Banana is an annual or perennial plant. Banana family (Musaceae)

We all, or many of us, love bananas and eat them with pleasure. But no one knows what it is. Some people believe that a banana is a berry, others that a banana is a fruit. But not everyone can answer the question – is a banana a grass or a tree?
What plays a cruel joke on us is that we see in cartoons and films where a monkey climbs a palm tree and eats bananas. And therefore we believe that they grow on palm trees, which means a banana is a tree. No matter how it is!

In fact, the banana we love so much is a herb, that is, the fruit of a herbaceous plant. Despite the fact that it is called a “banana tree,” it has nothing in common with trees. In fact, it is a large pile of leaves, on top of which there is something similar to a palm tree. flower bud grows in a stem that is located right in the middle of these leaves. Another thing is that this grass can grow to quite large sizes, and therefore many people confuse the bush with a palm tree. It is probably the largest plant in the world.

Now let's figure it out: a banana is a berry or fruit. It turns out that banana is a berry. It originated in Southeast Asia and arrived in India thousands of years ago. It is, in fact, one of the oldest known fruits for mankind. Wild varieties bananas, found in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, contain large and hard seeds combined with a very small amount of pulp. This berry is eaten not only raw, but also boiled, fried, boiled, and even wine is made from it.
By the way, the word “banana” itself is of African origin and is most likely related to the Arabic word “banana”, which means “finger” or “fingers”.

Not all ancient plant cultures reached modern society. However, these yellow fruits are still loved by many. Bananas are widely used for raw and cooked consumption, livestock feeding and industrial needs. Whether it is a fruit or a berry, how healthy it is and how to eat it correctly, we will consider further.

In contact with

A banana is not one, but several plants, united by similar characteristics. As a rule, this concept means the following types of bananas:

• pointed;
• heavenly;
• fruity, etc.

These are large plants with powerful roots, a small stem and a developed false trunk. The height of up to 15 meters and the huge leaf plates overlapping each other lead to the question of what a banana is, whether it is a grass or a tree. However, the powerful, seemingly woody stem is actually a hollow tube.

According to botanical reference books, banana is a herb. The plant is a perennial and can produce up to 300 fruits annually.

The culture is widespread in Asia and South America. Almost all varieties of bananas can be found in India, the Philippines, and Ecuador. Brazil. These countries are the leaders in the export of fragrant yellow fruits. At high humidity in tropical conditions, a banana develops into an adult plant in 1-1.5 years.

The plant grows in open sunny places. Flowers form between its large fan-shaped leaves. The banana flower looks like a huge bud with a purple-lilac color. Inside there are brushes from which fruits subsequently develop. The flower is also consumed raw and used to prepare various dishes.

This is how bananas grow in nature

Is the banana fruit a berry, a fruit or a vegetable?

These large yellow fruits are truly amazing and controversial. There is a strong belief that a banana is. The size of the fruit, its peel and sweet taste, at first glance, confirm this opinion. Other people are sure that banana is a fruit or vegetable. Indeed, in Asian countries it is customary to serve fruits fried or boiled as a side dish.

In fact, a banana is a berry. It is distinguished by the presence of three layers:

• peel;
• fleshy center;
• internal part.

Each fruit is covered on top with a thick extracarp, under which the pulp is hidden. Banana seeds are hidden in the very core. A similar structure is characteristic of other berries: watermelon, eggplant, tomato, etc. However, it is more common to call the fruit a fruit.

How much does it weigh without peel?

The weight of one banana depends on its species. On average, a fruit with a length of 18-20 centimeters reaches 150 grams. Large bananas weigh more - 200-250 grams. The weight of one small berry (12 centimeters or less) is approximately 100 grams.

Compound

On this moment About 450 varieties of berries are cultivated. However, not all of them successfully withstand transportation and storage. About 100 varieties of fruit are considered optimal for export. The composition of a banana directly depends on its variety, stage of ripeness and type of processing before consumption.

The nutritional value

This concept reflects all the beneficial properties of the berry that help meet the body's needs.

Table 1. The nutritional value banana per 100 grams of product

Ripe dessert varieties are distinguished by a minimal amount of fat and carbohydrates. Fruits of any variety are considered carbohydrate foods.

What vitamins is it rich in?

Yellow berries have a pleasant delicate taste and delicate aroma. Their pulp contains magnesium, potassium, selenium, vitamin C and other vital substances.

Table 2. What vitamins in banana are good for humans

The fruits are quite high in calories. On average, 100 grams of pulp contains 96 kcal.

