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G Dawg

Musa sp.

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Some years back I used to smoke leaves from the banana plant in the back yard, I suppose because it was pleasant and relaxing to smoke, and I was in a smoke anything phase. I was just looking at a site and this is what it said "Banana - Musa sp. - leaf. Contains seratonin, the neurohormone which is released by LSD. Slightly euphoriant, calmative, stimulant." at www.webcom.com/haight/columns/health/health3.html

Don't know if the relaxation was to do with anything in the leaves or just that I sometimes enjoy a smoke.

Later

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Just something off of the ethnobotany/entheogen topic. Does anyone from Melbourne here know where I can buy a Musa plant. Williams variety as it handels the cold winters better? I have seen some grow in the neighbourhood maybe I'll ask them for a lump of there rhizome.

Thanks

E D

[This message has been edited by Ed Dunkel (edited 02 June 2000).]

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Guest reville

ed , as far as i know most cultivated bananas

are actually sterile hybrids between different species, and although i dont know where you can get a fruiting one , you can get some interesting cold tolerant species from china and the himalayas from rarepalmseeds.com

theyve got a great selection and do special small packages for the hobby grower - thats as far as my endorsement goes having not actually made an order with them yet.For anyone looking for palms,ferns and bananas of ethnobotanical importance id suggest you check it out.Being in vic is a bonus as youre not likely to run into grief with the authorities like you do in NSW,WA and QLD with growing bananas.

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Hi Ed

I don't know if I have the exact variety of banana you're looking for but I have a large banana clump of what was described as a Sydney banana, or sugar banana.

The best thing you can do with the fruit on these is cook with them, cos they're a tad floury. But the leaves make great plates :-)

It withstands periodic frosts here just fine, and is quite prolific. Send me your address, remind me occasionally cos I'm vague, and when it suckers I'll send you a couple. Now prolly isn't a good time to plant them is it?

They don't sucker til Spring...

cya

DarkLight

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Thanks guys,

Yeah, I think spring is a better time to be looking for suckers and planting them as well. Only well established and protected ones make it through the winter and may flower to produce fruit. Best to getthem established after the cold frosty nights are over.

I read in several gardening guides that the 'Williams' variety they use up north for normal banana fruit production (the ones that grow to 3m or higher) have good cold tolerance down in vic.

The Chinese/Japanese/Himalayas Musa species do do well in the cold vic climate. I'll look into that, thanks.

E D

ps. Yeah, no banana aphid or virus control down here.

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Musa spp seed import is regulated by AQUIS, not state quarantine, and they take it very seriously. It is probably the most extensive listing in their database (posted below). Should a disease be imported with the seed and the pathogen traced back to the importer, the importer will be persoanlly responsibel for the clean-up bill (ie crop destruction, quantine services etc). This is one genus I won't touch with a barge pole ;-)

========================== Condition C7119

Musa spp. (Banana) seed

1. The importer must possess a valid import permit. Permit applications may be approved by

the States.

2. Seed must be free of soil and other plant material (eg leaf or stem material).

3. Seed must be packed in new containers which are clearly labelled with scientific names.

4. Seed is subject to inspection on arrival and treatment as necessary.

5. On arrival the seed must be surface sterilised by dipping in sodium hypochlorite solution

(1% available chlorine) for 10 minutes.

6. Seed must be either:

(i) grown and inspected in AQIS-approved post-entry quarantine premises as per the

conditions outlined below under the heading "Seed for Sowing"; or,

(ii) used for generating tissue (embryo) cultures in an AQIS-approved laboratory as per the

conditions outlined below under the heading "Seed Imported for Tissue Culturing".

(i) Seed for Sowing

In addition to points 1 to 6 listed above, the following conditions also apply:

7. All plants originating from imported seed must be virus tested at appropriate stages

(described below) using reliable serological (including immuno-sorbent electron microscope

(ISEM)) and/or molecular tests for ensuring freedom from banana bunchy top virus (BBTV),

banana bract mosiac virus (BBMV), banana streak virus (BSV) and undetermined rod

shaped viruses.

8. Plants in post-entry quarantine will be virus tested at about 2 leaf and 10 leaf growth stages

and, in addition, if and when visual symptoms are detected during the post-entry quarantine

period.

9. All precautions must be taken to prevent cross infection of plants during propagation and

collection of samples for disease diagnosis. Cutting tools are to be disinfected before each use

(ie between plants and corms) by dipping in alcohol and flaming for a few seconds.

Alternatively, disposable blades may be used and discarded after each use.

10. Any plant(s) which dies in post-entry quarantine, together with associated potting medium,

is to be autoclaved (121°C for 30 mins) or disposed of by an AQIS approved method. All

used pots are to be thoroughly washed of all potting medium and root debris in a sink which

drains into a sewerage system and then sterilised.

11. Upon completion of post-entry quarantine, with no detection of quarantinable diseases,

plants may be released from quarantine subject to approval of an authorised AQIS officer.

12. If a quarantinable disease is intercepted in post-entry quarantine, the Chief Quarantine

Officer (Plants) is to be notified immediately. The Chief Quarantine Officer (Plants) will in turn

notify AQIS, Canberra.

13. Plants found to be infected with a quarantinable disease are to be destroyed by an AQIS

approved method or may be re-exported under secure quarantine conditions.

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Guest reville

bummer.... frown.gif

i was looking forward to trying those too

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