My Ae Ae's Brother

My Ae Ae's Brother

     For 40 years I have grown the Ae Ae banana and during this time I have freely given the pups away to anyone who was in interest in having them. Then one day I realized that some of the people who had been given the pups were selling them.

     So, in the last ten years I began selling the pups also, particularly to commercial growers, hoping they would be able to grow them successfully as I realized that not everyone can grow them with success. One of the commercial growers then sent some pups to a nursery on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

     By chance, I visited that nursery and found four plants there in an isolated greenhouse. A Miami grower told me that the banana was for sale for $1,000.00 per plant. The plants were in excellent condition with the white portion being perfectly clean not even having evidence of scorching.

      I realized that these plants were perfect for growers either commercial or hobbyists with more money than knowledge. My main concern is that these plants, at that price, were not likely to find homes with people who would be able to grow them successfully or they would just remain in their pristine greenhouse environment.

     The public most likely would not see them or enjoy the delicious fruit. They would just be trophy plants. It is my feeling that plants like this should be available to public gardens and home gardens where knowledgeable growers who have the skills and interests can propagate them, in turn giving them to others who have the environment and skill to grow also. And, ultimately then they would share them with others.

     Therefore, I am looking for individuals who have appropriate conditions, knowledge and interest in growing them with the idea of sharing them eventually with others.. To do this, I will make available the first few generations of Ae Ae bananas to Broward and Miami Dade residents. (I select Broward and Miami Dade County for this distribution as this is the area most suitable for the Ae Ae.) Later, I plan to distribute to some public gardens. I would not expect them to share the pups in the way that I will outline herewith.

     With the goal of sharing such an unusual and special banana with others, this website will show the progress of the plants being distributed. I will post the rules for distribution and the guidelines on this website when the pups are ready for distribution.

Florida grown Ae Ae rhizome is tan and small in the pup

Hawaiian grown Ae Ae rhizome is tan and large in the pup.

At least the ones that I have seen are like this.

The Florida pup has less to start with and that is one reason that the plant is hard to start. As soon as the second and third pups start to grow we will distribute our first class of Ae Aes.

If you want to be in line for these plants go to: http://togofcoralgables.com/contactus.aspx

and register. You must live in Miami-Dade or Browerd for these early distrobutions.

You will receive information of what your responsibility is and how you will be expected to give pups of your Ae Ae to the next in line.

This year 2007 four pups were harvested. One was kept and three were given to the first three on the list. No pups will be established again until June of 2008. The season for moving an Ae Ae is June to August. Fifteen years ago I was swamped with pups and I sold them to a commercial grower in October. The next spring I saw the buyer and he said every one of them died. If I had left them in my yard most of them would have survived the winter.

I'm still adding names to the list. I think new people to the list well have to wait until 2010. At this third year there should be enough for everyone.

first pup, 1 month old mostly green but some white in newest leaf July 26 07

MediaHound takes home the first to go Aug. 10 07

Congratulations to Media and his wife..

Media received a larger pup then normal because potassium nitrate was used to get vigor and depress the white. All of the leaves had some white. The next leave will have more white. I would not release a plant that might be totally green.

MediaHound took this picture 11 15 07

It's still showing the effects of potassium

Oct. 16 07 oldest leaf showing potassium affect

Oct. 16 07

Oct. 16 07 new leaf showing no potassium affect

Nov. 17 07 Too much white for winter.

I will give it 1/4 cup of potassium nitrate this week.

The 2 pups on the left were planted July 26 07 they have good color

PJV's Ae Ae starting to grow fast

Aug. 17 07 PJV picked up his Ae Ae and he will plant it as soon as the next leaf opens

Oct. 29 07 PJVs pup has nice color and wide leaves Unfortunately this pup died in the cold winter.

Sean picked up his Ae Ae Aug. 26 07

Sean has two new leaves Sept 17 07

Sean seems to have the front growing pup Dec. 3 07

Frank now has an Ae Ae Aug. 9 08 The pup is one of two that I saved from pup 4.

Warren has the other Ae Ae pup Aug. 23 08

Home

My pup was planted July 26 07 very little pure white on this pup. On Aug. 16 07 it started to show growth. This is pup 4.

On Aug. 16 07 it started to show growth.
On Aug. 21 07 leaf opening.

Oct. 16 07 four leaves have opened

Oct. 30 07 five leaves have opened
added potassium nitrate

Cold weather Jan. 20 08 killed the center leaf. It's warmer now March 16 08 This is pup 4 that died but produced 2 strong pups.

The pup has had no center growth for almost 2 months but it has 2 pups. If it stays hot I have a chance for it's survival.

March 23 08 the 2 pups have doubled in 7 days

April 6 08 the 2 pups have doubled and pup3

April 13 08 growing fast

April 22 08 growing fast / mother has 2 weak leaves

April 22 08 Potassium made the leaf more green

The pups growth was stopped in the cold weather but it left two pups May 3 08

May 3 08 Frank got on of these Aug. 9 08

The 2 pups were potted on May 3 08 and potassium nitrate was added to the pots. Now July 3 08 the leaves a vigorous

Now July 14 08 the 2 pups are now vigorous

March 16 08 these three pups were too small to dig last season and they stayed with the parent.

This large pup was too big to move last season, it didn't do well because clump was in the same for 4 years.March 16 08 In 4 months it produced flowers (below)

July 6 08

July 6 08 The flower stem was removed to allow the plant to force the pups growth.

1 and 2 are female 3 is male and 4 is the bud that we will eat

Aug. 9 08 This pup was 1 foot tall when flower stem was cut July 6 08

Aug. 9 08 This pup was 4 foot tall when flower stem was cut July 6 08

Aug. 9 08 The pup was too large for a pot, notice the 3 pups

The pup has a whole new set of leaves Sept. 28 08

Oct. 5 08

Oct. 5 08

Oct. 5 08 second plant lost the fruit to help pups to grow faster

Oct. 16 08

Oct. 26 08

Oct. 26 08 Thee plants (in 2008) lost the fruit to help pups to grow faster

Nov. 10 08 Four plants (in 2008) lost the fruit to help pups to grow faster