Table 3. Energy value of banana depending on its variety and type of processing of the fruit

Considering what is contained in bananas, the thought of the benefits of this product involuntarily suggests itself. Indeed, consumption of berries has a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system and even improves mood. However, in some cases, fruits are harmful.

What happens if you eat every day?

This is a high-calorie fruit with an average glycemic index. What happens if you eat bananas every day depends on the amount consumed and individual indicators.

Eating one or two fruits a day is perfectly acceptable for a healthy adult. However, if you are overweight or have diabetes, you should not eat berries every day.

Banana is rich in fiber, which means it takes a long time to digest. Eating fruit before bed can lead to insomnia due to rapid digestive processes. In addition, consuming berries invigorates and energizes, which is also inappropriate in the evening hours. How to eat a banana:

• It is better to eat berries in the first half of the day before lunch;
• It is not recommended to combine with fatty and difficult-to-digest foods;
• eat fruit as a snack during intense brain activity (before an exam, interview, during a hard day at work).

Depending on the variety, the fruit can be used as a dessert or side dish. Traditionally, the berries are served in combination with ice cream, cream or salted caramel. They are fried separately or in batter in heated vegetable oil. A banana, the chemical composition of which includes a large amount of carbohydrates, becomes even more caloric with this method of preparation. The dish should be consumed in moderation.

Strengthens or weakens?

The berry is known for its delicate enveloping texture. The large amount of fiber in fruits stimulates intestinal motility, promoting the movement of its contents.

Answering the question about how useful a banana is, whether this fruit strengthens or weakens, we can say with confidence that it has a laxative effect. It is recommended to include it in the diet of people suffering from constipation.

Use before or after exercise

Athletes seeking to gain weight must consume bananas. However, the fruits can be useful for any type of activity. Eating a banana before training is effective in preventing cramps due to its potassium content. It is recommended to eat the fruit at least 2 hours before the start of classes.

It is best to consume a banana after training to close the protein-carbohydrate window. At this time, the body produces large amounts of the hormone cortisol, which negatively affects muscle fibers. Proteins and carbohydrates block its synthesis and increase the effectiveness of exercise.

Is it allowed to eat if you have gastrointestinal diseases?

Banana is very good for the stomach. However, in some pathologies it is worth consuming it carefully.

Gastroenterologists recommend eating yellow fruits when various forms gastritis, while other fruits and berries should be excluded. The fibrous pulp will benefit patients with a chronic form of the disease and in the acute stage.

Pancreatitis is a pathology expressed in inflammation of the pancreas. Treatment is comprehensive and involves special diet. You can include fruits in your diet, but you should be careful when consuming them. It is better to consult a specialist.

For cholecystitis, it is important that the diet contains a balance of vegetable and animal fats. Eating berries is not only possible, but also necessary. The fruits can be consumed both raw and cooked. For example, in the composition of mousses, jelly, non-sour jam.

Mono-diets based on the consumption of one product are popular for weight loss. According to many, they are useful regardless of how healthy a person is and how much he weighs. It is recommended to consume a banana without peel 4-5 times a day. The total weight of the fruit should not exceed 1-1.5 kg.

A mono-diet based on berries is gentle, easily tolerated by the body and does not cause irritation. However, its effectiveness is somewhat lower than losing weight on cucumbers, kefir or buckwheat.

Possibility of allergies

The berry rarely leads to allergies. However, you should make sure when giving your child a banana that this will not lead to the development of adverse reactions. It is administered with extreme caution as complementary food for babies. If any allergic reactions occur, you should stop consuming the fruit.

Cosmetological use in the form of masks

Having figured out when is the best time to eat bananas, it is worth studying their use to maintain your own beauty.

The fruit is used in crushed form as an independent remedy or in combination with other ingredients. A good result is obtained when combined with oatmeal, kefir, and sour cream. A banana-based mask effectively moisturizes and softens the skin.

Yellow berries will also help saturate your curls with nutrients. The ripe fruit must be mashed with a fork, mixed with egg, burdock oil or cognac. Then cover your hair cling film and wrap it in a towel.

These bright fruits have a pronounced sweet taste, rich aroma and a light berry aftertaste. Having seen this plant, many are interested in which group the red banana belongs to. In fact, this is one of the varieties of the usual yellow berries.

It is possible to grow berries from seeds, but you should not eat the fruits. They are not suitable for eating. To get a full-fledged plant with the fruits that we buy in the store, it is necessary to propagate by root shoots.

