas are one plant that mutate very easily. So I gave it the name. It does differ a little from dwarf orinocos in that they are generally all 6 ft tall when fruiting size. To me Cal Gold fruit is a little more rounded. As far as frost hardiness... They seem simular. Though Cagold is generally the first to start growing in the spring... about the same time as Musa Basjoo. While I have thought about tissue culturing this banana,I haven't looked into it yet. I'm still not sure that it is any cold hardier than Orinoco. Our temps haven't been cold enough to compare the two side by side. As for CalGold's hardiness, about all that I can say is that in my garden, it seems about right on par with musa Basjoo and Orinoco. Both tend to freeze right at the same temps as well as recover at the same time in the spring after a freeze. As I said before, CaGold Looks like its' in the same family as Orinoco, Blugoe, and Blue Java. As It has been stated before.... Bananas mutate readily, but I doubt that is much more frost hardier unless frost hardiness characteristic mutates within a cultivar as well. Those of you in the cooler zones will have to try it and let me know. I most likely will be back on Ebay selling pups next spring. As always the min. bid will be a reasonable $19 per 2 ft pup. I rarely have enough pups from the 3 plants that I grow to supply the demand. This tends to send the bidding up to silly levels at times. (914) California Gold - I think is a sport or a favorable mutation of Dwarf Orinoco. This was recognized by Jeff Earl, but still we don't have genetic proof that it is a sport. The main difference is that the California Gold consistently fruits every year in the Central Valley unlike the regular Dwarf Orinoco which require proper timing for successful fruiting. California Gold has been shown by Jeff to bloom and fruit even after the record breaking cold spell in the Central Valley when the night time temperature reaches 10 to 12 deg F and most pipes broke about a decade ago. Most other growers scoff at Jeff Earl: that [what] he is selling is still Dwarf Orinoco because the fruit and taste are really no different. Especially if you are growing this plant in Zone 10 and above, then there is really no added benefit. But because of the consistency of fruit production, this I think is something to consider for us here in the north. I bought California Gold at an eBay auction and it was really pricey, the price for a small pup ranged between $35-$115. Nevertheless, I also have the original Dwarf Orinoco and is now comparing it side by side with California Gold. (???) Here's my research on California Gold: Rare Dwarf banana plant that is proven to be the cold hardiest of all edible fruit-producing bananas in Northern California. An excellent cold hardy sport of dwarf orinoco, distantly related to Bluggoe. For more than 10 years, this banana has consistently produced an average of 25 lbs of good tasting yellow fruit in Northern California, thus nicknamed "California Gold - a real cold hardy fruit producer". I don`t think there is any thing special or rare about this banana plant. I don`t think its' a mutation of Dwarf Orinoco. I think it IS Dwarf Orinoco. It is NOT a dessert type supermarket banana. It has to be VERY ripe if you want just peel it and eat it. It`s a great banana for cool areas. If you can`t get one from Jeff, you might try getting one from Going Bananas. (913) Jeff Earl also has a dwarf orinoco but is not as cold hardy as his California Gold. If you know about CRFG, some folks there confirmed that there is a big cold hardiness difference between dwarf orinoco and "California Gold" I also have dwarf orinoco which got wiped out during the record breaking cold spell sometime in the early 90's, but Jeff's banana shook off that record breaking cold spell in the valley. (906)
TYPE:
GENETICS:
HEIGHT: 5-6' (906), 6' (914)
HIGHLIGHTS: Cold-hardiness. Probably it is a type ABB

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

A crossbreed of Musa basjoo with another edible or ornamental Musa would be nice for colder parts of the world like the Low Countries. Where I live we can grow Musa basjoo and M. sikkimensis with winter protection. If it would be possible to produce a good edible hardy banana that would be something!

Alexander

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

Wow this is very interesting. Were can you get these California Gold bananas ?

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

Well, they should be more widespread, but there are many members even here in the forum, who have one. ;)

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

Some claims boy, I tell yah are too funny... lol Cali Gold is looking to raise its rates for such claims :^)

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

I have Calif gold growing for 4 years now and harvested fruit 3 years in a row. It came from Jeff Earl. And I sold a couple already to members of this forum.

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

I just thought it was funny that they don't even know what kind it is other than they call it a cali gold. To me Cali Gold looks just like a Texas Star, or Carolina King or Even a PC for that matter. But this version is an Off Orinoco or believed to be?

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

See my thread "This is my California Gold" in this forum. It is my long experience with this plant . It has many photos in it especially the fruits that I harvested.

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

Hey Benny I didn't mean to be such a sceptic, but this is part of my nature. I just hope they taste good :^)

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

Migael: All that youve said is true. There is still a debate what kind of banana it is and where it came from.
All I know and want is the result if this banana could tolerate cold. So far it is the coldest resistant variety I have although I don't own a Texas Star. I am satisfied with what I have.
The taste? It is not spectacularly the best.
To me if you taste a saba, you tasted a Calif. Gold.
And to me some claim that it can be eaten as a desert banana but I prefer it fried.
This banana is best to growfor places that are marginal and questionable place if you can grow a banana. It is not intended to grow on snowy states like a basjoo.

Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
 

I think the plant color is neat and looks like my PC. I have grown banana's for 6 years here (Basjoo), but I won't be closing on first full year of having fruiting banana's til june so I'm just trying hard to play catch up on things I should have been doing here. Soon I'll have some saba's, who know's maybe one of these mild winters(in the future) I'll be so fortunate to have their fruit. The trials of life :^)