Some of the below are randomized thoughts and I apologize in advance for this. I can 'back up' most of this with personal experience. As mentioned in the fig posting - here is my infamous 'Treatise de Cuna' lol So - without further a-doo or holdups - here goes!
Many people will only buy from the local nurseries and believe they can't grow it unless their nursery has it. Not true! Not at all. If we have protected areas and help with mulch etc. we can grow things no-one thought possible. A good example of people settling for less is Musa basjoo - the so-called Japanese Fiber Banana that will grow in all 50 states. I consider them Plain Jane and will not give them space in my garden until I get them as free trade. Only use for them would be wrapping leaves for cooking. They are also kinda weedy without other redeeming qualities compared to other bananas.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&#.....usa+basjoo
I used to belong to CRFG in San Diego and had 13 varieties there with 7 of them in 'commercial production' and my favs were 'Kau Au Lau' (a Royal Hawaiian) and Ice Cream/Blue Java. The latter is one that I will be trying here soon.
CRFG has 'Fruit Facts' that are a great resource for the 'quick and dirty' on how to grow many neat plants including here in the NW. All the info you really need in one or two pages. YES!
Check out these links -
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/banana.html
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/frtfacts.html
I intended to wait until I could upload photos but gonna have links to picassa later instead. Currently in the yard are 3 large clumps of a really nice large banana that has a purple flush under the leaves. It is unknown so far if it is an edible fruiting one or not. This last winter they were frozen down to the ground. But previous spring, they regrew just fine from approx 4 ft of their trunks and I have a photo of them. Also have some nice photos of what they look like right now and there are approx 25. This increased number is mainly due to main stems being frozen down, which causes them to sprout more babes.
Actually paid for these starters and they are in the mail (or being shipped soon). There are some other sources that will be gotten from later but 11 new ones is a good start.
Source was -
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/We.....ng-Gardens
BAMBOO? This is better - TIGER GRASS PLANT (SP).
200299222522 - Price: US $4.99
PINEAPPLE PLANT Miniature ------------------------ (SP).
200294892938 - Price: US $3.99
PEPPERMINT STICK GRASS - Live Plant (SP).
200292088738 - Price: US $3.99
TEA OLIVE TREE Fragrant Blooming Hard to find --- (SP).
200273883384 - Price: US $3.99
DWARF ORINOCO BANANA TREE / PLANT- Hardy ----(SP).
190308324730 - Price: US $5.99
COMMERCIAL BANANA PLANT WILLIAMS HYBRID - (SP).
190308070717 - Price: US $4.99
DWARF RED BANANA TREE Decorative, Edible, Indoors (SP).
190308070662 - Price: US $5.99
DWARF CAVENDISH BANANA PLANT Indoor/Outdoor Tree - (SP).
190308008997 - Price: US $4.99
BORDELON BANANA TREE / PLANT Gorgeous Cold Hardy - (SP).
190307593142 - Price: US $5.99
Kluay Khai THAI BANANA TREE Plant Glui Kai Unique (SP).
190307574489 - Price: US $5.99
X-TRA TALL BANANA TREE Kandarian AFRICAN GIANT - (SP).
190307574430 - Price: US $5.99
Ice Cream HARDY BANANA PLANT Tasty Fruit Tree - (SP).
190307389054 - Price: US $6.99
DWARF NAMWAH BANANA PLANT Indoor/Outdoor Tree - (SP).
190306073960 - Price: US $6.99
TRULY TINY BANANA TREE / PLANT The tiniest (SP).
190305471107 - Price: US $4.99
LITTLE PRINCE BANANA TREE / PLANT Princely! (SP).
190303192343 - Price: US $5.99
GOUMI FRUIT BUSH ----- High in Lycopene - (SP).
190291943794 - Price: US $4.99
They will be put in 1 gal or smaller and nursed on the patio and most will go into the ground in late summer. The miniatures will probably get a break this year and a piece tried outdoors next year instead.
