So...I'm now wondering about this particular black stemmed variety in Golden Gate Park, S.F., CA.
It says "Musa-Paradisiaca, Pan-Tropic Edible Plantain". Very Vague after reading this thread. There was no flower/fruit on it the 2 times I've visited it. It does have some red in the stem...
Will that peg it as an Acuminata cross, or do all bananas have a small amount of red in the stem base above the corm? My Saba (not s'posed to have red in it) had red just at the corm area also. I'll keep going there to watch for a bloom. Personally, I don't think they water it enough. It is in some sandy soil.
On another note, While at GGP, I noticed an unnamed
huge clump of an Ensete looking plant, but different than my E. Superbum or E. V. Maurelli. It had several blooms, some with small unfilled fruits. It didn't seem that tall (12 feet with the leaves), but had incredible girth.
I will look closer whether it is pupping or just growing from dropped seeds and get some pics next time and perhaps some fruits as well. This one looked very healthy and well watered, even though it wasn't on display in the botanical gardens, but merely growing near a walkway out in the park near the gardens' entrance.