Variegated banana

22 years ago

Hi! I've recently moved from QLD to the NT and found that the ornamental varieties of banana - musa ornata and musa coccinea - are available through Darwin nurseries. I know it's a long shot, but has anyone heard of a variegated banana available in Oz? I've seen websites of the "AeAe" banana from Hawaii, but with suckers going for around $70US, I'm just not that keen. Anyone know of these (Or alternatives?) I grew other musa ornamentals when I lived in Indonesia, amd it's a pleasure to be able to grow these again after the banana ban I had to put up with in Qld.

Cheers,

Scott

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Comments (8)

Louis_VIC
22 years ago
Scott, I grow ornamental bananas down here in Melbourne as we dont have any restrictions and my wife has been driving me crazy trying to locate the illusive Musella lasiocarpa "Chinese Yellow Flowering Banana". If you happen to notice one for sale and its not to much trouble could you please pick one up and send it down to me. I am more than happy to pay up front for plant,postage/handling and any inconvenience's. I tried to locate a supplier of "AeAe" a couple of years ago but kept running into dead ends. Since then I have learnt it is a fussy plant to grow and would struggle down here. It would grow well in your climate though. My Musa coccinea is about to flower for the first time and I will post pics on the gallery when it does. If you dont have any luck finding "AeAe" have you considered the other variegated banana Musa "zebrina" with nice maroon variegation and undersides of leaves.
Best of luck, Louis.
scottwheels
Original Author
22 years ago
Thanks Louis. I'd like to get some musa zebrina and sikkamensis as well, but I haven't really looked for it yet. The musella lasiocarpa is a fairly new discovery I'm led to believe, but I will certainly ask around the nurseries next time I'm in Darwin. There are some quite rare and hard to obtain heliconia cultivars there as well, but they are tightly controlled by the growers (for the cut flower industry). Thanks for your reply, and I'll let you know how I go. Cheers, Scott
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Louis_VIC
22 years ago
Thanks Scott. I have a small clump of musa zebrina which I'm reluctant to devide because its small, but would be tempted to cut into for a trade of musella lasiocarpa if the opertunity arose.
:-) Regards Louis.
Tropigal80
22 years ago
I work in a retail Nursery in Darwin and will keep my eyes and ears open for these species and let you know if I find anything. Likewise for any particular Heliconias you're looking for.
Louis_VIC
22 years ago
Hi Tropical80
If you come accross a plant or division of Musella lasiocarpa "Chinese Yellow Flowering Banana" which you can send down, my wife and I would be extremely grateful. Happy to pay for plant and postage.
Louis
pollyreed
22 years ago
I live in Haiku, Maui and am looking for the Ae Ae. Any suggestions?
anthirum
22 years ago
I am currently in southern china and the yellow banana everyone talks about is rather common in shops here. Does it bear seeds that can be sent to Australia?
Louis_VIC
22 years ago
Unfortunately no banana seed is allowed into Australia as far as I know.
Regards
Louis