Banana

Banana, indigenous South East Asia, was domesticated thousands of years ago. Today, it is cultivated throughout the tropics for its fruit which are exported around the world. Banana plants and their fruit vary in size; the plants are often mistaken for trees, but the ‘trunk’ is, in fact, known as a pseudostem. The leaves are spirally arranged, and the fruit grow in hanging clusters.

Species information

Distribution: Cultivated throughout the tropics

Habitat: Deep, well-drained soils in humid tropics.

Form: Herb

Scientific name: Musa L. (Musaceae)

The fruit of sweet dessert banana varieties are eaten raw, whilst the starchy and savoury varieties (plantain) are cooked as a vegetable. All bananas are a good source of vitamin C and potassium. They are used traditionally to treat gastrointestinal disorders, preventing and treating ulcers. Banana powder is in an Indian remedy for dyspepsia.