Can male bananas "set"

sbl · 08-11-2009, 12:15 PM

My Raji Puri seems to have some of the male bananas that have "set"--several hands above and below have dropped, but a few hands seem to be still solidly attached and perhaps even grown some--they are clearly different from the female bananas--short straight and stubby. Will these eventually drop, or is it possible they will actually mature into short stubby naners?

Richard · 08-11-2009, 11:27 PM

Well Sbl, no one has responded to your query yet! Try posting a picture ...

bencelest · 08-11-2009, 11:40 PM

I am confused with male bananas that have 'set'. I thought all male banana flowers are set to drop and die. And that they are not to set any fingers.

Patty in Wisc · 08-12-2009, 12:25 AM

I didn't know there are male & female nanas. (?)

bencelest · 08-12-2009, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patty in Wisc

I didn't know there are male & female nanas. (?)

I did not know it either until Joe pointed to me when my Calif Gold set fruit.
He said that female flowers are the ones that set fruit the ones that comes out first with large fingers and the last ones that have no fingers but only flowers at the end of the stem that dried out right away are the male flowers.

Jack Daw · 08-12-2009, 01:39 AM

I read somewhere here someone asking, whether it was poisonous, if his African neighbours ate both male and female flowers, so it's possible that they develop to some edible point.

Patty in Wisc · 08-12-2009, 02:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Daw

I read somewhere here someone asking, whether it was poisonous, if his African neighbours ate both male and female flowers, so it's possible that they develop to some edible point.

Sorry Jack, I don't understand what you are saying:
If African neighbors eat male & female flowers, it is poisonous?
"Edible point"??

bencelest · 08-12-2009, 02:07 AM

I was going to ask that to Jack too . You beat me to it.
I know he is just telling a joke but I don't get it.
But if you just take it at face value, eating banana flowers raw is out of the question because the sap is sooooo bitter (Ithink)
The reason I said bitter is because we eat banana blossoms COOKED. But sometimes in the process of cooking the blossoms were only half cooked and if you eat it they were very bitter.

Patty in Wisc · 08-12-2009, 02:36 AM

Thanks Benny. I read before that your wife & others cook the flower & you all love it.
I'm sure you cut the flower off after the nanas bloom? Or, you won't get any nanas.
Some ppl cut the flower off & throw it away after the nanas bloom to give more energy to the plant (so i read). Oh, just give me a flower...just ONE. When the nanas bloom, I will cut it off & cook & eat it! Just give me a flower please!

Gabe15 · 08-12-2009, 02:40 AM

Raja Puri has persistent male flowers (along with many other varieties), so they will hang on but not develop into fruit. Sometimes, there are transitional flower which are like a mix of female and male flowers, they sometimes grow a little but never fully develop or if they do, are much smaller than the normal female flowers. The transition from female to male is not always smooth, so sometimes there are some full male flowers followed by transitional flowers, then followed by more full male flowers.

Patty in Wisc · 08-12-2009, 03:01 AM

Thanks Gabe. I need a flower to understand this more. Personal experience is best.

Jack Daw · 08-12-2009, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patty in Wisc

Sorry Jack, I don't understand what you are saying:
If African neighbors eat male & female flowers, it is poisonous?
"Edible point"??

Nope, someone asked here on the forum, whether those flowers were poisonous (as he had thought)?
Because, as a contradiction to what he thought, he saw his African neighbours eat it (they eat it normally in Africa) and thus found out, that they are edible. So he asked, whether all those flowers were edible (not only certain cultivars) and whether they can be eaten as normal bananas.
Is it better? Hope this clears it up.
And someone answered:
Yes, eating both - male and female flowers is common practice in Africa, just as much as eating corm and wrapping food with banana leaves.

Bananaman88 · 08-12-2009, 06:24 AM

Gabe- the "transitional" flowers are basically hermaphroditic, correct?

sbl · 08-12-2009, 09:22 AM

Thanks Gabe, what you describe seems to fit, but I will go get a picture to post so others can see what we are talking about.

sbl · 08-12-2009, 09:48 AM

You can see several places where the male flowers appeared and then dropped, then some that have dropped the flower, but are still firmly attached. The female fruit is visible at the top.

