Musa basjoo-Not from Japan?

Bananaman88 · 01-17-2009, 09:27 AM

OK, so we all know the common name of M. basjoo is the Japanese Fiber Banana. However, upon reading through my latest Plant Delights Catalog I noticed that in their description of the plant they report that recent research has revealed that M. basjoo is actually from the Sichuan province of China. Is this new news or have I missed this little discovery somewhere along the way?

Basjoofriend · 01-17-2009, 11:09 AM

Yes, you are right, Musa basjoo is not a Japanese banana species, it's from China. Häkkinen was also in China and saw there wild Musa basjoo.

Best wishes
Basjoofriend

dablo93 · 01-17-2009, 12:27 PM

Musa basjoo sakhalin is not from the russian Sakhalin, but also from china.
but they are cultivated alot in Japan.
maybe like that here are a lot of tulips cultivated but they come from Eastern europe and Asia.

Chironex · 01-17-2009, 04:11 PM

I have also read that it originated in the Sichuan province of China.

asacomm · 01-17-2009, 07:02 PM

Every musas growing or widly planted in Japan came from Southern China or
South East Asia. As far as I know, there are no musas originated in this country.
Even Okinawan edible bananas and fibre bananas came from those regions
above mentioned.

Gabe15 · 01-17-2009, 08:17 PM

This has been known for a very long time, but for some reason the name has always stuck for a long time. It was introduced to Japan from China a long time ago. Infact, it was not even the banana used for fiber in Japan. The true Japanese fiber banana (Ito Basho) is a form of M. balbisiana.

Bananaman88 · 01-17-2009, 11:10 PM

Thanks for the info guys. The common name is sort of misleading, which is why, as a horticulturist, I never cared for common names.

chrisltropical · 01-19-2009, 01:07 AM

Some of my favorite hardy plants come from Sichuan. Bamboo's, BLE's etc.

If it wasn't for China, gardeners living in my zone would probably have very few exciting plants. Thank you China!

Chironex · 01-19-2009, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisltropical

Some of my favorite hardy plants come from Sichuan. Bamboo's, BLE's etc.

If it wasn't for China, gardeners living in my zone would probably have very few exciting plants. Thank you China!

I couldn't agree more! China is a place that I want to visit soon! Probably won't allow me to bring anything back, but photos will be fabulous.
Now if I can just find a way to pay for airline tickets....

tony palmer · 01-19-2009, 09:32 AM

Just to wet your appetite Scot!! Have a look at this thread I have done on hardy tropicals. Some pictures of sub-tropical plants from Gaoligongshan South western Yunnan, many of the plants would be hardy to half-hardy for us, and lots of them are new to science, hence know name.

Hardy Tropicals - View topic - Pictures of plants from Gaoligongshan

Tog Tan · 01-19-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chironex

I couldn't agree more! China is a place that I want to visit soon! Probably won't allow me to bring anything back, but photos will be fabulous.
Now if I can just find a way to pay for airline tickets....

Scot, No.1 for the ticket, sell all your 'naners

No.2, the Chinese customs don't bother what gets out, it's how it will get into the US - this is a fact, trust me!

Go to Southern China bordering Vietnam. Lots of goodies there especially their very nice and weird cycads. The foliage will drive you wild. I have some of them and they are terrific. You can check out rarepalmseeds.com's archive and look at C debaoensis, C multipinnata and others. They have a subterranean trunk and the leaf gets to 8ft in height. This bunch of cycads have the finest looking foliage in the family.

griphuz · 01-20-2009, 07:41 AM

Strange that Japan apparently does not have it's own Musa species, and Taiwan does,...it's a bit closer to china mainland, ok....but still...
Kind regards,
Remko.

asacomm · 01-20-2009, 07:54 PM

Hello griphuz,

It is not strange that there are no originated musas in Japan.
Except Ryukyu istands(Okinawa diestricts), the winter is relatively cold enough
to record freezing points so often and there was no such a condition where
musas grew wild. But during these some hundreds years, not only Basjoos but
also other musas including Japanese Fiber bananas and some edible musas
had been indtroduced first to the Okinawan districts and then spread to to
other regions where the climate are relaritvely comfortable to these plants.
Thus especially Basjoos are seen wild everywhere in this country, but even
now we can seldom see edible bananas planted outside in the ground any-
where except Okinawa near Taiwan.

Chironex · 01-20-2009, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tog Tan

Scot, No.1 for the ticket, sell all your 'naners

No.2, the Chinese customs don't bother what gets out, it's how it will get into the US - this is a fact, trust me!