Berries should not be stored in plastic bags. They cause condensation. Paper containers are best. For each stage of berry ripeness, a certain storage method is optimal: warm, cool, or freezer.

Useful video

Fruits are the fruits of trees and shrubs, and banana is a perennial herbaceous plant, which is also mistakenly called a banana tree. So what is a banana - is it a fruit or a berry:

This small paleotropical family consists of 2 genera and approximately 50 species.

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The genus banana (Musa, Fig. 219; Table 46, 1, 2) unites over 40 species distributed in tropical South Asia, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, New Guinea, North-Eastern Australia and the Pacific Islands. The furthest to the west is the Maclay banana (M. maclayi, Fig. 219, 7), growing in New Guinea, Tahiti, New Caledonia and Fiji, from where it was apparently brought to the Hawaiian Islands. The southern border of the banana lies in Queensland at 16° S. w. The center of concentration of the largest number of banana species and the origin of its cultural forms is in India, on the Indochina Peninsula, where about 20 species of banana grow, and on the islands of the Malay Archipelago, which are somewhat inferior in the number of its species. Some banana species extend beyond the tropics into warm subtropical areas. In India, Assam and Southwestern China, bananas are found up to 27° N. w. The same latitude is reached by the Japanese banana (M. basjoo, table 46, 3) on the Ryukyu Islands.

The genus Enseta consists of 7 species native to tropical Africa and Asia.

From Cameroon to Ethiopia and south to the Transvaal, enseta swollen, or “Abyssinian banana” (E. ventricosum, Fig. 219, 8 - 10), is widespread. In Madagascar, only 1 species is found - Perrier's enset (E. perrieri). In Asia, the enset's range extends from Northeast India, Burma and Thailand to Southern China, the Philippines, New Guinea and Java. The most common species here is the gray enseta (E. glaucum). Banana - giant perennial herbs

Just like Strelitziaceae and other representatives of the ginger order, banana leaves develop inside the sheath of the previous leaf, are rolled up tubularly and are therefore asymmetrical. In a banana, the right, outer ladle of the leaf is constrained by the tube of the false stem, which is always narrower than the inner, left one. As the number of leaves increases, the diameter of the false stem cavity decreases and the asymmetry of developing leaves increases. From the powerful main vein of the leaf, lateral veins extend almost at right angles at equal intervals, along which the leaf is easily torn by wind and rain. Like Ravenale, bananas in nature almost always have torn leaves.

Banana leaves are often covered with a waxy coating. The stomata are surrounded by several secondary cells that differ little from the rest of the epidermal cells. The vessels of the conduction system have transverse walls with simple perforation or end in an oblique wall with scalariform perforation. Along the conducting bundles there are rows of cells with thickened walls and silica inclusions. Crystals of silica and calcium oxalate are very often found in ordinary parenchymal thin-walled cells of vegetative organs. The cell sap that flows out when the false stem is cut, oxidizes in air, becomes brownish-orange, and in some species, such as the Maclay banana, it is permanently colored pinkish or purple due to the anthocyanin content.

Bananas grow amazingly fast. Huge, 7 - 8 meter false stems grow in just 8 - 10 months, and at this age the plants usually enter the reproductive phase. Leaves stop forming. The growing point, enclosed in the tube of the leaf sheaths, develops a flowering stem, which grows rapidly inside the false stem, and after a few weeks a large apical inflorescence appears at the top between the leaves. After flowering and fruiting, the entire aboveground part dies off. At the base of the false stem, bananas form lateral underground shoots. They grow horizontally for some time, then turn toward the soil surface and give rise to new false stems with leaves. Enseta species are monocarpic plants. They usually die off without producing offspring. There are only isolated cases of the formation of vegetative offspring in old, dying tuberous stems of enseta.

The banana inflorescence bears large dense covering leaves on a powerful axis, which, unlike Strelitziaceae, are not arranged in two rows, but in a spiral, counterclockwise. In the axils of the covering leaves, the lateral branches of the inflorescence have such a shortened and attached axis that they look like simply transverse projections of the main axis, bearing two rows of flowers. The development of flowers occurs naturally, starting from the right, alternately in the inner and outer rows. Obviously, like the Strelitziaceae, this is also a whorl, but it has undergone a strong metamorphosis. In some species, only one row of flowers develops. A young banana inflorescence looks like a huge bud, where the covering leaves are close together and folded imbricately, like in enseta species or in the textile banana (M. textilis, table 46, 4). In cultivated bananas they completely envelop the bud. These leaves can be green, but are more often pink or bright red, purple, or purple tint. They open one by one, exposing flowers, the number of which in two-row partial inflorescences can reach 40. In hot sunny weather, 2-3 lateral inflorescences can open, in rainy weather they open sluggishly, one at a time, at large intervals. In bananas, the covering leaves fall off on the second day, and in enseta: they are retained in the fruit. The axis of the inflorescence is continuously growing, its internodes are elongated, and at the end there remains a bud, the size of which decreases as it blooms.