Gabe15 · 08-12-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bananaman88

Gabe- the "transitional" flowers are basically hermaphroditic, correct?

Depending on the variety, all of the flowers may be morphologically hermaphroditic, but only functionally male or female, functionally neither (as is the case with sterile flowers), or the "female" flowers may actually be functionally hermaphroditic. The transitional flowers can be thought of as more intermediate in a morphological sense, as they transition from the either full female/mostly female flowers to full male/mostly male flowers. The functionality of the flowers depends on the variety, there is a very wide range of function between all the different species and cultivars.

bencelest · 08-12-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patty in Wisc

Thanks Benny. I read before that your wife & others cook the flower & you all love it.
I'm sure you cut the flower off after the nanas bloom? Or, you won't get any nanas.
Some ppl cut the flower off & throw it away after the nanas bloom to give more energy to the plant (so i read). Oh, just give me a flower...just ONE. When the nanas bloom, I will cut it off & cook & eat it! Just give me a flower please!

Patty:
I know and understand your frustration to have at least one of your bananas flower. And you have been waiting for a long time.
I thought mine will never flower until after 2 years or more and then whalaa.... out of the blue and unexpected....... I got one.
My personal reason why I grow bananas in the first place is for the leaves only never expecting them to flower.
But I changed my mind since then.

sbl · 08-12-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15

Depending on the variety, all of the flowers may be morphologically hermaphroditic, but only functionally male or female, functionally neither (as is the case with sterile flowers), or the "female" flowers may actually be functionally hermaphroditic. The transitional flowers can be thought of as more intermediate in a morphological sense, as they transition from the either full female/mostly female flowers to full male/mostly male flowers. The functionality of the flowers depends on the variety, there is a very wide range of function between all the different species and cultivars.

I am guessing that the hand under the leaf on the top left is a bunch of transitional flowers/fruit--they are not curved like the females to the right but are longer than the short stubby males at the bottom.

bencelest · 08-12-2009, 03:39 PM

I am guessing that those will never amount to anything to eat. Even as the fruit matures and turn yellow, there would be no 'meat' to eat inside those banana fingers. I remember when I was a kid, I tried to pry open those fingers and none edible I can find inside it.

sbl · 08-16-2009, 04:34 PM

Thinking about what Gabe said about the transition between female and male flowers--I am guessing that there is a differentation process going on here--probably male to female.

Does anyone know if that is what is happening and if there are any factors that affect the process and when?

08-11-2009, 12:15 PM	#1 (permalink)
sbl sbl's Photo Gallery Location: Pensacola, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8/9 Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,013 BananaBucks : 67,276 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 177 Times Was Thanked 732 Times in 395 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 154 Times	Can male bananas "set" My Raji Puri seems to have some of the male bananas that have "set"--several hands above and below have dropped, but a few hands seem to be still solidly attached and perhaps even grown some--they are clearly different from the female bananas--short straight and stubby. Will these eventually drop, or is it possible they will actually mature into short stubby naners?

08-11-2009, 11:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 561,973 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,543 Times in 4,721 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" Well Sbl, no one has responded to your query yet! Try posting a picture ... __________________ Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

08-11-2009, 11:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
bencelest Banana Nut bencelest's Photo Gallery Location: California Zone 9 Zone: 9 Name: Benny Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,058 BananaBucks : 193,398 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 1,415 Times in 653 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" I am confused with male bananas that have 'set'. I thought all male banana flowers are set to drop and die. And that they are not to set any fingers. __________________ Banana Nut

08-12-2009, 12:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
Patty in Wisc tropical nut Patty in Wisc's Photo Gallery Zone: 5 Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,115 BananaBucks : 349,016 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,946 Times Was Thanked 2,510 Times in 1,203 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 69 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" I didn't know there are male & female nanas. (?) __________________ Got a lite? Patty ____ Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

08-12-2009, 01:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Jack Daw I think with my banana ;) Jack Daw's Photo Gallery Location: BA, SK, CEU Find me on the map! Zone: Dfa (Köppen-geiger) <-> 7b/8a? (USDA) Name: Jack Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 3,525 BananaBucks : 214,188 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,771 Times Was Thanked 2,461 Times in 1,355 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 383 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" I read somewhere here someone asking, whether it was poisonous, if his African neighbours ate both male and female flowers, so it's possible that they develop to some edible point. __________________ Thnx to Marcel, Ante, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar and *Francesco* for the plants I've received. Zeitgeist - Corporatocracy 101 (~2hrs) Zeitgeist - Moving Forward (~2.5hrs)

