Vette-kid

Hello everyone, we have just started some banana plants. After some reading here I have some concerns about how these will compare with traditional store bought bananas. We have California Gold, Dwarf Ornico and a double Mahoi. I love the look of banana plants, so its not a total loss if these end up being not to our liking, but Im getting mixed reviews on the taste of the fruit from these. can anyone give me a good comparison of these to store bought varieties? We eat a LOT of bananas in our house and would love to be able to pluck our own from the back yard, even if just a few. Thanks

beam2050

don't know new here to, but I think you maybe pleased. someone here will be happy to respond I am sure. into hot rods or just vettes.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

Vette-kid

Thanks, either way they are cool looking (especially the Mahoi).

Im into cars in general, currently have an 02Zo6, 78 coupe and a 36 Plymouth P2 all original.

beam2050

built this one from the ground up. also have a 63 falcon convertible and a 77 Camaro.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

Gabe15

Hello and Welcome.

If you're going for the standard supermarket banana experience in your backyard, then I'd say your bar is pretty low. Theres not much to be desired in that experience, and I think if you're to go through all the effort to grow your own bananas, then expanding your criteria for what is a desirable banana-eating experience will result in much more success.

You also live in a relatively marginal area for banana growing climate wise. It can definitely be done, but the choice of varieties which have a chance of doing well is much more limited than in warmer areas. This just depends on the specific tolerances of different varieties, and so the ability to produce fruit at all must supercede potential eating quality in your case.

All that being said, taste is totally subjective, and the same varieties can vary in quality depending on where they were grown, how they are handled, and exactly how you end up using them, so you're never going figure out exactly what you like best until you try it yourself.

Considering the plants you have, 'California Gold' and 'Dwarf Orinoco' are basically the same thing. Their taste and texture is very different from a typical store bought Cavendish type banana, and that upsets people sometimes, but they shouldn't be taken as inferior by any means. They are very hardy plants, and so are some of the most reliable producers in a marginal area such as yours. The fruit is also very versatile, and is useful both as a sweet dessert banana for fresh eating, smoothies etc..., and also as a cooking banana.

The 'Double Mahoi', which should be correctly referred to as 'Double Cavendish' (as the true 'Mahoi'/'Mahoe' is a totally different plant, and possibly extinct), is a type of Cavendish banana whose fruit quality is pretty similar to the store bought ones, they are very closely related. However, the fruit is much smaller, and the plants are not nearly as productive as their commercial cousins. The multi-bunching feature is unstable and often haphazard, resulting in all manner of very interesting but rarely efficient fruit production. In addition, being a Cavendish variety, this cultivar is not considered particularly cold-hardy, and may struggle in your area. Other members in similar climates who may have grown them can hopefully chime in with specific experiences.

I would encourage you to look into trying out 'Namwah' or 'Dwarf Namwah'. They are very hardy, relatively productive, and easy to grow plants. They too are quite different from Cavendish bananas, but don't let that stop you from growing them if you want homegrown bananas. They make really great backyard bananas which can be real work-horses if properly cared for.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Vette-kid

Thanks Gabe, that's great info. I generally really enjoy store bought bananas, although I prefer them a little on the green side and slightly firm still. So yes, taste is subjective. I totally willing to try something different, but want something sweet enough that the kids will eat them too (again, subjective taste, I got it).

The interesting thing about my current varieties is that only the Mahoi (or Cavendish?) was actually bought locally. the other two were ordered from and at the recommendation of green earth company. There are some dwarf green available locally as well. Any info on those relevant to this discussion? Im trying to look these up and learn what I can, but so many different names and different sellers list them differently, they don't always seem to be listed as something that comes up in a search.

Vette-kid

...oh, and where can I find a dwarf namwah?

beam2050

pm pukpukz. he is in Louisiana. probably has them. look at [a corm for you] on new posts. very busy man you will have to be patient. best in town for corms. has a bunch of different types.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

JP

Going bananas in Florida. I bought from them last year and was very satisfied. Good service too. Or members here...

Narnia

[want something sweet enough that the kids will eat them too (again, subjective taste, I got it).

The 'Namwah' is defnately sweet.

Tytaylor77

I'm in a very similar zone as you. 8b close to 9a. Winters vary greatly here this past winter knocked most of mine to the ground. I have fruited any banana I have "tried to". Even gran nain a very cold sensitive cavendish type like your double. It takes work and protection but it can be done easily.

Take pics of your cali gold and show them to us if you can. Get a full plant pic. Also pictures of a leaf close to where it connects to the pstem. You will notice your double is wide open down the leaf channel. And you will notice your dwarf Orinoco is almost closed. The reason I say is because Greenearth does not have cali gold. Agristarts (TC supplier) does not even sell cali gold. This means he is selling another variety as cali gold and sending you either a dwarf cavendish or a dwarf Orinoco.