Banana flowers are zygomorphic, usually unisexual. In the first, lower partial inflorescences, female flowers, giving fruit; in subsequent ones they are sometimes bisexual, but do not set fruit; then, up to the very top, male flowers are formed, which fall off after flowering. The perianth segments of bananas are petal-shaped, whitish or yellow, five of them grow together, covering the outside of the flower (Fig. 219, 4, 5). One segment of the inner circle remains free, facing the axis of the inflorescence. Banana flowers usually have 5 stamens, the sixth (at the base of the free petal) is transformed into a staminode. In Enseta inflated flowers, all 6 stamens are developed. The stamens have 2 linear anthers that dehisce longitudinally. Pollen grains are large, heavy, with an apertureless shell. The gynoecium is syncarpous, of three carpels; the ovary is inferior, 3-locular, with numerous anatropic ovules located in two rows in the central corner of the socket. The style bears a 3- or 6-lobed capitate stigma. In the upper part of the ovary, septal nectar glands are immersed in the tissue, opening at the base of the style. They are especially strongly developed in male flowers, where the secretion of nectar is the only function of the reduced ovary. In cultivated bananas, one female flower produces 0.10 - 0.27 g of nectar per day, and a male flower - 0.42 - 0.59 g.

Bananas with pendulous inflorescences bloom in the evening, and enseta - at midnight. The flowers emit a specific smell that attracts bats. Van der Pijl (1936) observed bats from the subfamily Macroglossinae on bananas. Detailed observations of banana pollination were carried out in Java and Sumatra by the Indonesian botanist Nazar Hyp (1976). Bananas visit at night the bats. Their stomachs are full of nectar, their heads are covered with pollen, and their inflorescences bear traces of their claws. The next morning the flowers are visited by birds and numerous insects. Bananas with erect inflorescences bloom in the morning and are pollinated mainly by colorful sunbirds (Nectarinia calcostetha) and small mammals called tupayas. Tupaia, like squirrels, live in trees and feed mainly on fruits, often feast on nectar and can serve as carriers of pollen. Interestingly, bananas with upright inflorescences that bloom during the day have flowers that are odorless and produce more liquid nectar. N. Hyp also observed butterflies, bees, wasps and ants among banana pollinators.

Many types of banana, such as the velvety banana (M. velutina) and the blood red banana (M. sanguinea) from Assam, have the ability to set fruits and seeds and self-pollinate. This property is inherent mainly in species living on the border of their range, and helps them survive in extreme conditions. In most cases, in the absence of natural pollinators, bananas do not bear fruit or sometimes form seedless parthenocarpic fruits.

If flowering bananas are actively visited by animals, then after the fruits ripen they are literally attacked by bats, numerous birds, monkeys and tupayas. In the forests of Java it is difficult to find ripe fruits that have not been damaged by animals.

The banana fruit is a berry with a leathery shell and juicy pulp, in which numerous seeds are immersed. Enseta's fruits are quite dry, but do not open. Only ripe fruits of the schizocarp banana (M. schizocarpa), growing on the northeastern coast of New Guinea, crack. This rare property for bananas is reflected in its specific epithet, which literally means “with cracking fruit.” Sometimes, however, the fruits of the velvety banana also open up.

Banana fruits - elongated, cylindrical, somewhat faceted and crescent-shaped - are familiar to everyone. In addition to this characteristic shape, some species have short oval, almost round or, conversely, thin long, horn-like pointed fruits. When ripe, the fruits turn yellow or red. Banana fruits can be very large. For example, the Madagascar enset Perrier produces infructescences weighing 25 - 30 kg, containing up to 200 fruits, and the infructescence of cultivated banana varieties can consist of 300 fruits with a total weight of 50 - 60 kg.

