Thanks Dave, would you happen to have a botanical name on the Manzano?
I just realized that you live on the very Island that I will be visiting in Oct. We'll be driving all the way around visiting friends as we go. If you need anything from the mainland, let me know, I'll be driving right by Keaau I'm sure.
OK, I have another Fruit for you. Noni Fruit - Morinda citrifolia. The miracle cure all fruit juice. I understand it grows there, and googled it last night. I printed an article that names three species, a variegated one Morinda citrifolia "Potteri", A nice form that is found on Oahu near the Lyon Arboreum called Morinda Citrifolia "Bracteata", and the Large fruited species form, which I imagine is the most commonly found and probably grows on the big Island? I have a feeling these are not native to Hawaii, but have been imported and may have "gone wild"
Have you seen them? I hope to see some there and taste the fruit, although I have a feeling the fruit may not be the best tasting and it might be better as a sweetened juice?
Visiting Hawaii for the first time, any advice?
Oh, RJ, I was just thinking about that idea of wrapping cuttings in a paper towel moistened with a Hydrogen Peroxide solution. You know how it has a fizz to it, when in a sealed bottle?
Well I was just thinking, wouldn't the peroxide loose its fizz when exposed to air? If that were the case, I wonder if a person would want to seal the peroxide soaked cuttings in a zip lock to keep the fizz from going flat? Or would that just cause them to heat up and mold?
I'm thinking maybe too, the peroxide might be a mold inhibitor, and if it was, then sealing them in an airtight bag should be OK.
Thanks For All Your Input everybody, I'm having fun with this research
& it get's me all jazzed up and looking forward to the trip!
Diana
Hi Diana,
Noni, Morinda citrifolia was introduced to Hawai'i by Hawaiians a couple thousand years ago and it is widely naturalized.
Noni Juice tastes awful!
The Manzano Banana has an old synonym of Musa sapientum. Some nurseries may still sell it as Musa sapientum, Apple Banana.
It's modern term is Musa acuminata x Musa balbisiana 'Apple'. It is an AAB type triploid hybrid.
Aloha, Dave
Aloha Diana,
I LOVE star apple - I am not sure if they will be in season when you get to the BI as I haven't noticed any fruit in the local store for a couple of weeks now, but perhaps in Hilo where it is cooler and damper than us they might still be producing. Dave would know the fruiting season. I planted a small tree this spring and have three seedlings coming along but they need a lot of TLC in my area - finger's X'ed!
d_thomcat, I have a pomelo tree too. Lovely juice, but it takes some work to get at it - LOL! I am the only one here who eats them because both my Mom and Frank are on medication for high cholesterol and are not supposed to eat grapefruit with their medication. Does anyone know if pomelo would have the same risk as grapefruit? I have asked several doctors but have not been given an answer - in fact I don't believe they even knew what a pomelo is...
Yes pomelo is contraindicated when taking cholesterol lowering drugs. Pomelo is like grapefruit.I love pomelo but very pricey here. From a retired RN. Belle
Pomelo & Grapefruit contain significant amounts of bergamottin which inhibits an enzyme in the intestines that metabolizes certain drugs.
It is found in other Citrus as well, and medications which are affected should not be taken in a similar time as when eating Citrus or drinking it's juice.
Thank you! You guys know more than the doctors I asked knew - Mahalo!
I wish I knew how to post photos but I am a computer dunce and have no clue.
Apple banana fruit is shorter and does not have the creamy flavor of your classic Chiquita Banana. The trees themselves look like any other tall banana tree. The fruit needs to be very ripe, (sometimes black skinned even) to bring out the sugars to eat them out of hand.
Apple Bananas make great Banana Lumpia which is a fried banana dessert with a filo skin, something like a spring role.
Right now there is a 30# apple banana stalk in my yard, glowering at me, just about ready to harvest. When it rains it pours....apple bananas that is.
One day I will have to pull all my banana trees. The whole east side of Kauai, in which I live, is in a Bunchy Top virus quarantine zone. Many of the the trees are sick and the virus is spreading..
I have Noni trees. Three of them. They are basically weeds that I tolerate. The ripe fruit looks like brains....lol and smells like dead brains....lol. Yes they say Noni is a cure-all. I have tasted the bottled juice.They must harvest bottled, processed Noni fruit green because It tastes nothing like the actual ripe fruit.
Thanks Thomcat,
O.K. You have now cured my Romance for Noni!
It was fun to dream about, but now that reality has set in....
Maybe I'll just stick to the Pineapples, Mangos & Papayas afterall ;-)
Diana
Creek,
Be adventurous and try the list that was mentioned except the noni fruit. Belle