Go to Southern China bordering Vietnam. Lots of goodies there especially their very nice and weird cycads. The foliage will drive you wild. I have some of them and they are terrific. You can check out rarepalmseeds.com's archive and look at C debaoensis, C multipinnata and others. They have a subterranean trunk and the leaf gets to 8ft in height. This bunch of cycads have the finest looking foliage in the family.

I am afraid that once I make it to China, I won't want to leave. Seriously!

01-17-2009, 09:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 222,778 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? OK, so we all know the common name of M. basjoo is the Japanese Fiber Banana. However, upon reading through my latest Plant Delights Catalog I noticed that in their description of the plant they report that recent research has revealed that M. basjoo is actually from the Sichuan province of China. Is this new news or have I missed this little discovery somewhere along the way?

01-17-2009, 11:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
Basjoofriend Member Basjoofriend's Photo Gallery Location: Lucianópolis-BRAZIL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: 01 Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 926 BananaBucks : 192,190 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 138 Times Was Thanked 266 Times in 123 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Yes, you are right, Musa basjoo is not a Japanese banana species, it's from China. Häkkinen was also in China and saw there wild Musa basjoo. Best wishes Basjoofriend

01-17-2009, 12:27 PM	#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: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Musa basjoo sakhalin is not from the russian Sakhalin, but also from china. but they are cultivated alot in Japan. maybe like that here are a lot of tulips cultivated but they come from Eastern europe and Asia. __________________ -=

01-17-2009, 04:11 PM	#4 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 122,339 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? I have also read that it originated in the Sichuan province of China. __________________ Scot

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asacomm asacomm's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 786 BananaBucks : 412,611 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 225 Times Was Thanked 598 Times in 209 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Every musas growing or widly planted in Japan came from Southern China or South East Asia. As far as I know, there are no musas originated in this country. Even Okinawan edible bananas and fibre bananas came from those regions above mentioned.

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01-17-2009, 08:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,350,212 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,241 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? This has been known for a very long time, but for some reason the name has always stuck for a long time. It was introduced to Japan from China a long time ago. Infact, it was not even the banana used for fiber in Japan. The true Japanese fiber banana (Ito Basho) is a form of M. balbisiana. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

01-17-2009, 11:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 222,778 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Thanks for the info guys. The common name is sort of misleading, which is why, as a horticulturist, I never cared for common names.

01-19-2009, 01:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
chrisltropical Junior Member chrisltropical's Photo Gallery Location: Clay, NY Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Name: Chris Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 73 BananaBucks : 78,246 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 46 Times Was Thanked 20 Times in 6 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Some of my favorite hardy plants come from Sichuan. Bamboo's, BLE's etc. If it wasn't for China, gardeners living in my zone would probably have very few exciting plants. Thank you China! __________________ Banana Country

01-19-2009, 09:32 AM	#10 (permalink)
tony palmer Junior Member tony palmer's Photo Gallery Zone: UK Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 204 BananaBucks : 69,150 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 175 Times Was Thanked 237 Times in 78 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Just to wet your appetite Scot!! Have a look at this thread I have done on hardy tropicals. Some pictures of sub-tropical plants from Gaoligongshan South western Yunnan, many of the plants would be hardy to half-hardy for us, and lots of them are new to science, hence know name. Hardy Tropicals - View topic - Pictures of plants from Gaoligongshan

01-20-2009, 07:41 AM	#12 (permalink)
griphuz Cold-tolerant collector griphuz's Photo Gallery Location: Netherlands Find me on the map! Zone: 7 - 8a Name: Remko Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 295 BananaBucks : 84,648 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 317 Times Was Thanked 290 Times in 114 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 827 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Strange that Japan apparently does not have it's own Musa species, and Taiwan does,...it's a bit closer to china mainland, ok....but still... Kind regards, Remko.

01-20-2009, 07:54 PM	#13 (permalink)
asacomm asacomm's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 786 BananaBucks : 412,611 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 225 Times Was Thanked 598 Times in 209 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Musa basjoo-Not from Japan? Hello griphuz, It is not strange that there are no originated musas in Japan. Except Ryukyu istands(Okinawa diestricts), the winter is relatively cold enough to record freezing points so often and there was no such a condition where musas grew wild. But during these some hundreds years, not only Basjoos but also other musas including Japanese Fiber bananas and some edible musas had been indtroduced first to the Okinawan districts and then spread to to other regions where the climate are relaritvely comfortable to these plants. Thus especially Basjoos are seen wild everywhere in this country, but even now we can seldom see edible bananas planted outside in the ground any- where except Okinawa near Taiwan.

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