Banana fruits contain 50 - 100, and sometimes even up to 200 seeds. Seeds are flattened, round or irregular shape, with a hard dark brown or black shell. Unlike strelitziaceae, bananas do not have aryllus. On early stages During development, there are threads on the stalks that can be considered such a formation, but later they degenerate. The presence of juicy, fragrant fruits ensures zoochoric (with the participation of animals) seed dispersal. Banana has seeds with a diameter of 3 - 11 mm, while enseta has larger seeds, up to 17 mm in diameter. The banana's embryo is straight, while the enset's has a curved T-shape. Nutrients are stored in the mealy perisperm, the endosperm is poorly developed. Seeds can remain viable for a long time in soil covered with plant litter, and germinate when the area is cleared after clearing or windfall. Germination is underground, the main root dies off very early, giving way to numerous adventitious roots. The first leaf of the seedling is vaginal and does not have a developed blade.

Bananas are inhabitants of sunny, open meadows, forest edges, and river banks. They form thickets in secondary formations, in clearings, abandoned plantations, and along roadsides. In the depths of shady forests, they stop bearing fruit and gradually die. An exception is the huge banana (M. ingens), which grows in dense nothofagus forests in the mountains of New Guinea. Its seedlings also develop well in dense undergrowth. Sometimes the reason for the death of bananas is not the encroachment of forest vegetation, but competition with cereals, which they cannot withstand. In communities with cereals, the Balbis banana (M. balbisana) and the Omble enset (E. homblei), found in light forests and savannas, get along better than others. Water supply and nutrients in the tuberous stem helps enseta species survive dry periods, plants lose leaves and sometimes withstand fires, maintaining a growing point hidden in the sheath of the false stem. Banana species common in the monsoon climate of Southeast Asia are also quite drought-tolerant. Most bananas are inhabitants of humid tropical climates and are confined to low altitudes above sea level. At the same time, there are mountain species that do not tolerate a constantly humid and hot climate. Maclay banana, seedless at low altitudes, produces seeds in the mountains, at an altitude of 900 - 1100 m above. sea ​​level. The huge banana, rising up to 2100 m in the mountains of New Guinea, dies from fungal diseases in plantings near the sea.

Banana - most important culture tropical agriculture. In many developing countries, banana exports form the basis of the economy. World fruit production is about 24 million tons and is mainly concentrated in Latin America. Almost a quarter of the harvest comes from India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. More than a million tons of bananas are grown in African countries. The creation of hardy varieties made it possible to advance banana cultivation to 30° N. w. and 31° S. w. to warm subtropical regions, to Lebanon, Spain, Florida. Bananas were brought to the Canary Islands by Portuguese sailors back in 1482. It is not surprising that the banana genus became known to botany from a cultivated specimen described by Charles. Linnaeus in 1753 in the first edition of his famous work “Species Plantarum” and what he called the banana of paradise (Musa paradisiaca). In the second; In the publication of his work (1763), Linnaeus added. Brahmin banana, or sage banana (M. sapientum), also classified as a cultivated variety. Under both names for a long time Cultivars of different origins have appeared in the scientific literature. By modern ideas, most cultivated varieties are the result of long-term selection of mutational forms of the acuminate banana (M. acuminata, Fig. 219, 1 - 6) and its crossing with the Balbis banana (M. balbisiana).

The acuminate banana is a widely varying species, within which there are 5 subspecies that easily interbreed. The species is distributed in South India, the Indochina Peninsula, the Malay Peninsula, the islands of the Malay Archipelago, New Guinea and North-Eastern Australia. The Balbis banana also grows in the same geographical area, which moves slightly north in India to Assam and southern China, but does not grow in Australia. This species does not have such wide variability. Natural interspecific hybrids of these species are known in tropical Asia. Both of them have a haploid set of 11 chromosomes. Cultivated varieties are mostly triploids and, as a result, are not capable of sexual reproduction. Breeders accepted symbol set of chromosomes of the acuminate banana with the Latin letter A, and the Balbis banana with the Latin letter B. Diploid varieties of non-hybrid origin, created by selecting forms of the acuminate banana, are designated by the code AA. These low-yielding, disease-resistant varieties have limited distribution. They were pushed aside by triploid varieties with the AAA genotype. These varieties include the famous tall variety “Gros Michel” (“Cros Michel”). One of its fruits can contain 250 fruits, each weighing up to 200 g. Another triploid mutation of the pointed banana is the popular dwarf variety"Dwarf Gavendish". It was cultivated in Southern China and was therefore known as the "Chinese banana" (M. chinensis) or " dwarf banana"(M. nana), or, finally, as the "Caveidisha banana" (M. cavendishii). The height of plants of this variety is about 1 m. It grows quickly and bears fruit when grown in greenhouses botanical gardens. The banana of paradise described by Linnaeus is a triploid hybrid variety. Among such triploid hybrids with the AAV genotype, it is known large group varieties, the so-called plantens, grown mainly in Central Africa. Plantens are vegetable varieties whose fruits are not used raw. They are baked in banana leaves, boiled, and processed into flour.

