Musa Rubinea.

bananaman · 08-07-2006, 04:31 PM

Hello friends,
I have purchased this Summer a growing tuber of Musa Rubinea.
I have a modest collection of about 25 plants of various varieties but added Rubinea to my collection because the UK importers had obtained the corms from "Nature Products" in China and the plant looked spectacular and very deep red.
It cost ten times more than my previous most expensive plant but at the moment I find it somewhat dissapointing.
Its growth is slow even though it is in a large (12") pot, we have had a dry sunny Summer and it has been well fed and watered.
It is about 15" tall and shows no sign of ANY Redness in the leaves.
It looks more like Cavendish or Velutina.
Does anyone (Gabe) have any experience of this cultivar?
Am I just being impatient.?
Will try to send an image soon.
Thanks for your help.

Zac in NC · 08-07-2006, 08:19 PM

Gabe has it, and I got my start of it from him. In my experience, it is a very vigorous grower. It went from 3 stems in MAy to 9 stems at the present time. Gabe and I just had a discussion last night Re: rubinea. He can elaborate if he wants. I just know it is the best grower I have out of several species and varieties.

Zac

GATrops · 08-07-2006, 08:48 PM

Hi Bananaman and Zac,

If you get a chance, take a look at your Rubinea and see if it has a papery, looking piece of tissue that extends from the sides of the leaf petiole where it joins the pseudostem. Here is a picture of what I am trying to describe.

Richard

Zac in NC · 08-07-2006, 08:53 PM

Yeah mine has that. BTW, Gabe showed me the pic of the flower. Congrats on that.

Zac

GATrops · 08-07-2006, 09:28 PM

Thanks Zac. You mentioned the flower, here is the image.

Zac in NC · 08-07-2006, 11:57 PM

Richard- That is a great flower shot, although it was a shocker to me when Gabe showed me it last night. I was expecting red or orange, not pinky purple. Well, as Gabe said, it IS a vigorous grower and a nice looking plant, so I'll take it. Keep us updated on the flower as it continues to grow and develop. I will be interested in seing what the male bud looks like.

Zac

bigdog · 08-08-2006, 08:08 PM

I wish I hadn't killed mine

. I would like to try it again.

Gee, I'm with you, Zac. I thought the flower would have been much more red! From the picture on the Nature Products website, it looks solid red:

Growing conditions, soil, or something else to blame there? What was your source, Richard? Did you pollinate it, and if so, with what?

By the way, is it just me, or is Nature Products very proud of their plants? Have you seen the price for a .5 kg (just over a pound) corm of musa rubinea??? 130 euros! That amounts to about $167 US!!!!

GATrops · 08-08-2006, 09:31 PM

Zac & Frank- I am very sure the bloom in the picture is actually a M. Mannii. (The plant was supposed to be M. Rubinea.) I have pollinated it using several different pollen sources on the various hands but it is too early to say how many of them took. I'll keep you posted.

I really like the contrast between the yellow/green of the fruit and the pink/purple of the stem on the plant.

Richard

bananaman · 08-09-2006, 08:08 AM

Hello again,
Thank you for that interesting note about those "papery things" on the stems.
Checked last night and they are there , indeed very pronounced.
So thats a relief ....
At least it looks like I have got the real thing.
Noted how much the tubers are likely to cost you guys over the pond.
Looks like my £40 ($26 ) was not so bad after all !!
Still dissapointed in it although as a tuber it might take a season to get going.
I was more interested in the reddish leaves than the bloom.
One day I will learn how to post pictures and let you see my collection.
I am particularly proud of a Basjoo as tall as my house....
Happy growing and thanks again for your expert help as always.

GATrops · 08-09-2006, 10:28 AM

Bananaman- Would you mind telling us where you got your plant?

bigdog · 08-09-2006, 10:46 AM

Richard, that makes sense. Looks like a very healthy mannii though, if that's any consolation

! Good luck on getting some seeds. Beautiful picture, too.

Bananaman, I'm pretty sure that the leaves of m. rubinea are green, with red in the pseudostem and petioles. Here's another picture from Nature Products website, m. rubinea in the foreground:

Zac in NC · 08-09-2006, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GATrops

Bananaman- Would you mind telling us where you got your plant?

Yeah that was definitely a deal. Could we see pics of yours?

Zac

bananaman · 08-09-2006, 02:43 PM

I made contact with a UK importer of Musa Rubinea via the "Nature Products " website.
Their agents in UK are called "Orchid supplies / Worldwide Exotics"
They can be contacted at www.info@orchidsupplies.co.uk.
I found them to be a good supplier and the plant was sent promptly and well packed in a large enough pot to keep the plant going all this Summer.
I will be studying how to post a picture over the next few days (I know its easy but I am not a young man !!!).
If you need any more help then I will be more than pleased....its nice for me to help you guys rather than the other way round as is usually the case.
Best regards and thank you for your enthusiasm.
Sidney Parker.

