Banana ID

[DiCasS]

Can anyone id this banana please. All I know is it came from Malaysia, at first thought it might be a basjoo, but has grown with slight red markings to the leaves (plain green on the back) and the pstem has a pink tinge. I can't see any images of baby nanas when I've looked on the net and in books for Malaysia, just stands of what they call 'wild bananas'.
Its also marked badly since putting it outside earlier on in the year. Is it perhaps a variation of a basjoo? Heres a couple of photos.

Thanks

Di

[Dave Brown]

Difficult one Di

IMO it is not basjoo, and given that 99.999% of bananas are not hardy here, I'll stick my neck out and say "it not hardy" BUT how much not hardy, is more difficult. Coming from Malaysia it could be an absolutely tropical banana like Siam Ruby which is only happy above 15C.

[Vagetarian]

It definitely doesn't look like basjoo to me either, pstem and petioles are quite different.

It looks quite a lot like a plant that was sold to me as Musa mannii, although I don't think that's the correct ID. Mine has no markings to the leaves and a lot less pink to the p-stem/petioles. Structurally, it looks almost identical.

[flounder]

actually looks like a plantain of some sort

[DiCasS]

I'm at a loss tbh, but done some more googling and acuminata keeps popping up, but really have no idea.

Where this was taken from there was a small clearing and none nearby that I could see, but guess there must have been some there at some stage, maybe seed drop, as it pulled up easily with just a few small roots attached.

Whatever it is, is certainly isn't happy with this Summer - probably end up spending a lot more time than I want, in the conservatory.

Ruby I found to be a pain as well, needing lots of attention and couldn't seem to get it right with temperature and watering in the Winter - hope this one doesn't end up the same, but saying that, I must have been doing something right as it seemed to do okay over Winter in the conservatory. It'll be coming in soon.

Thanks guys

Di

[grub]

My money would be on Acuminata Di, it's a common Nana in Malaysia with much written about it's genetic diversity.

[DiCasS]

The more I search the more I'm leaning towards that as well Grub. Earlier on today though, I e-mailed a friend over there, he knows the area where I got it from so am hoping he can give me a positive id. I'm waiting for a reply and if he's got a definite id, I'll report back.

Cheers.

Di

[DiCasS]

After emailing as much info as I could to our guide, he is almost sure the banana is Musa (Okanaiwa Banana), he sent me a pic

securedownload.jpg (8.65 KiB) Viewed 1667 times

I don't know anything about this nana, so if anyone has any info on how to keep it going long term over here, it would be great.

Cheers

Di

[Adrian]

Di, have a look on bananas.org they'll sort you out.

[DiCasS]

I might have a look on there Ade, thanks, as the picture don't seem to match the name. I shan't bother to contact the guide again, I'll just treat it as I did last year and keep fingers crossed it's okay.

Di

[mushtaq86]

I might have a look on there Ade, thanks, as the picture don't seem to match the name. I shan't bother to contact the guide again, I'll just treat it as I did last year and keep fingers crossed it's okay.

Di

The picture seems to me as either musa ornata lavender beauty or musa ornata royal purple.

[DiCasS]

Well, does the mystery end? I had another e-mail recently, it said:-


One of our guides recently came across your mail with the photo of the Banana Plant and took some extra time to check on it again and came now with the following name:



Musa Ornata.



Although it was a while ago that you asked us this question I thought you might still be interested to hear about this.



Kind regards,



Anne-Marie

I know it's been a long time Mush, I quite forgot about this thread - but you were right, thanks. It's still growing nicely in the conservatory.