An awakening of Helen's hybrid

asacomm · 03-22-2008, 09:36 PM

Here is said to be zone 9b. but it was a bit colder this winter.
Despite the lowest temperature of this winter was -4C/21F, Helen's hybrid
could overwinter completely bare without any protections, and now a cigar
leaf rolles up from the pstem, while other bananas are still dormant as you
can see from the picrure. It is indeed cold hardy!

Richard · 03-22-2008, 10:32 PM

Congratulations ... I'm impressed with that plant!

dablo93 · 03-23-2008, 03:37 AM

thats good news! How big should it get this summer?

bigdog · 03-23-2008, 09:26 AM

I uncovered mine from its winter protection last week, and it had started growing already. I have since covered it back up because of freezing temps at night again. Yours looks great! You should probably get a flower this year, hopefully.

mskitty38583 · 03-23-2008, 10:13 AM

congrats on the new growth.

. now i might consider getting one for outside, but i think i would have to keep mine covered in the winter. i love the protection for the other nanas you have, is it straw?

asacomm · 03-23-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mskitty38583

congrats on the new growth.

. now i might consider getting one for outside, but i think i would have to keep mine covered in the winter. i love the protection for the other nanas you have, is it straw?

Mskitty, yes, it is rice straw mat specially made for winter protection for fruits
trees. Sold at any DIY shops here in this county.
The caps on the tops of the pstems are plastic shopping bags from super markets.

mskitty38583 · 03-23-2008, 06:46 PM

thank you very much. they are sold in the garden center or are they in a different area? a lot of times things like that are never where they should be in a store. they could end up being in the carpet department.

Tropicallvr · 03-23-2008, 10:38 PM

Nice Asacomm! What are the other ones next to it that haven't come out of dormancy?(for comparison)

asacomm · 03-24-2008, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mskitty38583

thank you very much. they are sold in the garden center or are they in a different area? a lot of times things like that are never where they should be in a store. they could end up being in the carpet department.

Mskitty, this kind of mat is very popular in this country and is sold at any
DIY and garden center. However it would be not easy to find equivalent item
in your country. May be some Japanese gardener knows a hint where to get it.

asacomm · 03-24-2008, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tropicallvr

Nice Asacomm! What are the other ones next to it that haven't come out of dormancy?(for comparison)

Tropicallvr, in the picture from left to right:
King banana(local banana from Bonin Islands), Helen's hybrid, Dwf Orinoco,
and the last another Helen's hybrid.

mrbungalow · 03-24-2008, 11:02 AM

Great photo Stan! I am happy your plants made it through!

Now you got me interested; What type of banana is the King Banana?

cactus6103 · 03-24-2008, 12:26 PM

I will have to consider one of those if I can make room somewhere in the garden. Red

asacomm · 03-24-2008, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrbungalow

Great photo Stan! I am happy your plants made it through!

Now you got me interested; What type of banana is the King Banana?

Hi Erlend,
King banana is a local banana similar to dwarf cavendish said to be
originated from the Bonin Islands of Japanese territory about 1,000km south
of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean. The size of its fruits is a little bit larger than
that of Moncky banana, but its taste is excellent. The pstem's height is
about 2.5m. The color of the pstem and petiole is slightly reddish.

Stan

modenacart · 03-28-2008, 02:36 PM

Has anyone gotten the Helen's Hybrid to fruit? Is it an edible banana?

Taylor · 03-28-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by modenacart

Has anyone gotten the Helen's Hybrid to fruit? Is it an edible banana?

No, it is not edible. I have not gotten it to fruit nor have one for that matter, but since seeds of this are sold, it can not be edible.

Unless you like the texture of seeds...

Tropicallvr · 03-28-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taylor

No, it is not edible. I have not gotten it to fruit nor have one for that matter, but since seeds of this are sold, it can not be edible.

Unless you like the texture of seeds...

I agree that it most likely won't have edible fruit. Chimichampa probably isn't the best canidate for crossing with a hardy banana, trying to get a edible, since chimichampa only has 2 sets of chromosomes.
The one thing that makes me wonder is how they do it in those breeding programs. They hybridize species, and grow the plants from seed, but somehow come up with edible plants.

asacomm · 03-28-2008, 10:05 PM

Edible or not edible depends on his taste.
Even he ripe fruits of Basjoo are sweet and edible and nothing to harm health.
But it is classified as non edible because there are a lot of seeds inside.
Likewise the fruits of Helen's hybrid is reportedly very sweet, but full of seeds.
So I made up my mind to taste the fruits if pollination will be succeeded.

modenacart · 03-28-2008, 10:39 PM

I was refering to the defiinition that edible ment seedless. Sounds like its going to be seedy.

