Awesome! I have a flag on my largest ice cream banana baby (guess it isn't a baby anymore). The others STILL haven't all ripened, but I'm eating them one at a time. Still have 4 hands left. They sometimes put out a fall bloom, but that wouldn't be a problem where you are. Here, fall fruit seems to get a bit of a core, but I'm finding that the ones that are hanging on and ripening now have less of a core.

They are extremely cold hardy. Mine haven't died back at all in the past 2 years, but I"m sure they will at some point if we ever get a hard freeze that lasts more than a couple of hours. The leaves burn back easily, but it doesn't seem to hurt the fruit. Honestly, if this was a less cold-hardy banana, the fruit would be mush by now, but it's still hanging in there.

I'm not going to comment on the taste, because this fall fruit I'm told will not be as sweet as summer fruit. Still, it's sweeter than store-bought bananas. The flesh is sort of mushy, but again, this isn't normal fruit.

I can't wait to see how my summer bananas fare.

I had a icecream at my old house they where pretty good and a good size but i liked my Apple bananas better.

Yes, I love apple bananas! My friend in Punta Gorda had a lot of different kinds of bananas, but the apples were the best. They were so fat and creamy.

Wow, a thumbs up from experienced gardeners like you two has energized me to where I just ordered two Apple banana plants online from a nursery in Melbourne. Now I'll have both Ice Creams AND Apples to drool over. Hopefully in a year or so I'll be much more knowledgeable about both,..especially their different tastes, and be able to get back to you with my views on each. Thanks !

Ah, Joe. There are so many luscious bananas that will grow where you are. I wish sometimes I was back down there, but I do love Gainesville.

Hi Jofus

I had a lot of varieties of bananas in different places, a lot of them are good. The ones that I prefer for fresh eating are the lady fingers bananas, for cooking and fresh eating the Hawiian Hua Moa but is not disease resistant in my area, my very favorite is the red banana, again it did not produced too well in my area. The ones that I don't prefer are the ones that are supposed for fresh eating and have a starchy kind of center, few of them are like that.

Right now in my garden I have the variety FHIA-23, and I like it for many reasons, taste, productivity and disease resistance. I usually have 2 branches at the same time, this time is only one but I am looking forward for the fruit...

Silvia

DG : Being an avid Florida Gator fan, I can understand you liking your life in Gainesville ! ( smile )
I also agree with you that in zone 10a, where Englewood is ( best kept secret in Florida ),.. my options for banana plants is almost unlimited. Looking forward however, anytime a childhood pal from the grimy streets of Manhattan ( not Kansas ! ), gets back in touch with me, I will have to inform him or her, that living where I am is not exactly easy ! Every morning I will have to decide which banana slices I should put on my bowl of cereal,..freshly picked Ice Cream bananas, or freshly picked Apple bananas,...or, after June 1st,...which type of four freshly picked mango slices I should add. I tell you, sometimes living in South Florida gets a bit stressful !

Silvia : Thanks so much for your ideas. I have a feeling you have more than a couple of acres up there to experiment with and admire your search for the best banana for various purposes. Regret not living closer,..I might be tempted to sneak off with some of your luscious harvests. lol !!
Down here I only have a 1/4 acre lot, so will limit my bananas to two types. Can't wait to see how they turn out.
In the past I have spent many years growing Nam Wa,..Dwarf Red,...& of course Goldfingers ! Hope I am now at the end of my time-consuming quest,...reminds me of my pal Don Quixote ! ( smile )

Jofus,I hope you like you apple banana. They are my favorite. There short bananas but fat great for fresh eating and cooking.