Ney Mannan Banana - unknown cultivar

These most recently ripened bananas were labeled as Ubok Iba at the US repositories. However, they are not horn plantains as described as being donated from Nigeria. TARS recently put this cultivar in the Ney Mannan subgroup along with Blue Java/Ice Cream bananas. Some differences I noticed between this fruit and the blue java fruit I have tasted is the initial texture of this fruit was much firmer and starchier than blue java upon first turning yellow. However, as each day passed, the fruit became more and more fluffy and lost the starchiness quickly.

The unripe fruit did have a bit of a blue/green/silver skin, but not nearly the vibrant blue that blue java has.

Thankfully, genetic testing is being done at the Tropical Agriculture Research Station in Puerto Rico to help sort out the mislabeled cultivars.

Regardless of the true name of this cultivar, it is a very good banana. One of the downsides is the plant seems to be very susceptible to fungus.

Pros: heavy nectar producer - great for bees and adding to tea, days 3-5 of being yellow, the fruit has a wonderful, rich banana flavor. Good out of hand, dried, cooked

Cons: susceptible to fungus, difficult to peel the more ripe it becomes

Click on photo to see all pictures of this banana in album