Bananas are one of the world’s most popular fruits. We can all recognize the fruit, but do we know what its flower looks like? The large dark purple red bullet shaped flower hangs between the long rich green leaves of the banana stalk. Its large waxy leaves slowly open to reveal rows of tiny flowers. The first flowers to be revealed are generally the female flowers which develop into fruit. Later the male flowers are exposed which shed and fall after blooming.
The banana is not a tree but is the world’s largest flowering herb. The flower, also known as the banana heart is eaten as a vegetable in South East Asian cuisine. Once an individual banana stalk is finished flowering, the bunch of bananas is harvested and left to ripen. The stalk is then cut down as it only produces fruit once.
The banana and its stunning flower are a beautiful addition to any tropical garden.
