tbennett93

What are people's top 5 fruiting cold hardy banana varieties?

I'm also looking for pups / seeds so if anyone here can point me in the right direction that would be great.

Thanks,
Tom

wstrickland1

In my yard (8-B/9-A) I've managed fruit from Orinoco, Namwah, Blue Java and Praying Hands. No luck with Dwarf Red, Grand Nain, Patupi, Viente Cohol or Lacatan, not yet anyway. Short of digging them up and all that jazz I don't think those will.

cincinnana

Here is a nursery for plants in U.S
.I ship to the UK and Canada
For U.K.Nurserys you will need to do a more localized search.
Here is a partial cold hardy list from the cold hardy thread of recommendations.
This was based on forum members experiences in similiar grow zones
Do read the whole thread because many other experiences with cool weather plants are discussed.
You can probably make your decision from that thread based on availability
The cold hardy list

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tbennett93

Many thanks for this! Did you buy all these plants established or as pups ? Can you grow any of these varieties from seed?

tbennett93

Ahhh yes I did have a look at that! Interesting for sure... just a bit pricey but I understand why. UK nursery very hard to find but I can do more research.

Thanks for that list, this helps. Do you know which of these you can grow from seed?

wstrickland1

Namwah---Tissue Culture

Praying Hands----Tissue Culture

Orinoco----Pup

Blue Java-----Pup

drone

Idk why, but UK only has cavendish and its subgroup like gran naine, sikkimensis, lasiocarpia, basjoo and a few other diploids like cheesemanii. The variety is so small compared to USA. It’s slowly changing with tissue culture of Musa Florida becoming more common but expensive. I think as the demand isn’t there as not many people grow exotic banana in a cold country. We have a large range of tomatoes or cucumbers ect. There’s naturally less availability when demand is less. But it’s slowly changing.

drone

[quote=tbennett93;350593]What are people's top 5 fruiting cold hardy banana varieties?

I'm also looking for pups / seeds so if anyone here can point me in the right direction that would be great.

Turnittropical have plants occasionally

But if u want more variety, either play the waiting game or import or ask very nicely to some of the UK members in the group!

peterentwistle

It's quite hard to source edible cultivars here in the UK, even more so after Brexit since importing from the EU has gotten more difficult. I did recently manage to get some from Canarius (based in Tenerife), but it's definitely a pricey option. There is a seller in the UK that was selling tissue cultured Namwahs on eBay that I recently bought from. I have been experimenting with growing a few different varieties outside both in containers and in the ground. I've found my Rajapuri and Dwarf Orinoco have done fairly well, my Manzano also seems to have done ok too, but they all grow so much slower than they would in a region that gets hot summers. My Musa basjoo is really the only banana plant that has grown at a decent rate outdoors. I'm planning to try overwintering a Dwarf Orinoco outside with protection as I do with my basjoo, the rest I'll probably dig up and bring inside for the winter.

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