TommyMacLuckie

Anyone have one? I know they still exist. I've been starting to look to get one. Have had zero luck so far. Could someone point me in the right direction if there is one?

Richard

Go up to the top of most any page with the "Blue Bar", beginning with 'User CP', etc. Click on 'Search', then click on 'Advanced Search'. On the left where it says 'Search by Key Word', type in 'Gros Michel', then underneath that, set the criteria to 'Search Titles Only'. Click the 'Search' Button. You will find several threads on the subject and quite a bit of discussion on obtaining the plants.

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Ohio'sBest

I know I did a search a while back(last year) and Central Florida Farms had some.

chong

What they (FF) have is the FHIA-23, which is similar to Gros Michel. However, it is NOT Gros Michel.

BullShark

I would definitely pay for a real Gros Michel pup if only I could find someone willing to part with one! If I could just get ahold of one I have enough land to make plenty for anybody on the board who wants one.

Gabe15

Shucks, I have tons...3 different forms too that are all different heights. 'Gros Michel' which is the tallest at about 15ft, 'Highgate' which is about 10ft, and 'Cocos' which is about 6-8ft. They all make identical (delcious) fruit. I'll see what I can do in terms of propagating these and making them available in the future. I know of some plants in the forest too I could try to collect sooner, I'll see what I can do.

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

Bananaman88

Gabe, I think I speak for us all when I say, "Why haven't you mentioned this before???"! No, I understand- I know you are very busy and the hubbub it would cause by mentioning it could cause you untold anxiety. However, now you've opened the floodgates! No pressure from me, but if you do get around to pursuing this, please put me on the list for one...whichever you can get ahold of the easiest is OK with me. 'Cocos' sounds good, though, since it is a dwarf.

Let me know if I can help you in any way or if you are looking for anything for your collection. I know you have access to most of what you'd be interested in already.

TommyMacLuckie

Include me please. I'd love to get a hold of what was the commercial banana before the Cavendish! I'm gonna have to check in to that place in Florida as well. And someone in New Orleans just let me know they have Majunches from Cuba, of which I have not been able to figure out what it is exactly.

Richard

Gabe ... drop me an email with your address and I'll send you a check. Thanks!

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lorax

I have the original strains and the two "improved" strains that were crossed with Giant Plantain. What I don't have is an export licence (fingers crossed.)

When I get that, you're on my list, Tommy.

Eric

Gabe, Beth.... If either would like to put me on their list, I'd be eternally grateful !!
If nothing else, I'm loaded with time & patience.

john_ny

There seems to be a new-found interest in Gros Michel. I find this very interesting, as these were my first bananas, many years ago.

Background: I had a business, importing aquarium fish. I kept them in little concrete pools, in a greenhouse. Sometimes, when I was in a warm place, I would catch my own. Once, while sitting on a stream bank, in Panama, waiting to get some fish in my trap, I noticed many little palm seedlings, and thought it would be nice to grow some of them between the pools, in the greenhouse, so I brought some back. I then started planting other tropical plants, also. After a while, some customers asked me if the plants were for sale.

My wife is an RN, Operating Room Supervisor. The then Chief of Surgery, at her hospital, and his wife, had a vacation home in Saint Lucia, and invited us down there. I knew that this would be a good place to get tropical plant cuttings, and seeds. I knew nothing about bananas, but thought it would be interesting to bring some back. At that time the island was very closely tied to the U.K. Almost everything they used came from there, (a bottle of catsup, on a restaurant table, had a label that read, "H. J. Heinz & Co., London") and most everything produced on the island, was shipped to the U. K. When I inquired, of the locals, about the bananas, one said he could get me some, and I started to get my education. I was informed that these bananas were Gros Michel, not what we got, in the States. I was told that the British preferred a slightly smaller banana than Americans. I really couldn't notice any difference in taste or appearance. I brought a couple of corms, about the size of bowling balls, back with me.

They grew well, and I learned some more things.
1. They get big. I had brought a couple of them home, and had them in front of a glass patio door, in a finished basement. In short order, they were pushing the tiles out of the suspended ceiling.
2. They get sunburned. I took some to a charity fund raiser flea market, held in a shopping center parking lot. Full sun, with no protection. In a few hours the leaves turned white.

I wish I still had my connections down there. I'm sure there are still plenty of the plants there. There's a picture of me with a bunch of the fruit in the Wicki.

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John

TommyMacLuckie

My interest in the Gros Michel started last year when my girlfriend got me Dan Koeppel's book. Since they are not extinct, I started looking. I do know that Stokes offers a hybrid but I want to see if I can get the real plant.

That's odd that they say the GM is smaller than what the US gets. From what Dan Koeppel said, they were a bit bigger.

Gabe15

Well, you know...theres a lot of things about bananas I haven't mentioned yet! I have a long list of plants I'd like to offer to the group...one day when I can pull it all together and fit it between all the other work/slacking.

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

Bananaman88

I'm sure this is very true, Gabe! We do know you're very busy and hey, everyone deserves to slack off now and then!

Bob

Gabe, in the interest of the .org and botany as a whole, science needs and deserves to know how var."cocos" would fare in Northern New Jersey. As always I am ready and willing to sacrifice for the common good of all( and my stomach).

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john_ny

Tommy, Over the years, I've heard all kinds of things; that they're smaller, bigger, extinct, etc. and more. Like I said, I didn't notice any real difference.

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John

lorax

I can tell you that here in Ec at least, the 'original' strain produces bananas about the same length as standard Cavs or Gran Nains, but a great deal fatter. The 'improved' strains are much larger.

Jack Daw

So in other words, if something's worth doing, it's worth doing the best way and in that case I will wait for Beth's export license and her massive improved GMs. :P

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Thnx to Marcel, Ante, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar and Francesco for the plants I've received.



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hatfam

I would like a Coco if it is similair to a Gros Michel. I will have to grow it in a container.

Thanks
Tom