I have fruited cali gold and to me it's exactly the same as dwarf Orinoco maybe a foot shorter of a plant. Same bananas and same taste.

I like dwarf Orinoco and it's very reliable. In your area it's a mast have. The taste is good to me but not great. My dad, it's his favorite out of all I grow! My main complaint is sometimes it is creamy all the way through and sometimes it has a hard nasty core. When the bananas are just turned yellow you can't tell and I eat them that way. But my favorite way is when they have lots of black. The look very overripe but inside the thick peel they are super creamy and very sweet (it's a different sweet than a store cav). BUT if they have the core you can forget it at that stage. Last year I had 10-12 Orinoco bunches maybe 4 had the core. I have no clue what causes it. Seems like underfilled bunches always have it.

My best producers are:
Veinte cohol - short cycle banana
Dwarf Orinoco
Tall namwa (I haven't fruited dwarf yet)
Brazillian. For me dwarf brazillian does better than tall. They still get 10-12'
Manzano (I'm not crazy about the taste)
Fhia-1 goldfinger (my favorite tasting)

I haven't fruited these but should do great this year:
Patupi - short cycle (planted late and bunch froze)
Sweetheart - short cycle (planted late and bunch froze)
SH3640


Do a search for Veinte cohol and short cycle bananas doing this works great in our zone! We have a long enough season for some to produce in one season. Other normal varieties take around 300 days average for me to get a flower. Then another 4-5 months to ripen. So you have to get the pstem through the winter.

PM me anytime. I have all kinds of pups. For common varieties I normally just charge $10 a corm plus the actual shipping. I'm not a seller but I'm happy to make sure people get the correct varieties they ordered and want. It really sucks to find out you was sent the wrong Plant when it blooms 2 years after you bought it.


Pm me if you want I can show you lots and lots of pictures and tell you the methods I use.

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Vette-kid

I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow. The ornico definitely looks different from the California golds. I got both the dwarf Orinoco and the California gold from him.

Vette-kid

I am active on several forums, for some reason I can't figure out pictures over this one. ..grrr

Tytaylor77

The correct/real California gold should look just like the Orinoco. I can't even tell them apart most times. If there is a difference it's the height. And only by a foot or less when full grown. I'm pretty sure Ted Taylor (no relation) at Green Earth sends dwarf cavendish as California gold. He does send some big healthy plants though.

Send him an email and ask him "Agristarts does not TC cali gold. Are yours the real cali gold or something else?" He is a very very nice and honest man. He will tell you himself.

Just post some pics and we can variety. I'm 99% your cali gold is a dwarf cavendish. This "swapping" varieties to make sales and mislabeling is the main reason I do not buy TC plants anymore. Corms from a member here who has fruited the plant is the only way to go.

Here is the most common mixed up/swapped bananas:

Blue Java Ice Cream = Tall Namwa (unless your buying a TC from going bananas in FL your not gonna get the real ice cream banana.)

Cali gold = dwarf Orinoco or dwarf cavendish
Raja Puri = dwarf cavendish
Mona Lisa = dwarf cavendish

There is lots of others!

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Tytaylor77

On the pics try uploading to your gallery then it will give you a code to copy and paste it here. If they are not uploading make them smaller by resizing or just crop them a little. Usually works for me.

Good luck. The photo method here is a little "tricky" haha

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150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more!

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Vette-kid

This is what I recurve as a California gold.

Vette-kid

For comparison, this is what I got as a dwarf Orinoco



And a double Mahoi

sputinc7

If you have ever had a "Burro" banana, sometimes erroneously called a plantain, that is Orinoco as I understand it. Not much flavor out of hand, but many claim they are good cooked. I have not tried one when all brown, and some say they are pretty good then.
Our local Home Depot had a few "Hua Moa" plants this year, and I was tempted, but would have to brea sod to plant it as my gardens are full. Those are considered cooking bananas, but are very tasty when eaten yellow, but tend to have that "core issue" TT spoke of earlier.

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Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Tytaylor77

Plants look good! I still can't tell they are way to small. A lot of their features and "look" will not show up until they are a little bigger. It won't be long they grow fast! After they get a couple foot tall post more pics and we will try again. They are for sure different from each other it looks. Just like you said. The lack of wine spots and the light color of the pstem has me very curious. Keep us updated!

Yes the burro banana. If you have a local Asian store try there. Also some grocery stores have them. Big around short straight banana/plantain. They aren't as good as fresh off the bunch ones but you can try. They also still have the core sometimes.

Does the core bother anyone else? I can't stand it. Makes it inedible almost. I eat around it sometimes. I find if you let them very slow slow ripe like hanging green Orinoco does they always have it worse. If you fast ripe them with an apple they aren't as bad. I'm gonna do some experiments this year with that and ethylene gas.

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150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more!

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Little Belle

Neither can I!