So many white-variegated bananas???
 

I was just wondering if some other members here saw some recent banana plant auctions on "the-bay" between the end of last week and the beginning of this week, in which a guy with username "birdbangkok" or something like that was selling around 4 "different species" white-variegated banana plants with even a lot more variegation than the Ae-Ae's. They were strikingly beautiful. But my questions are:
1. Did someone else here saw this auctions?
2. Did someone else buy any of the plants?
3. I know that there are lots of different banana varieties in the wild, even without identifying, but is it truly possible to find that much white-variegated species in the wild, and not a chemical acidifier/alkalinizer trick?

Thanks,
Carlos(tropicalkid in NC)

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

I saw them.

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

Glad I missed that...LOL Would be interested in knowing what they had..and what the TRUTH is...
Kylie

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

People use the term "species" loosely and often incorrectly, for clarity reasons, I like to use species only in reference to wild plants. Although edible bananas may be considered a species by some (I disagree on this though), the phrases "different varieties" or "cultivars" clarify that it is an edible banana in most cases. Many people call different cultivars "species" and it can get quite confusing, but such is banana taxonomy in general.

So what I would guess for this vendor is that they are meaning to say "different varieties" which would make a lot more sense. However, variegation is a relatively common trait and it would not be unusual to find lot of different true wild species available as variegated plants because any banana can become variegated, although even in this case they would not be naturally variegated plants collected from the wild, they would be sports from a nursery.

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

Which in turn would mean that the verigated trait would or could not come true???

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

Do you mean come true from seed?

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

A lot of the new variegated bananas are coming out of Thailand these days. It's also no secret that in Thailand, they have been know to be experimenting with inducing mutations, with things like gamma radiation, to induce variegation. Not really sure who "they" is, but "they" are hard at work over there creating the next best variegated banana.

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

Most of you will be angry with me, but most variegated plants are inefficient imperfections of the real deal. They would be low on my list of plants to have.

I found that my variegated bougainvilleas to be cold hardier than the regular ones. Many people love them more than the regular green ones. This is a good reason to have them if the main purpose is ornamental.

My variegated citruses although what most would say as beautiful foliage, they simply have very low fruit productions. So for fruit production, I am merciless when it comes to the bottom line. If it doesn't taste good and doesn't produce much, it is out of my yard unless my wife wanted them.

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

JoeReal,

As I read your post I immediately think of a post a few weeks back discussing the "high WAF" or wife acceptance factor.....that's how I end up with boring (non-banana) plants in my yard too!
LOL, LOL, LOL.

Jay

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

Well, I can't wait for these to be reposted, as I think none of them were sold. They were over $100 a pop.




We'll see:2237:

Carlos(tropicalkid in NC)

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

There have been two sellers from what I've noticed. One of them had a variegated Namwah but it didn't appear to have much variegation. Some of the recent auctions were repostings of prior auctions that didn't find buyers. There seems to be less demand at this time of year.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=180154201602

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=180151958816
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=220145066860
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=220144781535
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=220145071128

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

I've done business with that seller before " BirdBangok" , I can't vouch for these bananas that he's selling, but the times that I have bought stuff from him he's been straight in his dealings with me. Like Frank said, "they" are supposedly doing some wild stuff in labs with plants in Thailand......no telling what might be coming out of there.

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

Gabe.. If you were to purchase..(don't worry.. not happenin..LOL)would the pups likely have any varigation or is it a toss up?? Yeah about seed..
What are the chances??

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

There is another one by this seller currently on "the bay", a "Florida variegated" banana...
It looks as a real strong healthy growing plant.

Carlos(tropicalkid in NC)

Re: So many white-variegated bananas???
 

variegation is a mutation called a chimera (with more than one type of genetic makeup in their tissues), generally its a mutation in the meristem (growing point) that effects the epidermal layers that cause the plant no produce no chlorophyll in that layer. depending on the nature and stability of the chimera this guys is selling the pups may or may not have the variegation.

a chimera thats not stable can lose variegation over time. Ae Ae is a stable chimera so the pups variegate, because the variegation is due to the presence of two kinds of plant tissue, propagating the plant must be by a vegetative method of propagation that preserves both types of tissue in relation to each other. tissue culture and root cuttings will not usually preserve variegation.

some thornless rose are chimera and after years begin to produce thorns as the chimera reverts to "normal".