Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

Edisto Beach is a barrier island about an hour south of Charleston. The wife and drove down today to drop off a few plants and grab a Saba pup from the family beach house.

I have been watching this matt for a few years now and finally had a camera.



As we were looking at over 8 blooms hidden amonst the stems, a fella drove up who owned the fresh seafood place next door. He said it was his mom's house and that she used to tend the bananas and cut them every year and wrap them. She was too old for all of than now and had not done that for the past 5-6 seasons.



She planted them nearly 30 years ago he said. He said they always had fruit. My guess is that they are orinocos. However the leaves on some of them were as large at those on a Saba, easily 8-9 feet long

Some had p-stems of fruit and had even fallen over.



I am not sure how they do so well without gallons of water and fertilizer. I guess just years of leaf litter have created a nutritious soil base. They are on the south eastern side of the house. Across the street is a golf course with water hazards. On the other side of the house is a Tidal creek and probably 5-15 miles of tidal salt marsh. The marsh and water hazards add warmth and the house is good protection.

It appears as if this a great microclimate for bananas!!!

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

Nice pictures! You're so lucky to have a place at Edisto. That's the way a beach is supposed to be...so many other SC beaches have become tacky tourist traps. If you like historical houses, inland Edisto island has some amazing plantation houses that are open once or twice a year - some of the best I've seen. I love it in Edisto. (and the bananas seem to like it there too!) :2750:

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

Nice!

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

I have not been in those plantation houses in quite a few years but will have to keep a eye out for the next tour.

We have had the house there since 1969 when my parents mortgaged themselves to the teeth for a front beach fixer upper for 18k. I do feel very lucky.

The original house was washed away in Hurricane, but Capt Holmes promised his wife that another storm would never wash away their house again. He brought in a Filipino construction crew to build the house. A storm never got it.

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

What a nice mat for not being taken care of.

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

O to have a climate like that!

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

I may offer to clean it up for him and tie off the bunches one weekend if I have a chance.

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

Looking at the fruit I'd say those ARE Quadrano's.

Re: Edisto's 'Wild' Bananas
 

Very nice. I do hope you can get some of the plants. I was in Edisto Beach several years ago. Family reunion. I did not see any nanners. We were looking for shart teeth. Found some. I can picture sea oats and bananas there now. VERY beautiful place.