These will be given a true test! The trunks MAY be cut down and I will use straw to insulate some but other than that - they need to make it outdoors on their own. A well established plant can survive and even thrive 1 or 2 zones out of it's range.
We are in Zone 8B here in Beaverton / Portland area. Not everything that is Zone 8 will really grow here! duh! Our climate here is cooler and damp. A subtropical plant in a more severe climate zone can do better than here because it has a hotter growing period to store up food. However, there is global climate change and we are getting warmer. Things that used to not grow here will be growing here. Indeed, the State of Oregon predicts we will be losing some of our beloved Doug Firs and they will be replaced with other trees.
The Goumi is cool and I used to grow something similar - Elaeagnus philippinensis 'Lingaro'. The mini pineapple is likely to be a good gift maker later and I used to grow lots of Bromeliads.
Anyway - that is the basics of this so far. I have a pro chef friend that does youtube a lot and he plans to film the calving of the purple-flush-hardy-unknown-possibly-edible-bananas for me. I think it could possibly be this one and bought one to compare later - BORDELON BANANA TREE / PLANT Gorgeous Cold Hardy
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0307593142
I hope to hear from others that have tried edible bananas and also into trades. Suggestions for good sources besides ebay sellers are sought. I suggest below and you will note that some are members of HOS -
http://www.crfg.org/nurlist.html
My email is part of my signature on all my posts. It is likely I will need to trade away some trees to make room for new accessions. I really want to go overboard with figs, hardy kiwi and other so-called exotics. Let us have some zone denial and zone bending! If the plants could talk to us - most of them would want us to try!
Oh! Did I forget to mention that I am open to trading? Got lots to trade both ornamental and edible.
*****************************************************************
Already got inquiries about best ones to try and here is my response -
You might consider getting some of these direct yourself and try where you are now. Why wait for my babes to make babes!? lol
Even better - you might try something I have not acquired yet. For example -
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Th.....ers-Garden
The above seller has dwarf jamaican red and another cool red one as well as a black thai that claim to be zone 8.
I have cut the list down to those I think most likely to do well here. Attached is a photo of the clumps I will have for sale and trade soon.
DWARF ORINOCO BANANA TREE / PLANT- Hardy ----(SP).
BORDELON BANANA TREE / PLANT Gorgeous Cold Hardy - (SP).
X-TRA TALL BANANA TREE Kandarian AFRICAN GIANT - (SP).
Ice Cream HARDY BANANA PLANT Tasty Fruit Tree - (SP).
I highly recommend trying the Goumi too. Then there is this -
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/feijoa.html
they have them (feijoa) but i am holding out for named cultivars. And Farmington Gardens also has unnamed ones real reasonable price - but hold out for the better ones!
I found a group that is more intuned with my interests. However, I will still be checking HOS etc. of course.
Found this site by googling myself (no kidding!) For those that doubt that fruiting bananas could be hardy here this may be encouraging. I hope you all have a safe and fun holiday!
This is from below and kinda encouraging - They have been fruited as far north as Washington State and British Columbia with only minor winter protection.
I am providing the link as well as copying it over cuz I am unsure if it requires registering to view all content.
http://www.bananas.org/f3/musa-basjoo-h ... d-197.html
Re: Musa basjoo hybrids and Musa "Californica Gold"
this quote is from joereal, which he recieved from jeffs post on another forum..
RE: California gold
Here's from that link:
"A bit about the California Gold Banana
The California Gold Banana is believed to be related to Orinoco.