PaulOdin · 08-09-2006, 02:54 PM

Bananaman, I wish I'd run into you when I was trading dollars for pounds last May. Check your rate of exchange. It still looks like a good deal, however.

bananaman · 08-09-2006, 03:06 PM

OOPS,
See what you mean regarding my maths....
Current exchange rate = $1.82 per £ which makes $72.80.
This is why you are rich and I am but a poor Englishman.!!!
Maybe I can use some of these strong pounds to obtain an AE AE.
(My lifelong ambition!!)
Thanks for your note ,
Best regards.

GATrops · 08-10-2006, 10:53 PM

One interesting thing about the bloom in the picture. There are no male flowers. After the female flowers opened, the rest of the bracts are empty.

First time I've seen this in an ornamental.

Zac in NC · 08-11-2006, 12:08 AM

Well, that is weird. The plot thickens....

Zac

GATrops · 08-11-2006, 08:45 PM

Below are a few pictures of the bloom that show the absence of the male flowers.

I have never seen this before this early in the bloom.

Zac in NC · 08-11-2006, 09:02 PM

Well that is interesting. I do recognize the leaves on that plant. I wonder of they all look like that, or if it is just the clone Gabe has. I know my plant came from him. Thanks GABE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It quickly climbed my ladder of favorite bananas. It is just that vigorous. I think mine is between 1/3 and 1/2 grown. I have about 16 inches of pseudostem. How much does yours have? Just trying to gauge how big they are when they reach blooming size.

Zac

bigdog · 08-11-2006, 09:24 PM

That is strange. Maybe the male flowers are further on up the inflorescence? Maybe those were supposed to be more female flowers and were aborted very early? Just conjecturing here. Let us know if you do indeed find any male flowers!

08-07-2006, 04:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
bananaman Member Location: West Midlands England. Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 54 BananaBucks : 51,468 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Musa Rubinea. Hello friends, I have purchased this Summer a growing tuber of Musa Rubinea. I have a modest collection of about 25 plants of various varieties but added Rubinea to my collection because the UK importers had obtained the corms from "Nature Products" in China and the plant looked spectacular and very deep red. It cost ten times more than my previous most expensive plant but at the moment I find it somewhat dissapointing. Its growth is slow even though it is in a large (12") pot, we have had a dry sunny Summer and it has been well fed and watered. It is about 15" tall and shows no sign of ANY Redness in the leaves. It looks more like Cavendish or Velutina. Does anyone (Gabe) have any experience of this cultivar? Am I just being impatient.? Will try to send an image soon. Thanks for your help.

08-07-2006, 08:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zac in NC Plant Nerd Extrordinaire Location: Harlingen, Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley Find me on the map! Zone: 10b/11a? Name: Zac Hill Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 265 BananaBucks : 24,494 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9 Times Was Thanked 54 Times in 39 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Gabe has it, and I got my start of it from him. In my experience, it is a very vigorous grower. It went from 3 stems in MAy to 9 stems at the present time. Gabe and I just had a discussion last night Re: rubinea. He can elaborate if he wants. I just know it is the best grower I have out of several species and varieties. Zac

08-07-2006, 08:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
GATrops Member GATrops's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 153 BananaBucks : 62,717 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 42 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Hi Bananaman and Zac, If you get a chance, take a look at your Rubinea and see if it has a papery, looking piece of tissue that extends from the sides of the leaf petiole where it joins the pseudostem. Here is a picture of what I am trying to describe. Richard

08-07-2006, 08:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
Zac in NC Plant Nerd Extrordinaire Location: Harlingen, Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley Find me on the map! Zone: 10b/11a? Name: Zac Hill Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 265 BananaBucks : 24,494 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9 Times Was Thanked 54 Times in 39 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Yeah mine has that. BTW, Gabe showed me the pic of the flower. Congrats on that. Zac

08-07-2006, 09:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
GATrops Member GATrops's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 153 BananaBucks : 62,717 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 42 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Thanks Zac. You mentioned the flower, here is the image.

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08-07-2006, 11:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
Zac in NC Plant Nerd Extrordinaire Location: Harlingen, Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley Find me on the map! Zone: 10b/11a? Name: Zac Hill Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 265 BananaBucks : 24,494 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9 Times Was Thanked 54 Times in 39 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Richard- That is a great flower shot, although it was a shocker to me when Gabe showed me it last night. I was expecting red or orange, not pinky purple. Well, as Gabe said, it IS a vigorous grower and a nice looking plant, so I'll take it. Keep us updated on the flower as it continues to grow and develop. I will be interested in seing what the male bud looks like. Zac

08-08-2006, 08:08 PM	#7 (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 : 753,718 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 213 Times Was Thanked 1,788 Times in 503 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. I wish I hadn't killed mine . I would like to try it again. Gee, I'm with you, Zac. I thought the flower would have been much more red! From the picture on the Nature Products website, it looks solid red: Growing conditions, soil, or something else to blame there? What was your source, Richard? Did you pollinate it, and if so, with what? By the way, is it just me, or is Nature Products very proud of their plants? Have you seen the price for a .5 kg (just over a pound) corm of musa rubinea??? 130 euros! That amounts to about $167 US!!!!

