First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Spotted my first Goldfinger flower today. Excited about this one. It was a TC plant I received July 16. Planted in the ground on August 2nd. Bloom on May 20th. Not bad.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Great timing.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Congrats.
I second the good timing.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Contrats!

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Tytaylor77,


Congrats!

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

I guess it is time to show my ignorance - I have Goldfinger from a pup acquired from a member a 3-4 of years ago - the mat has produced a couple of bunches but never early enough to beat the winter frosts. It is not as cold hardy as Orinoco, or Namwah. :bananas_b
Please help -What is the difference in
FIHA-1 Goldfinger and American Goldfinger??

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Some experts on here say the TC Goldfinger like mine from agristarts is not the true fhia-1 Goldfinger. They call the TC/agristarts one like mine the fake/American Goldfinger.

What all the differences is I'm not sure. I think the flower has some different traits. Maybe an expert will answer that.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

TY - thanks - a familiar story except with different names - i.e. Blue Java and Namwah.
So, for the experts what are the tell tale signs for the real and/or fake Goldfinger? If my mat is true to form it will push a flower in late July or August. :drum::drum::drum:

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

This was the likely source for the AS tissue cultures, and the photo below that is an actual FHIA-01 Goldfinger. Both plants are great so growing either one is great.

Look through the org gallery and see if you can find a real Goldfinger growing on the mainland. :ha:

USDA-TARS is distributing the actual FHIA-01 Goldfinger.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Congrats :woohoonaner:

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

PR - Thanks - Both pics appear to have blooms shoulder high or lower.. The blooms on my GF are higher 6-7 ft or more. .maybe I have a fake GF I will take photos if it blooms this season

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Hey, wait, wait, wait.... i got a Goldfinger that i bought from Germany years ago which literally bites the dust every winter. I always tought that sources for bananas in europe was ultimately agristarts. So you are telling me now that that plant i have been talking around so badly may not be the "real" goldfinger?
I have to start over from scratch all my experiments with it?

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

This one is right at 7'. Another one I have is 7' 6" or so and just popped it's flag leaf today. Planted same time as this one.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Congrats!

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

I have at least 4, possibly five "not Goldfingers" and they're all different. 2 of them come from the same local tissue culture supplier for most of the nurseries in Hawaii. Plants look similar but one takes a month longer to ripen than the other, flesh color is different, and taste is different. A 3rd from this same supplier is again different than those 2, and all are different (better) than the Agristarts one I got a few years ago. I have a more recent Agristarts one that so far looks quite different than the first one. The "Goldfinger" issue is a mess! Seems like TARS of someone who got one from TARS originally is your best bet.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

10 days later.


And a 2nd Goldfinger blooming a few feet away.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

I see you have propped your Goldfinger bunch. That is crucial because Goldfinger is susceptible to collapse especially in windy locations. The Goldfinger bananas though are excellent quality.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Is this the banana you're calling a Goldfinger?

The Goldfinger is a very stout plant and none of the ones I've grown have ever needed to be propped even with their huge bunches.

Can you post a photo of the male bud.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Unfortunately I do not have a photo of the bud.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

JCA I've had a couple of my Agristarts "goldfingers" collapse like this, and the p-stems also look too skinny as yours do. Whatever Agristarts shipped me clearly isn't and it's just an ok tasting fruit with much of the taste and texture of a Brazilian, and a very weak plant overall. Fruit filling out has also been a problem.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Mine seem to be weaker since they bloomed. It worries me so I propped them to be safe. They have plenty time to fill so I hope they fill ok. I'm going to grow the real Goldfinger beside it if I ever get one. I would like to see the differences also. They are doing great so far. The taller plants flower is a lot bigger than the first.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Interesting. (Congrats btw) I read Goldfinger are normally 12'-14' when they bloom.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

I'm sure they are in the tropics. Also some experts say these Agristarts TC goldfingers are different than the real Goldfinger from TARS. I'm happy to get 6-7' here. Easy to wrap during winter. My Manzano bloom is close to 14'. That is pretty tall for my manzanos. I find most of my plants are a few feet smaller than in the tropics.

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Makes sense.
I know what you mean about wrapping in the winter. My dwarf Orinoco at 5.5' was a breeze for a frost blanket. Hoping it will bloom maybe next year :bananas_b

Re: First FHIA 1 Goldfinger (American) bloom
 

Taylor, my first generation Goldfinger stem bloomed at about 6 feet 9 inches tall. The bunch though was excellent quality with about 10 hands. The pup stems that followed grew to about 10 to 11 feet before the flower emerged. I may not even have the real Goldfinger though. Next time I will take a picture of the bud if I do not forget.