03-22-2008, 09:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
asacomm asacomm's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 786 BananaBucks : 412,622 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 225 Times Was Thanked 598 Times in 209 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	An awakening of Helen's hybrid Here is said to be zone 9b. but it was a bit colder this winter. Despite the lowest temperature of this winter was -4C/21F, Helen's hybrid could overwinter completely bare without any protections, and now a cigar leaf rolles up from the pstem, while other bananas are still dormant as you can see from the picrure. It is indeed cold hardy!

03-22-2008, 10:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 556,819 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,543 Times in 4,721 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid Congratulations ... I'm impressed with that plant! __________________ Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

03-23-2008, 03:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
dablo93 dablo93 's Photo Gallery Location: Randstad North Find me on the map! Zone: Z8b-Z9a, wet cold winters and mild summers Name: daen Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 909 BananaBucks : 97,449 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 122 Times Was Thanked 262 Times in 166 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 159 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid thats good news! How big should it get this summer? __________________ -=

03-23-2008, 09:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
bigdog ******* bigdog's Photo Gallery** Location: Gainesville, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Frank Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,003 BananaBucks : 749,883 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 213 Times Was Thanked 1,788 Times in 503 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid I uncovered mine from its winter protection last week, and it had started growing already. I have since covered it back up because of freezing temps at night again. Yours looks great! You should probably get a flower this year, hopefully.

03-23-2008, 10:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: north carolina Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4,071 BananaBucks : 194,655 Feedback: 26 / 100% Said "Thanks" 82 Times Was Thanked 890 Times in 617 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 136 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid congrats on the new growth.. now i might consider getting one for outside, but i think i would have to keep mine covered in the winter. i love the protection for the other nanas you have, is it straw? __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION

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03-23-2008, 06:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: north carolina Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4,071 BananaBucks : 194,655 Feedback: 26 / 100% Said "Thanks" 82 Times Was Thanked 890 Times in 617 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 136 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid thank you very much. they are sold in the garden center or are they in a different area? a lot of times things like that are never where they should be in a store. they could end up being in the carpet department. __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION

03-23-2008, 10:38 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tropicallvr Member Tropicallvr's Photo Gallery Name: Kyle Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,032 BananaBucks : 438,202 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 230 Times Was Thanked 414 Times in 163 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 14 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid Nice Asacomm! What are the other ones next to it that haven't come out of dormancy?(for comparison)

03-24-2008, 11:02 AM	#11 (permalink)
mrbungalow Freezing member mrbungalow's Photo Gallery Location: Bergen, Norway Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Name: Erlend Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 598 BananaBucks : 52,033 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 14 Times Was Thanked 165 Times in 78 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid Great photo Stan! I am happy your plants made it through! Now you got me interested; What type of banana is the King Banana? __________________

03-24-2008, 12:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
cactus6103 NASCAR Banana Racer cactus6103's Photo Gallery Location: Denver NC. Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: Red Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 180 BananaBucks : 21,477 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 9 Times Was Thanked 57 Times in 31 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid I will have to consider one of those if I can make room somewhere in the garden. Red __________________ Family, Friends and Bananas

03-28-2008, 02:36 PM	#14 (permalink)
modenacart Senior Member modenacart's Photo Gallery Location: NC Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 475 BananaBucks : 77,294 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 26 Times Was Thanked 77 Times in 57 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid Has anyone gotten the Helen's Hybrid to fruit? Is it an edible banana?

03-28-2008, 10:05 PM	#17 (permalink)
asacomm asacomm's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 786 BananaBucks : 412,622 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 225 Times Was Thanked 598 Times in 209 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid Edible or not edible depends on his taste. Even he ripe fruits of Basjoo are sweet and edible and nothing to harm health. But it is classified as non edible because there are a lot of seeds inside. Likewise the fruits of Helen's hybrid is reportedly very sweet, but full of seeds. So I made up my mind to taste the fruits if pollination will be succeeded.

03-28-2008, 10:39 PM	#18 (permalink)
modenacart Senior Member modenacart's Photo Gallery Location: NC Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 475 BananaBucks : 77,294 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 26 Times Was Thanked 77 Times in 57 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: An awakening of Helen's hybrid I was refering to the defiinition that edible ment seedless. Sounds like its going to be seedy.

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