robguz24

I've had Namwah before, but these are the first that I've grown myself. This was sold as Ele Ele. Overall, a great banana. Everyone who has one and thought it would be a Blue Java/Ice Cream should consider themselves lucky.






TEXTURE-soft and creamy on the outer part, with the inner part more chewy, rubbery, corky, a bit spongy. I had someone tell me it was like biting into a big marshmallow. If there is anything off-putting about them, it’s the texture of the inner part. The difference in texture seems to get more pronounced when more ripe.

FIRMNESS-Very firm and dense. A meaty banana. It feels like eating something much more substantial than a DB or Williams of the same size.

SWEETNESS-Sweet to very sweet.

TARTNESS-Almost none to none, especially when very ripe.

RIPENESS-Tasted slightly too ripe. Some black spots on the peel with bruised fruit. Seem best 2-3 days before this stage when they aren’t quite as sweet. Have been eating them for the past 9 days and like them as soon as all the peel is yellow, with maybe a few greenish marks.

FLAVOR-I get a bit of red delicious apple taste. Certainly tastes more like an apple than the DBs that are called “apple bananas” in Hawaii. I’ve tasted ones that seemed more like cantaloupe. When they’re very ripe I also get a caramel/brown sugar taste.

OTHER-I sold several hands of these and got feedback a week later that customers really liked them and wanted more. Locally, the “Misi Luki” and “Kru” that are being sold by certain sellers are actually Namwahs, and I have a big bunch of the Misi Luki Namwahs coming soon. I’ll add that review if it tastes any different.

OVERALL RATING-7.5-8 One of my top 5 bananas. I really like them, but after a week of eating them, the inner texture kind of bothers me. Better with all yellow peel and no black—not quite as sweet and better overall texture that way. These are so far and away superior to the true “Ice Cream” in every way.

SUGGESTED USE-As a dessert banana. I know they can be cooked but I didn’t actually try any cooked. I had a customer tell me he froze them to make “ice cream” out of and he liked it better than with real Ice Cream bananas.

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servatusprime

Any notable differences at all in compariosn with dwarf namwah in overall eating experience? Or if someone blindfolded you would it be almost impossible to tell the difference? Thanks.

crazy banana

Thank you very much for the detailed taste report. I have both, the Tall Namwah ( Loews Blue Java) and the real deal BJ from Jon. The real deal is fruiting right now. Cannot wait to taste it.

robguz24

I doubt it, but haven't had them side by side. My DN has a way to go before I'll taste fruit from it. I've had them before and got hints of cantaloupe, but could just be to differences in growing conditions.

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crazy banana

Rob and other experts: one other question: is there a difference in the number of fruits someone gets if you compare tall and dwarf Namwah? So more fruits, more weight on tall Namwah or is it strictly just a difference in height of p-stem?

caliboy1994

I have a Tall Namwah that may possibly throw a bud this year. I've tasted it, and noted the apple taste as well. As they ripen more, that taste tends to go away and gives way to sweetness. I'm not a fan of the corky center though. Overall, great banana, and definitely one of the best I have tasted.

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venturabananas

I have had them side by side, but only from a single bunch of each. They are very, very similar. I thought the tall Namwah ("Ice Cream Namwah") fruit were slightly better in texture and flavor, but the difference was so slight that I wondered if I was imagining it. I would make the choice of which of these two to grow based on height, not fruit quality because they are so similar.

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Darkman

I have about seven hands hanging on my TN right now but it will be late in the year before I get to taste them.

Many thanks for the detailed taste report. Looking forwrad to everything but the "CENTER" LOL.

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venturabananas

From what I've seen in my yard, there's at least three different "Namwah" varieties that are commonly available in the US: Dwarf, "Misi Luki Namwah", and "Ice Cream Namwah". They rank in height in that order. At flowering for the first time, mine were about 6', 10', and 12', respectively. Subsequent p-stems have bloomed at 7-8' for Dwarf and 15' on "Ice Cream". My "Misi Luki" hasn't flowered for a second time yet, but I assume the next p-stem to bloom on it will be about a couple feet taller. When people here talk about "tall Namwah", I suspect they are mixing up at least two different cultivars that differ somewhat in height and other characteristics (see below).

An important difference to me is that "Misi Luki" doesn't seem to need propping to support the bunch, whereas both the Dwarf and "Ice Cream" do -- at least in my yard.

It's still early days for me, so I don't lots of bunches to compare among, but so far Dwarf and "Misi Luki" have produced similar size bunches, and "Ice Cream" has made somewhat larger bunches. But all make big bunches of fruit. The individual fruit have all been about the same size and same basic flavor and texture.

Because "Ice Cream Namwah" gets so tall in my yard and needs propping, it's a bit of a pain to deal with, and so I plan to get rid of it. It's right up against the fence between me and my neighbor and tends to lean over her driveway and make a mess when it blooms. And it tastes like the other two "Namwah" varieties, so it's not giving me something really different. But if you want a tall, fast growing, bulletproof plant, and don't mind propping the bunches, it's a winner.

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venturabananas

I found that if I left them on the plant as long as possible, they had less of "the center", to the point where it wasn't noticeable -- but the peels split like crazy.

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floridagrower

I agree entirely with venturabananas, but will add my observations.


Compared to "Ice Cream Namwa":

1. "Misi Luki Namwa" is slightly less hardy, with more stem dieback in the winter.
2. "Misi Luki Namwa is slightly more upright and open in growth habit.
3. "Misi Luki Namwa" has proportionately smaller leaves.
4. "Misi Luki Namwa" produces smaller and less frequent bunches.
5. "Misi Luki Namwa" is shorter, as stated below.
6. "Misi Luki Namwa" has the exact same fruit flavor and appearance.

* For these reasons I will probably get rid of "Misi Luki Namwa" over time.

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