The reasons why Ae ae are so darn expensive (these are parts of my original postings at banana forum at gardenweb:
Several attempts have been made to propagate this type of banana via Tissue Culture and it has not been perfected. All the plantlets reverted back to their plain green color, loosing all traces of variegation.
The moment someone has concocted a special formula and process to retain its variegation using tissue culture mass production, the prices should eventually level down to $1.99 per plantlet or less. It hasn't happened so far, the owners should enjoy the financial bonanza that it can be spread only by forcing the mother plant to pup, but even then sometimes, when the mother plant is forced to pup, some of the pups reverts back to plain green color, depending on specific conditions. More than half the time, the pups reverts back to plain green, unless you control pH and other growing conditions.
Ae-ae and Kru have the same cold sensitivity in our area. One of my potted Krus have died out on me completely when left outside for the winter, it hasn't resprouted. Ae-ae would have the same cold sensitivity, unless it is planted in the ground, it will not survive if left out during the winter. The kru that was planted to the ground, it dies back to the ground level during winter, unlike the other cold hardy ones such as California Gold, Dwarf Brazilian, Gold finger, Misi Luki, Dwarf Namwah, etc, only the leaves die out during the winter, their trunks remain solid and green and resprout at the trunk come spring time, enabling them to fruit in our zone. It will be more work in our zone to take care of Ae-ae if I want it to produce fruits, but would like to have it as novelty plant.
And here are the prices of Ae-ae from online stores. For sure these are going to be higher next time they restock:
Natural Selection Exotics
http://naturalselections.safeshopper.../cat41.htm?816
$99.99
Royal Palm Enterprises
http://www.rpetropicals.com/store/ca...tegory=Bananas
$129