nph

I have an empty slot around my pool with some partial shade and am considering either a regular Brazilian or a Dwarf Brazilian.
It should also be able to survive in the ground since I live in Dallas, zone 7B or 8A with some heavy mulching etc.
Given this which one would you recommend?

From what I read the fruits are supposed to be equally good tasting but on some sites it seems to indicate zone 9 for regular Brazilian as the survival zone while the Dwarf has a zone 7(!) survival zone indication. Since there is a limit on how any plants I can put in my garage I definitely want the one that is most cold hardy.

Any insights?

Also curious if anyone can compare with Dwarf Orinoco when it comes to taste and hardiness.

Thanks

Richard

Neither will survive zone 9a in the ground year-round, so zone 8 is pure fantasy.

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venturabananas

Both do great in So Cal zone 10. Can't comment on recovery from real cold weather like you get, but my dwarf Brazilians were not any more affected by frost than my dwarf Orinoco. The dwarf Brazilian is a big plant, the ones grown in my neighborhood average about 8-9' p-stem height, with some a bit taller and some a bit shorter. The tall Brazilian is a huge plant. Momoese has a big mat of them at his house and it is impressive. If I recall correctly, his fruit at an average p-stem height of 15'+, with some getting near 20'.

As for a taste comparison with dwarf Orinoco, if you are looking for a dessert fruit, to my taste they aren't even in the same league. Brazilian is vastly better. Just had one this morning. Orinoco is great for cooking and OK for eating out of hand (worse than supermarket Cavendish to me). I know some folks disagree with that low rating of Orinoco as a dessert banana, but different strokes for different folks.

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momoese

I agree.

pitangadiego

Brazilian has far better taste. Tall performs better.

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Dalmatiansoap

whats with 9b?

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Richard

For my tastes, the Dwarf Brazilian is excellent and the Dwarf Namwa is too but they have different variation in flavor. The D. Namwa is the more prolific of the two. The D. Orinoco is not in the same league, but I like the subacid flavor. The bananas sold in the supermarket are bland by comparison.

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momoese

True, my Tall Brazilian/Hawaiian Apples produce much larger bunches than the Dwarf Brazilians do for me.

As for taste and texture, I'm not a big fan of Orinoco or Ice Cream. I'd rather eat a store bought Cavendish.

oakshadows

Having enjoyed many bananas from the plant, in my opimion you might want to get your taste buds analized. Not sure how you are growing yours but ours were always organic and the taste is fantastic. As with any thing one grows the end result is mostly how and what you fed them.

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oakshadows

Store bought. What did they use to grow them? The purpose of the producers is to get as much product one can sell and put it on the market. As for what the fruit tastes like isn't any indication of what they used to produce it. " WE ARE WHAT WE EAT ". As with most of what is available in the store it is the same idea, high production and not worry about the nutrition. i enjoy what I eat since I know what is in it.

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Kostas

Ante,in 9b you do can have or make a 10a microclimate for it so it should be growable for you even if not suitable for 9b(no idea how it fares in 9b though). Your lows and their duration is all that matters. If you grow papaya unprotected,i doubt a banana would have trouble growing. Also,if you have live leafs left on some of your bananas after winter,i also doubt another banana would die in those conditions.

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momoese

My taste buds are just fine thank you very much.

I've organically grown and tasted about 15 different banana varieties. Taste is very subjective. My home grown Cavendish tasted better than any store bought Cavendish, but Orinoco and Ice Cream just don't do it for me flavor or texture wise. Store bought Cavendish are still better than those two bananas IMO.

venturabananas

Where can I buy a taste bud analyzer?

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oakshadows

Guess I will have to wait and see what they taste like. Both are now in our list of growing bananas and hopefully they will prove to taste good to us.
Thanks

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raygrogan

I grow both tall and dwarf Brazilian / apple bananas. I agree the taste is fairly similar, but I have a slight preference for the talls. The talls' fruit also has a better shelf life and the bunch tends to ripen a little at a time vs all at once. Another slight plus of the talls is they have a clean handle at the male end, vs the persistent bracts of the dwarf. The big plus of the dwarf is ease of harvest. Overall both are great bananas and quite different than Cavendish. Good luck poolside. (And if it is cocktail time there, the one big plus of the Cavendish is far better daiquiris.)

oakshadows

at the "bud' weiser store.

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pitangadiego

Somebody has to eat Orinocos, I suppose. Better you than me. After you find that taste bud analyzer, you are in for a shock.

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oakshadows

For my sake I hope you are incorrect.

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buffy

I live in Zone 8A (2 hours due east of Dallas). I've had Dwarf Brazilians for 4 years. Two of those years were pretty nasty. Last year we stayed below freezing for 4-5 days straight. Ultimate lows in the mid 10s. My Dwarf Brazilians did not hesitate to pop back up in the Spring. Currently have 10' of pseudostem. Now if you want fruit in Dallas, you're gonna need some protection. I was able to protect a clump of California Gold in the ground that has fruit on it now, but that was a bit of work.

Rmplmnz

Not so sure anyone is correct or incorrect when it comes to taste "preferences".

99% of the "dooryard" (unknown/unnamed plants that were in the yard when someone moved in or were given by neighbors) bananas grown in central Florida are Orinocos. I have been given so many Orinocos from friends that have said "you grow bananas I have a great banana plant for you". For many years we never grew them as they were so common; but they are durable and we enjoy the taste and texture...but hey my favorite bananas are Hua Moa and Saba..so I like the denser less sweet varieties.