damaclese

thanks Gabe i was told the story i posted i don't remember by whom i thought it was you but its been a year or more ago i still think its from PNG iv heard story's of a red leafy banana there but its hard to say yes i heard that it was seeded first then the sweet part later when i heard the story that it was related to A. Tapo then it seamed to me that it was probably sweet but i defer to you as your experience level out ways mine but years and years and years its a interesting story thanks for sharing it

didn't the original importer know some one here on the org? or was he a org member? i read that in a thread long long ago i should go find that thread it was fascinating and was what got me in to SR in the first place i think that was back in the 2005 or 2006 threads
PS i edited my first post to reflect that i was passing on the story so as not to confuse any one in to think i was telling it as it is sorry for the misinformed writing stile my thought often out raise my fingers ability to type every word

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exovetek

Noted. I wasn't planning on it, but thanks for the heads up.

sunfish

SIAM RUBY* - A new member to our collection this year. Has beautiful RED leaves, top & bottom that vary in color depending on the amount of sun it gets. Great for that splash of color in the landscape and gives bananas too. I can't comment on the fruit or flavor as of yet, still awaiting our first harvest. We have great expectations for this beauty.

exovetek

Thanks for the info Gabe. I just came across another company selling 'siam ruby'. What I found interesting in relation to your post is that they list 'Siam Ruby' as being Musa Acuminata 'Tapo chimera'. They also claim it is a dessert Banana. I was just wondering if you have any thoughts on this.

SIAM RUBY BANANA - Musa acuminata 'Tapo Chimera', 'Siam Ruby' | Green Sunshine | DoLeaf

Gabe15

It really doesn't matter what websites say, especially in cases of taxonomy and info on newly introduced varieties. There is so much misinformation out there that you really have to take the time to understand bananas and sort thru all the rubbish. With a name like "Musa Acuminata 'Tapo Chimera'", that itself instantly makes it appear not very reliable just based on the fact that the taxonomy of the supposed plant is all wrong. Granted bananas are a very complex and confusing group of plants to understand taxonomically, just looking at how their information is presented can say a lot about the validity of what they are selling and what they are calling the plant.

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jeffreyp

It is also technically regarded as a herbaceous plant (or 'herb'), not a tree...

damaclese

here is that thread I was talking about after rereading it I'm not so sure it really says all that much but its one of the earlier ones so its interesting if only from a historical view plus it was presented before many of the stores started to get fuzzy

Check out these two new banana varieties from Asia

this is what Brian's botanicals has posted on his sales site i believe he is one of the first to ever offered the plant and had something to do with its original importation to the United stats
"Musa Siam Ruby is believed to be a seedling or possibly a mutation of the species Musa Tapo. This species grows in Papua New Guinea and is where this form was discovered. The plant was later sold to a collector in Thailand. The first few plants sold for $1,500.00 each. The plant is considered a chimera as well as an AA diploid. Most variegated plants are considered chimera and AA diploid meaning it has two sets of chromosomes.

I have seen photos of the plant grown to around 8 feet tall. I am not sure how tall it can get. I have not seen it flower, but as in most cases, Diploids produce smaller flowers than normal. I am not sure if this is the case with Musa Siam Ruby. The leaves are dark red in color with small spots of neon green. When young the leaves are usually bright yellow to green in color."

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exovetek

Am I missing something? Who called it a tree?
(I'm not trying to be smart or anything, please don't take offense. I just thought that would be common knowledge on a forum like this)

