Orinoco (Burro Banana)
| Scientific Name | Musa (AAB Group) 'Orinoco' |
|---|---|
| Mature Height | 12-16 feet |
| USDA Zones | 8-11 |
| Fruit | Yes — cooking banana, tangy lemon flavor when ripe |
| Cold Hardy | Moderate — one of the hardier fruiting types |
| Type | Fruiting / Cooking |
Orinoco is a tough, cold-tolerant cooking banana (plantain type) with a distinctive tangy, almost lemony flavor when ripe. It has been grown in the American South for over a century and is well adapted to the region. Green fruit is used like plantains for frying and cooking; ripe fruit can be eaten fresh and has a unique flavor profile unlike any dessert banana.
Growing Conditions
Full sun, tolerant of various soil types, handles wind better than most due to a thick pseudostem. One of the best choices for zones 8 and 9 and for Texas growers. Cold hardiness is good — rhizome survives to about 15-20°F with mulch. See Overwintering.
Time to Fruit
15 to 20 months. See Cooking Bananas vs. Dessert Bananas for how to use the fruit.
Propagation
Pup division. Vigorous pup producer.