I grow both Dwarf Orinoco and California Gold. The California Gold get's a bit taller (6-7ft) than Dwarf Orinoco(5-6ft) and yields more hands of fruit. Cold hardiness seems to be the
same. California Gold is a bit Tastier."
and here's from pitangadiego's site:
CALIFORNIA GOLD
DESCRIPTION:
There is one fruiting banana that bears fruit consistently year after year. It was grown and identified by Jeff Earl in Modesto. It can survive 20 F temperature and still bears delicious fruit the summer that follows. Jeff calls this California Gold Banana. I suspect that it is a cold-hardy mutation of dwarf orinoco cultivar growing prolificly in the high altitude and low temperature areas around Mexico and Texas. Here's a quote from one of the lucky winners of eBay when Jeff auctioned his pup: "Rare Dwarf banana plant that is proven to be the cold hardiest of all edible fruit-producing bananas in Northern California. An excellent cold hardy sport of dwarf orinoco, distantly related to Bluggoe. For more than 10 years, this banana has consistently produced an average of 25 lbs of good tasting yellow fruit in Northern California, thus nicknamed "California Gold" - a real cold hardy fruit producer. Exceptionally frost hardy compared to other bananas, produces good fruit, year after year, without any frost protection. Only a few banana plants might equal the cold hardiness of California Gold, such as the inedible Japanese fiber banana Musa basjoo. Cavendish type banana plants such as Super Dwarf, Williams and Double Mahoi, and most of the other edible banana plants will freeze to the ground and die during the cold winter spells when left outside without any winter protection. The California Gold banana shakes off the cold. It may lose its' leaves after a hard freeze, but then continues to grow when the weather warms in the spring. The leaves lost during the winter don?t seem to slow this plant down. California Gold have produced tasty bananas outdoors during the summer after enduring winter low temp in the low 20?s! These plants should be able grow fine in USDA zone 7 and above as an outdoor plant. They have been fruited as far north as Washington State and British Columbia with only minor winter protection. The mature plant is small only 5-6 ft tall. Some of plants have produced fruit in as early as 11 months from a pup. This exotic looking plant makes a stunning tropical impression in any garden as well as a lovely indoor potted plant. Delicious fruits rival any store bought fruit in quality and flavor, with just a hint of lemon and strawberry. " I'm dying to get hold of this very rare banana that has just been shared by Jeff Earl after more than 20 years of testing in Modesto. (906) [L]et me clarify a few things. #1 ... Is the banana that I call California gold one in the same as Dwarf Orinoco? ... Answer, I honestly don't know. My guess is that they are in the same family... as is Ice Cream, Blue Java , Blugo etc. It was labeled "Hardy Mexican Apple banana" But the guy I bought it from said that he gave it the name. The fruit looks like its' in the Orinoco family. It has fruited at 4 ft tall and as high as 7 ft. I bought the parent banana before anyone ever mentioned Dwarf Orinoco or even regular Orinoco. Bananas are one plant that mutate very easily. So I gave it the name. It does differ a little from dwarf orinocos in that they are generally all 6 ft tall when fruiting size. To me Cal Gold fruit is a little more rounded. As far as frost hardiness... They seem simular. Though Cagold is generally the first to start growing in the spring... about the same time as Musa Basjoo. While I have thought about tissue culturing this banana,I haven't looked into it yet. I'm still not sure that it is any cold hardier than Orinoco. Our temps haven't been cold enough to compare the two side by side. As for CalGold's hardiness, about all that I can say is that in my garden, it seems about right on par with musa Basjoo and Orinoco. Both tend to freeze right at the same temps as well as recover at the same time in the spring after a freeze. As I said before, CaGold Looks like its' in the same family as Orinoco, Blugoe, and Blue Java. As It has been stated before.... Bananas mutate readily, but I doubt that is much more frost hardier unless frost hardiness characteristic mutates within a cultivar as well. Those of you in the cooler zones will have to try it and let me know. I most likely will be back on Ebay selling pups next spring. As always the min. bid will be a reasonable $19 per 2 ft pup. I rarely have enough pups from the 3 plants that I grow to supply the demand. This tends to send the bidding up to silly levels at times. (914) California Gold - I think is a sport or a favorable