robguz24

I've been growing these (likely) Iholena Lele variants lately. It isn't clear exactly what they are, but they've been found on Oahu and Hawaii island. Mine was originally found near Waimea on the Big Island. They are heavy puppers and fast growers. Among the most beautiful cultivars I have.

Keikikid and I have been calling them "Nani" which means beautiful in Hawaiian. They have a distinct pattern on the underside of the leaf. Some of them lose this pattern in their pups and look more like Iholena Lele, as does the fruit. The overall plants look very close to Iholena Kapua. My best guess is they are a long peduncled Lele variant.

While most aren't going to be able to grow this exact one, if it is a Lele, the "Red Iholene" is tissue cultured version of it with very similar fruit. Red Iholene is pretty common.





TEXTURE-Starchy, mealy, pasty, and somewhat fluffy. None of these are exactly my favorite characteristics in raw bananas. Actually, they are some of my least favorite. Fortunately not mushy, which would ruin them for me.

FIRMNESS-Like other cooking bananas, quite firm when ripe.

SWEETNESS-Little sweetness even when ripe, but not exactly lacking sweetness like in a potato. More like a carrot that is not especially sweet.

TARTNESS-A very pleasant tartness.

RIPENESS-Tasted yellow with some brown. The blackest spots were overripe.

FLAVOR-They have an orange flavor and a slight vegetal flavor. The depth of flavor becomes much stronger when cooked. Not really any classic banana flavor.

OTHER-Iholenas are tricky in that they start to yellow long before they’re mature or ripe. They also seem to get fruit fly larvae in them more easily than any other type. I can pull back barely ripe skins and find them full of larva, while I can get most other bananas black with no larva. There is something very satisfying about growing them, because it’s about 10 weeks flower to harvest and they are good sized fruit and bunches. The peach-orange color is also pleasing. Iholenas are also quite beautiful plants with a lot of red, especially on the underside of leaves.

OVERALL RATING-6.5-7 raw, 8.5 cooked.

SUGGESTED USE-They’re excellent steamed with salt. Like most cooking bananas I cook them when at least somewhat yellow. They are poor cooking bananas at that stage because they don’t hold up well and turn to mush if overcooked. Even steaming them is a challenge, and those at the bottom of the steamer get mushy before the top ones are cooked. But when I get it right, they’re quite worth it. Not as versatile as other cooking bananas because of the ease of being overcooked. Iholenas are generally considered the closest to a dessert banana of the major Hawaiian types (Maoli, Popoulu, and Iholena), but they really aren’t very much of one. Still, I’ve been eating them raw lately because I have so many and they’re growing on me. I certainly like them better than some, such as Cuban Reds, Lakatan, or most Cavendish. But overall they’re kind of middling. Steamed or sautéed they are excellent.

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My micro-farm

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Hamakua

Excellent report Rob.

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Currently Growing:
Blue Java, FHIA 01, Gros Michelle, Dwarf Orinoco, Maoli Ele Ele, Maoli Manini, Maoli Dwarf Kaualau, Putalinga Kula, Iholena Lele, Iholena Ula Ula, Iholena Iholena, Iholena Kapua, Unknown purple leafed Iholena, Tuu Ghia, Tagomor, Luba, Kokor, Vunumami, Hapai

mushtaq86

Excellent report Rob, is there any way you could use the blue bags, the commercial users use, to protect fruit from fruit flies, or even organic pesticides.

Hamakua

Hopefully you will have some Iholena and Maoli types for me when I come at the end of April

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Currently Growing:
Blue Java, FHIA 01, Gros Michelle, Dwarf Orinoco, Maoli Ele Ele, Maoli Manini, Maoli Dwarf Kaualau, Putalinga Kula, Iholena Lele, Iholena Ula Ula, Iholena Iholena, Iholena Kapua, Unknown purple leafed Iholena, Tuu Ghia, Tagomor, Luba, Kokor, Vunumami, Hapai

hydroid

Very good report, thanks

Lau

I hope my red Iholena blooms this year 😊👍

robguz24

Good suggestion! I do seem to be able to minimize them harvesting a bit earlier. With these 2 recent bunches, they came off when the plants toppled in wind storms. I might have left them on longer otherwise, but none of them, even rotting ones seem affected.

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My micro-farm

Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage

Mudturkle

Very interesting post! I'm fascinated by the idea of possibly getting bananas with salmon colored flesh. So far I have an Iholena Tigua and a mystery "Dwarf Iholena". I didn't want to hijack this post, so I posted under banana identification. Is it just an Iholena (which could be considered "dwarf"), or what? It seems the other members of the Iholena group are too tall to be considered dwarf. Are Haa Haa really extinct? I would really appreciate your comments on what my "Dwarf Iholena" probably is. Thanks!

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Central Texas Zone 8B and Gulf Coast zone 9B: Raja Puri, Dw. Brazilian, Dw. Orinoco, Dw. NamWah, Dw. Cavendish, Dw. Green?, Dw. Red? Iholena Tigua, Veinte Cohol, Misi Luki, Pisang Raja.