Banana Tree Information

The banana plant is a herbaceous plant native to Southeast Asian countries. Today, banana trees are grown in several tropical regions, primarily for its fruit. Interestingly enough, banana tree fruit which is also referred to as banana, is exported to several parts of the world, including Europe and North America. A look at the history of bananas provides some interesting banana tree information that not many of us may have been aware of.

Banana Tree Information
Even though the banana plant is referred to as a tree most of the time, technically it is not correct. It is, in fact, the largest herbaceous flowering plant in the world. Usually banana plants can attain a height of around 20 to 25 ft, due to which they are often, though wrongly, referred to as trees. This height of the plant can be attributed to the pseudo-stem, i.e. the upright stem which grows from the corn. Interesting isn't it? India is the largest producer of bananas with an annual production of around 21.77 million metric tons. More banana tree information is given below.

Banana Tree Facts
There are numerous varieties of bananas, with Ice Cream banana, Burro banana, Guinea Verde banana variety being some of the most popular ones. Dark green in color, banana tree leaves are known to attain a length of around 2-3 m, and a width of around 50-70 cm. Banana tree fruits grow in clusters of 5-20 bunches each, and each bunch having somewhere around 20 bananas. Generally, each banana stem has a single banana flower, which is often referred to as the 'banana heart'. However, in some cases, more than one banana flowers are also produced by a single stem. Banana fruits can be either eaten ripe or green. The ripe bananas, which are yellow in color, are eaten raw, while the green bananas are normally cooked as vegetables. Like the green bananas, even the banana flower is cooked as a vegetable for consumption.

Banana Tree Care
It is easier to grow a banana tree from a rhizome, i.e. a horizontal plant stem with shoots and roots, instead of growing one from banana tree seeds. When it comes to banana tree planting, you need to make sure that the roots are well covered. Ideally, these trees prefer well drained soil with light texture. One of the most important aspects of banana plant care is availability of sunlight. You should also make sure that you grow the tree in such an area wherein it gets ample sunlight. Banana being a tropical fruit, can encounter some problems when grown in temperate regions. If you live in a temperate region, you will have to make sure that you protect your plant from the wind and cold. The ideal temperature during the day should be around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which should not drop below 65 degrees at night. Humidity levels above 50 percent are ideal for proper growth of the plant.

This was a brief information about the banana tree, with special emphasis on banana tree care. This banana tree information will be helpful for you if you intend to grow these plants in your property. Over the period of time, the banana tree has become quite important in various aspects beyond production for commercial and consumption purpose.