BANANA COOKING VARIETIES
- BALONGKAUE - (pronounced ball long coo) is a cooking type, which grows about 12 ft. tall. The fruit has a bluish/green outer appearance, with white flesh. Is a very sturdy and attractive plant that can be eaten out of hand when very ripe.
- CARDABA - A Philippine cooking variety that is a truly an attractive plant with a bluish hue to the fruit and very white pulp. The fruit is stubby and irregular in shape but can get quite large. Height 10-12 ft.
- DWARF & TALL ORINOCO - Named from the region in South America near the Orinoco river where they grew profusely, they are also called the horse banana or "burro". These angulated cooking bananas are also a tasty treat out of hand when fully ripe. Their versatility make them popular in many regions of the world. Height 5-6 ft. dwarf & 12-14 ft. on the tall.
- ELE ELE - A Hawaiian cooking variety that is known for its very dark pseudostem. Sometimes called the Hawaiian Black, it gets a purplish hue, especially in more acid volcanic type soil. Full sized fruit. Grows about 14 ft. tall.
- HUA MOA - A Polynesian cooking banana that is short and stubby but packed with flavor. These make wonderful tostones and maduros as well as other banana recipes. The large full leaves and fat, rounded fruit make this a great looking plant. Height about 12 ft.
- MAIA MAOLI - This 12-14 ft. tall plant of the Polynesian cooking variety has delicious flavor and statuesque elegance. It is mostly green with slight red colors in the pseudostem giving serious competition to the other cooking varieties.
- MONTHAN - A cooking type from South India. Similar to the Bluggoe or Orinoco in size and versatility. Height about 10-12 ft.
- PELIPITA - A dark green plant that grows about 10-12 ft. tall and produces a cooking banana that is angulated in shape. It is a hardy plant resistant to disease, which is why it is used as a progenitor for many other hybrids.
- POPOULU - A 12-14 ft. Polynesian cooking banana with superb flavor. Its short stout fruit and dark green foliage make it a magnificent looking specimen as well as great tasting treat.
- RED IHOLENA - This versatile variety is not only beautiful, with the underside of the leaves being a soft burgundy color, but also used for eating out of hand, dehydrating and cooking. The others in the Hilahila sub group of Polynesian cooking bananas include the WHITE IHOLENA & HA'A. The Ha'a is the shortest of the group and produces fruit that are yellowish from the onset, making it difficult to determine when to harvest. (Do not use color as the only indicator to pick your fruit). The White is devoid of the burgundy coloration but produces a similar fruit. All are excellent for a multitude of uses. (Heights: Red: 10-12 ft., White: 8-10 ft., Ha'a: 6-8 ft.)
- SABA - The "sequoia" of the banana plants with huge pseudostem (range 12-24" diameter) and heights ranging from 16-20 ft. here, however clients have reported even greater heights in other areas of the country. The wonderful tasting cooking banana makes the best tostones we have ever eaten. A sturdy plant and somewhat cool tolerant. (A must for the collector).
- KOFI - From Papau New Guinea, a member of the Iholena sub group which is a combination cooking-dessert banana that rated highest in the TREC tasting tests.
- MAQUENO - A cooking banana from Ecuador, has a solid greet stout trunk with chubby 4-5 inch fruit. Height 12 ft. The plant is resistant to sigatoka and other diseases making it a good substitute in countries where this is a commercial problem.