mutation of Dwarf Orinoco. This was recognized by Jeff Earl, but still we don't have genetic proof that it is a sport. The main difference is that the California Gold consistently fruits every year in the Central Valley unlike the regular Dwarf Orinoco which require proper timing for successful fruiting. California Gold has been shown by Jeff to bloom and fruit even after the record breaking cold spell in the Central Valley when the night time temperature reaches 10 to 12 deg F and most pipes broke about a decade ago. Most other growers scoff at Jeff Earl: that [what] he is selling is still Dwarf Orinoco because the fruit and taste are really no different. Especially if you are growing this plant in Zone 10 and above, then there is really no added benefit. But because of the consistency of fruit production, this I think is something to consider for us here in the north. I bought California Gold at an eBay auction and it was really pricey, the price for a small pup ranged between $35-$115. Nevertheless, I also have the original Dwarf Orinoco and is now comparing it side by side with California Gold. (???) Here's my research on California Gold: Rare Dwarf banana plant that is proven to be the cold hardiest of all edible fruit-producing bananas in Northern California. An excellent cold hardy sport of dwarf orinoco, distantly related to Bluggoe. For more than 10 years, this banana has consistently produced an average of 25 lbs of good tasting yellow fruit in Northern California, thus nicknamed "California Gold - a real cold hardy fruit producer". I don`t think there is any thing special or rare about this banana plant. I don`t think its' a mutation of Dwarf Orinoco. I think it IS Dwarf Orinoco. It is NOT a dessert type supermarket banana. It has to be VERY ripe if you want just peel it and eat it. It`s a great banana for cool areas. If you can`t get one from Jeff, you might try getting one from Going Bananas. (913) Jeff Earl also has a dwarf orinoco but is not as cold hardy as his California Gold. If you know about CRFG, some folks there confirmed that there is a big cold hardiness difference between dwarf orinoco and "California Gold" I also have dwarf orinoco which got wiped out during the record breaking cold spell sometime in the early 90's, but Jeff's banana shook off that record breaking cold spell in the valley. (906)
TYPE:
GENETICS:
HEIGHT: 5-6' (906), 6' (914)
HIGHLIGHTS: Cold-hardiness. Probably it is a type ABB
__________________
Happy Growing,
SG
Enjoy Life as it's too Short
Would you be averse to trialing certain banannas in Beaverton to fruition and writing an article in the HOS quarterly magaaine? If you did this kind of work, you would surely get lots of recognition, not to mention many people would start growing such fruit for food.
In the meantime, you could be ramping up propagation of suspected winners, and be able to sell many units to many people. Definitely a winner for you, as well as the customer!
Are you game?
Thx! Actually, I have friends that are encouraging me to do one of those free microsoft websites. Selling plants is fine, but as soon as the word gets out that something DOES grow here - then other nurseries will carry them and people will seek them out like I currently am. The nursery biz is extremely competitive and kinda hard to specialize enough to have something others don't have. Then it's time to find something else rare/weird/cool to try. That is the way of things. 
It's all good. kinda " title="Wink" />
The new babes have arrived and look good. The two smallest cultivars (Truly Tiny and the tinier Little Prince) were put in hanging baskets, and the rest in 1 gal containers. Used mix of sand, fresh bark, steer manure and leftover potting soil.
An altering of the plan. I may go ahead and 'baby' them in pots for a year before subjecting them to outdoors in the ground. Not totally decided on this yet. I have already put them into a 'sunny' place in almost full sun area, and this latest cool wet weather is helping me acclimate them.
Not gonna put on any fertilizer till they have a little time to stabilize. I have 'crystalline' 10-10-10 and water soluable mostly nitro from yard sales. About 2 weeks I figure is enough rest.
The three big clumps of definately nice outdoor hardy purple flush nannas are about ready to be divided and cut up. They are growing VERY fast.
I need to start up picassa (google photos) so people can see them easier instead of as email attachments etc. But this time of year is kinda busy with other stuff esp in the yard.
On another subj thread - didn't find anyone that wants to get lots of baby nannas cheap as wholesale plugs. All good things in good time.
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