Eric

I knew if the girls got into it, it'd sprout plastic nanners !! Who knows?, some TyTy string bikinis & ya might even get Rhinohorns LOL!!
Not sure who called them trees but Jeff's right, they Are herbaceous plants and the nanners Are technically False Berries. Found that out when I was trying to study the genetic stuff (Very complicated, still trying to figure that part out).
About Central Florida Farms:
Ryboyer has a Definite point. The Dave's Garden watchdog has a lot on that. The following True Story is my experience with them:
Dad ordered a Ruby Siam banana plant for me, from Central Florida Farms, the spring before last. He paid using paypal. They gave a lot of strange excuses but the plant didn't get here till almost a year later (last spring). They sent an extra one and a Silver Streak ginger plant as an apology (I guess). The ginger did great but the Ruby Siams had brown speckling & streaks that looked about identical to photos I saw of yellow Sigatoka. I'm not a botonist (far from it) so I can't confirm that. I sprayed them with Cu twice & they're doing great now.
Anyway, I'm not sayin whether they're good or bad. This is just what happened when dad did business with them.
I tried to tell members about this before but 2 members got Very annoyed so I backed-off.
Gabe15, Thanx for getting in touch with your friend! I like growing seeded & seedless nanners so it'll be great to know, either way!

Ueberwinden

I have Brian Williams Phone number and met with him this Spring, I'll let you know what he has to say about this Banana.

Michael

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Nicolas Naranja

I have no idea if what I had right outside my porch was a Siam Ruby or not, but it looked an awful lot like the pictures posted here. It produced red fruit. Unfortunately, the previous owners had left the plant in a very poor location and I had to remove it. But I do remember the red fruits on it.

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LilRaverBoi

LOL...nice try! Thanks for playing....and now your parting gifts

That isn't even accurate anyway, the bananas are hanging down off the raceme instead of upward the way they do in reality. Pretty hilarious, though...not gonna lie!

My SR recently had spider mites....I've been spraying it pretty often with a couple insecticide sprays I have. I just looked today, and don't see any signs of creepy crawlies, but I'll def be keeping an eye out for those nasty little buggers!

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Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
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RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

Ueberwinden

I tried calling Brian Williams sereral time today, sometimes he travels so maybe he's out of town. I left a message and will try again Monday.
Is there anything specific that we want to know about this variety other than does is flower and produce a fruit? I know there was discussion about it's origins, anything else?

Michael

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damaclese

wow did you get any pictures? i could belvie it had red fruit but you never know untill you see it mabe you have cout it inadvertintly in a picture of the house when you moved in or somthing like that

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exovetek

Thanks Mike. If you have a chance to ask. A description of the fruit will be nice as well, particularly in the area of edibility.

Randy4ut

Paul,
Glad you were able to locate the thread as I remembered reading it last year and looked for it last night with little luck... Interesting to see how this banana started onto the scene 4 years ago and go from a very sought after banana to one that are occasionally available at big box stores. Thanks again for locating and reposting it!!! Great job!!!

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Nicolas Naranja

You might be right because I did take some pictures of the house when I moved in. I just remember having to cut it down because the wind would blow the plant into the screen and we had a tropical storm or hurricane threatening.

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planetrj

hahaaa!!! I thought the best part is that they were hanging inverted/upside down on the plant..that was the funniest part for me....lol!!!

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planetrj

also noted about the crooked business... thanks!!

Last, just for the record... if anyone happens to call it a 'tree', I, for one am not going to be one bit upset and/or offended. I'm sure I've referred to it as a tree in casual conversation, so.....

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damaclese

yes it is interesting when the first reports on the Siam came out you would have thought it was an international spy story the way people were acting "o i cant say" "O I'm sworn to secrecy and cant divulge that information" they made us wait for 2 years until it finally hit the sales rack before they would tell us any thing about it like it was the holy Grail of Banana Plants and then to top it of they introed it with out a clue as to what it really was or even if it fruited the stories of its fruiting are in my opinion just that story made up of plaint intrigue by people that are highly thought of but are to ego centric to admit the don't know whats what with this one and why hasn't a signal scientist done at least one gene study to see what its related to? its just odd any other Banana with Food potential would have been under the micro scoops in seconds flat and the sad part is even thou every one thinks its seeded we don't know for sure and what if this one is totally disease resistant to race 1 2 3 4 fusaram it could be but how would we ever know? sorry if that was a bit preachy LOL its funny how scientist and computer nerds act the same way isn't it

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