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08-12-2009, 02:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
bencelest Banana Nut bencelest's Photo Gallery Location: California Zone 9 Zone: 9 Name: Benny Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,058 BananaBucks : 193,398 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 1,415 Times in 653 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" I was going to ask that to Jack too . You beat me to it. I know he is just telling a joke but I don't get it. But if you just take it at face value, eating banana flowers raw is out of the question because the sap is sooooo bitter (Ithink) The reason I said bitter is because we eat banana blossoms COOKED. But sometimes in the process of cooking the blossoms were only half cooked and if you eat it they were very bitter. __________________ Banana Nut

08-12-2009, 02:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
Patty in Wisc tropical nut Patty in Wisc's Photo Gallery Zone: 5 Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,115 BananaBucks : 349,016 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,946 Times Was Thanked 2,510 Times in 1,203 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 69 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" Thanks Benny. I read before that your wife & others cook the flower & you all love it. I'm sure you cut the flower off after the nanas bloom? Or, you won't get any nanas. Some ppl cut the flower off & throw it away after the nanas bloom to give more energy to the plant (so i read). Oh, just give me a flower...just ONE. When the nanas bloom, I will cut it off & cook & eat it! Just give me a flower please! __________________ Got a lite? Patty ____ Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

08-12-2009, 02:40 AM	#10 (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 : 13,351,067 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,241 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" Raja Puri has persistent male flowers (along with many other varieties), so they will hang on but not develop into fruit. Sometimes, there are transitional flower which are like a mix of female and male flowers, they sometimes grow a little but never fully develop or if they do, are much smaller than the normal female flowers. The transition from female to male is not always smooth, so sometimes there are some full male flowers followed by transitional flowers, then followed by more full male flowers. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

08-12-2009, 03:01 AM	#11 (permalink)
Patty in Wisc tropical nut Patty in Wisc's Photo Gallery Zone: 5 Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,115 BananaBucks : 349,016 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,946 Times Was Thanked 2,510 Times in 1,203 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 69 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" Thanks Gabe. I need a flower to understand this more. Personal experience is best. __________________ Got a lite? Patty ____ Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

08-12-2009, 06:24 AM	#13 (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 : 223,140 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" Gabe- the "transitional" flowers are basically hermaphroditic, correct?

08-12-2009, 09:22 AM	#14 (permalink)
sbl sbl's Photo Gallery Location: Pensacola, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8/9 Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,013 BananaBucks : 67,276 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 177 Times Was Thanked 732 Times in 395 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 154 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" Thanks Gabe, what you describe seems to fit, but I will go get a picture to post so others can see what we are talking about.

08-12-2009, 09:48 AM	#15 (permalink)
sbl sbl's Photo Gallery Location: Pensacola, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8/9 Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,013 BananaBucks : 67,276 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 177 Times Was Thanked 732 Times in 395 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 154 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" You can see several places where the male flowers appeared and then dropped, then some that have dropped the flower, but are still firmly attached. The female fruit is visible at the top.

08-12-2009, 03:39 PM	#19 (permalink)
bencelest Banana Nut bencelest's Photo Gallery Location: California Zone 9 Zone: 9 Name: Benny Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,058 BananaBucks : 193,398 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 1,415 Times in 653 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" I am guessing that those will never amount to anything to eat. Even as the fruit matures and turn yellow, there would be no 'meat' to eat inside those banana fingers. I remember when I was a kid, I tried to pry open those fingers and none edible I can find inside it. __________________ Banana Nut

08-16-2009, 04:34 PM	#20 (permalink)
sbl sbl's Photo Gallery Location: Pensacola, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8/9 Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,013 BananaBucks : 67,276 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 177 Times Was Thanked 732 Times in 395 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 154 Times	Re: Can male bananas "set" Thinking about what Gabe said about the transition between female and male flowers--I am guessing that there is a differentation process going on here--probably male to female. Does anyone know if that is what is happening and if there are any factors that affect the process and when?

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