08-08-2006, 09:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
GATrops Member GATrops's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 153 BananaBucks : 62,717 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 42 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Zac & Frank- I am very sure the bloom in the picture is actually a M. Mannii. (The plant was supposed to be M. Rubinea.) I have pollinated it using several different pollen sources on the various hands but it is too early to say how many of them took. I'll keep you posted. I really like the contrast between the yellow/green of the fruit and the pink/purple of the stem on the plant. Richard

08-09-2006, 08:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
bananaman Member Location: West Midlands England. Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 54 BananaBucks : 51,468 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Hello again, Thank you for that interesting note about those "papery things" on the stems. Checked last night and they are there , indeed very pronounced. So thats a relief .... At least it looks like I have got the real thing. Noted how much the tubers are likely to cost you guys over the pond. Looks like my £40 ($26 ) was not so bad after all !! Still dissapointed in it although as a tuber it might take a season to get going. I was more interested in the reddish leaves than the bloom. One day I will learn how to post pictures and let you see my collection. I am particularly proud of a Basjoo as tall as my house.... Happy growing and thanks again for your expert help as always.

08-09-2006, 10:28 AM	#10 (permalink)
GATrops Member GATrops's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 153 BananaBucks : 62,717 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 42 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Bananaman- Would you mind telling us where you got your plant?

08-09-2006, 10:46 AM	#11 (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 : 753,718 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 213 Times Was Thanked 1,788 Times in 503 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Richard, that makes sense. Looks like a very healthy mannii though, if that's any consolation ! Good luck on getting some seeds. Beautiful picture, too. Bananaman, I'm pretty sure that the leaves of m. rubinea are green, with red in the pseudostem and petioles. Here's another picture from Nature Products website, m. rubinea in the foreground:

08-09-2006, 02:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
bananaman Member Location: West Midlands England. Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 54 BananaBucks : 51,468 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. I made contact with a UK importer of Musa Rubinea via the "Nature Products " website. Their agents in UK are called "Orchid supplies / Worldwide Exotics" They can be contacted at www.info@orchidsupplies.co.uk. I found them to be a good supplier and the plant was sent promptly and well packed in a large enough pot to keep the plant going all this Summer. I will be studying how to post a picture over the next few days (I know its easy but I am not a young man !!!). If you need any more help then I will be more than pleased....its nice for me to help you guys rather than the other way round as is usually the case. Best regards and thank you for your enthusiasm. Sidney Parker.

08-09-2006, 02:54 PM	#14 (permalink)
PaulOdin Muddy handed ditch digger Location: Leesburg, FL Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 137 BananaBucks : 42,152 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Bananaman, I wish I'd run into you when I was trading dollars for pounds last May. Check your rate of exchange. It still looks like a good deal, however.

08-09-2006, 03:06 PM	#15 (permalink)
bananaman Member Location: West Midlands England. Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 54 BananaBucks : 51,468 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 7 Times in 5 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. OOPS, See what you mean regarding my maths.... Current exchange rate = $1.82 per £ which makes $72.80. This is why you are rich and I am but a poor Englishman.!!! Maybe I can use some of these strong pounds to obtain an AE AE. (My lifelong ambition!!) Thanks for your note , Best regards.

08-10-2006, 10:53 PM	#16 (permalink)
GATrops Member GATrops's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 153 BananaBucks : 62,717 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 42 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. One interesting thing about the bloom in the picture. There are no male flowers. After the female flowers opened, the rest of the bracts are empty. First time I've seen this in an ornamental.

08-11-2006, 12:08 AM	#17 (permalink)
Zac in NC Plant Nerd Extrordinaire Location: Harlingen, Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley Find me on the map! Zone: 10b/11a? Name: Zac Hill Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 265 BananaBucks : 24,494 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9 Times Was Thanked 54 Times in 39 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Well, that is weird. The plot thickens.... Zac

08-11-2006, 08:45 PM	#18 (permalink)
GATrops Member GATrops's Photo Gallery Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 153 BananaBucks : 62,717 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 42 Times in 17 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Below are a few pictures of the bloom that show the absence of the male flowers. I have never seen this before this early in the bloom.

08-11-2006, 09:02 PM	#19 (permalink)
Zac in NC Plant Nerd Extrordinaire Location: Harlingen, Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley Find me on the map! Zone: 10b/11a? Name: Zac Hill Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 265 BananaBucks : 24,494 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9 Times Was Thanked 54 Times in 39 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. Well that is interesting. I do recognize the leaves on that plant. I wonder of they all look like that, or if it is just the clone Gabe has. I know my plant came from him. Thanks GABE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It quickly climbed my ladder of favorite bananas. It is just that vigorous. I think mine is between 1/3 and 1/2 grown. I have about 16 inches of pseudostem. How much does yours have? Just trying to gauge how big they are when they reach blooming size. Zac

08-11-2006, 09:24 PM	#20 (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 : 753,718 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 213 Times Was Thanked 1,788 Times in 503 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	Re: Musa Rubinea. That is strange. Maybe the male flowers are further on up the inflorescence? Maybe those were supposed to be more female flowers and were aborted very early? Just conjecturing here. Let us know if you do indeed find any male flowers!

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