51st state

Hi Guys

my Yangtse came from the same source as Tony's. It was labelled as 'Yangtse Valley' but it is Yangtse (which I understand is the same as M. Tibet). My india form was too small for the UK winter and is growing quite nicely in the study. I look forward to seeing how it does in the ground next year. I guess I'm the only one in europe to have killed not one but two Xishuangbannaensis (one wasn't my fault) :-).

get that TC lab sorted Scot

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tony palmer

Kev yours Franks Marks and the one I have all came from Peter and they have good provenance because Peter got his original Yangtze from Martin gibbons, Martin and Tobias Spanner collected Yangtze in the Yangtze river valley in China, but Yangtze isn’t its true botanical name its just a name they gave it because they don’t know its true botanical name.

buffy

I got you beat. I've killed 4 small Musa itinerans var. xishuangbannensis corms. I received them dried up with mold problems. Couldn't salvage them. But of course, I'm in Texas.

Chironex

Where are you getting these? I think that I have one or two of them, but won't know for sure until it grows out and pups. I would like to go in with you next time you get one. PM me if you are planning another purchase.

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Scot

bigdog

In keeping with the title of this thread...

My Musa itinerans var. itinerans stems felt nice and solid today, and we have had many, many nights below freezing. In fact, I have recorded a low of 12F in November (the official low at the airport was 15F)! A couple of other high teens, and a whole bunch of temps in the 20s Fahrenheit. So, I cut the stems down a few notches and took a look in the middle. The middle was still as green as could be. I have protected them this afternoon, and will post some pics of my complicated protection scheme later on. I'm hoping for a couple of flowers in the spring! One of the neat attributes of this species is that it doesn't take too long for the fruits and seeds to mature, because of the cool nature of its native habitat. Maybe I can try to cross it with my Musa basjoo, if it flowers also.

Oh, and I sliced into my Musa itinerans 'India Form' pseudostems today also, and found the same result! Green, living tissue in the middle. So, I protected them also. I have a feeling that it will be close to the same hardiness as var. itinerans is.

buffy

This is not an easy path I'm traveling. There is no easy source. In fact, I know of no one who is simply offering it for sale currently. I'll keep chugging along. Until I have some success, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up. After I've figured it all out and negotiate some relationships further, I'll see what I can do for others. Who knows, by that time, some others may have sources. I've been at this for over a year.

buffy

Uh...dude... it does say xishuangbannaensis. Just picking at you. I'm still pissed Fulmer beat my Dores one last time. Where's Cutler when I need him.

bigdog

Yeah, I know. I don't think that there is a way to edit the title of a thread, because I have tried.

I'm going to miss Fulmer, and Tennessee fans will in a few years also, unless Kiffin has some kind of incredible early success. I hope he does! Hey, at least Vandy is going to a bowl this year! Tennessee is not.

buffy

I can't make up my mind on Kiffin. He's probably gonna be feast or famine for the UT faithful. Only time will tell. And...xishuangbannaensis, itinerans, pseudostem....to stay on topic.

RobG7aChattTN

This is the first year that I tried to store large domant bananas. So far the one's in storage look pretty good. I've got Orinoccos from Frank (bigdog), some Raja Puri that always make it through but not the p-stem so no fruit, and one that I bought off of eBay as an itinerans that isn't that I'm just curious to see what it ends up being. Meanwhile, I have a Siam Ruby and two unknown seedlings in a heated terrarium that look good so far. I don't want to make a habit of bringing stuff in, but maybe onece in awhile, right?

bigdog

Rob, you should see the bananas that I left in the garden to freeze and die, lol! I am slowly phasing out the bigger Orinocos for Dwarf Orinoco, as well as other dwarf cultivars.

RobG7aChattTN

I heavily protected the Orinoccos the first winter and they survived...then the next winter I didn't protect and they still survived. This year I decided to bring them in to try and get fruit. If they don't fruit then they are just like haveing basjoo that struggle with cold and not worth haveing around. I'll probably phase them out in favor of Viente Cohol if it proves to fruit more reliably. I really don't want to get in the habit of bringing stuff inside every winter. Hopefully it will just be Siam Ruby and Viente Cohol in the future (until comething else cool comes along ie. Ae Ae).

Basjoofriend

Hi bigdog,

if your basjoo and xishangbannaensis are flowering at the same time and you are getting fertile seeds then I want some seeds from you for my hardy fruit banana breeding program in Brazil.

Best wishes
Basjoofriend