asacomm

There is an edible banana grove of an unknown species left almost half wild.
This banana overwinters every year completely bare without any anti-cold
protections even under the cold spell of say -4C, and bears fruits almost
every year. This banana grove has been left as it is now since 50 years
or longer, and the owner says he heard that this banana would be trans-
planted from the Philippines. But I doubt this story as this banana is very
cold and wind hardy.

Can anybody ID this interesting banana?

Gabe15

Looks like a type of 'Namwah'

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

coast crab

You don't say where you are located, and it is not under your avitar. When I went to "find you on a map" I was taken to Shizuoka, Japan - is that correct? I used to live up near Nikko.

Anyway, interesting that it may have come from the Philippines. I'll be eager to hear more of what the experts have to say...

Russell

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asacomm

Yes, I live in Shizuoka City of which climate zone is 9b or so. Contrary to that
of Nikko, the climate here is rather mild except the cold spell of winter of say
several degrees below the freezing point.
As you know, Shizuoka is famous for Mt Fuji, the heighest in the country.

asacomm

Thanks Gabe 15,
1. It endured several times of cold spell of -4C and then produced fruits.
2. The fruits do not seem to be angular.(see Encanto Farms)
3. some case is so, but almost the underside of young leaf not reddish brown.
(see Encanto Farms)

Do you still think it to be a type of Namwah?

coast crab

Wow.

I actually lived on the outskirts of Kanuma, way out in a mountain valley. I remember one autumn day climbing the mountains and getting high enough to look towards Nikko and seeing Nyohozan and Nantaizan. Then, when I turned south, I could see the cone of Fuji rising through the haze. What an amazing day. You are indeed fortunate to live in Japan - bananas or not.

Russell

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asacomm

Hello Gabe 15,

It doesn't seem that I have received your final answer to my question, so
I hereby post the additional pictures of the fruits so that it may help you
to ID this banana more correctly.

Gabe15

I still believe is to be some type of Namwah, better known as the Pisang Awak subgroup. You need to wait for the fruit to fully mature before comparing to other mature photos, also some of the other photos you may see will not match up quite right but they could be mislabled or the local variety could be slightly different.

__________________
Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

asacomm

Hello Gabe15,

Thanks a lot.

proletariatcsp

It looks exactly like my ice cream. If I have a namwah I will be very upset. Gabe may be right because my fruit is still not bluish. But I have one reaching 15ft of pstem and growing. I didn't know namwah to get above 12ft? My mother plant also had a 33 inch base. Aren't namwah skinnier?

sunfish

The wiki says namwah 10 to 14ft.

asacomm

Hello Chris in FL,

Ther bunches in your photo look very like that of my unknown banana.
But looking at the each ends of the bunch, there is an obvious difference,
i.e. the fruits of Ice Cream are rather pointed shaped, but my banana is
not pointed shaped.
So I don't think it to be Ice Cream.

asacomm

Hello friends,

The following are the latest photos of the fruits of the unknown banana which
Gabe said could be Pisang Awak.
Could these help you to ID the banana?

Thanks in advance.