In India and Southeast Asian countries, varieties with the ABB genome are common. Modern breeding is aimed at creating productive varieties resistant to fungal diseases; tetraploid hybrids have been obtained.

Table fruits contain about 75% water, 22% sugars, 1.3% proteins and about 10 mg of vitamins. They are a valuable dietary fruit. A special group of mealy varieties comes from the Maclay or Oceanic banana (M. maclayi, or M. fehi, Fig. 219, 7), common on the islands of Oceania and Australia. These are vegetable varieties with orange fruits, the pulp of which yellow color, their seeds are also used for food.

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Bananas have long ceased to be available to domestic buyers. exotic fruit, they are so democratic and accessible. Let's take a closer look at how correct it is to call bananas a fruit, how they grow, and what types there are.

What kind of plant is this?

A banana is a herbaceous plant on which the fruits of the same name ripen. Even though the plant looks like a tree, it is a grass. Moreover, it is quite tall, the second tallest after bamboo.

Banana grass is called because of the absence of wood on the above-ground part of the plant. In fact, the trunk (it would be more correct to say “false trunk”) is formed by the leaves superimposed on each other. It is not surprising that in this case it does not have growth rings and branches. Over time, the banana leaves that form the trunk dry out, acquire a brown tint and, indeed, resemble a trunk more and more.

The herb belongs to the banana family, genus banana. It has branched rhizomes that spread over a distance of up to 5 m and can go 1-1.5 m deep into the soil. The banana is often called a tree because of its high false trunk, which reaches 2-12 m and has a diameter of up to 40 cm.

The banana also boasts impressively sized leaves - they reach 3 m in length and 1 m in width. These are “ovals” with a pronounced longitudinal vein and many thinner veins extending from it.

By the way, during strong wind the leaves tear along the veins, which reduces the pressure on them and eliminates the threat of the plant being torn out of the ground by a strong gust of wind.

Leaf color can vary significantly depending on the plant variety. There is grass with dark and light green leaves, sometimes with purple spots on top of the green color. There are varieties that are characterized by two-color leaves - they are crimson below and bright green above.

These huge leaves have a waxy coating on the outside, which prevents excessive evaporation of moisture from the leaves. As they age, the leaves fall off, and in their place new ones appear from the axils of the trunk. On average, it takes a week for a new leaf to develop.

The plant is often called a banana palm, due to some external similarity between the plants. However, such a classification is erroneous - the banana has nothing in common with palm trees.

The banana grows in areas with a tropical and subtropical climate. The world's largest suppliers of bananas are Pakistan, India, China, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Brazil. IN natural conditions it is possible to grow the crop near Sochi, however winter temperatures here are still too low for her.

Today, about 70 varieties of bananas are known, all of them can be classified into one of three groups.

Decorative

These plants are cultivated not for their fruits (they are inedible), but for their attractive appearance, especially during the flowering period. In addition, the leaves and elements of the false trunk are used in industry - they are used to make car seats and fishing gear.

Among the most famous ornamental varieties are the following:

• "Banana pointed" has beautiful dark green leaves with serrations, due to which the leaf resembles a bird’s feather, bears fruit in warm climates, the fruits can be eaten;
• "Blue Burmese Banana" It has an attractive purple-green trunk with a silver coating, rich green leaves and fruits with purple or blue skin.

Plantano

Bananas of this variety grow large and are suitable for eating, but usually require heat treatment. Such fruits are fried, baked, deep-fried, dipped in batter. By the way, it is from these varieties of bananas that banana chips are made.

Since platano fruits are quite dense, they are subjected to heat treatment, but the ripe peel can be eaten fresh. To do this, you should choose sycamore with black peel.

Unlike dessert bananas, platanos have denser, unsweetened flesh and a dense skin. In addition to being eaten, they are grown as livestock feed.

In turn, bananas of the platano variety are divided into 4 groups - French, French carob, false carob and carob.

Dessert

Bananas are well known in our country and can most often be found on store shelves in fruit departments. They are consumed fresh, but the pulp of such bananas can also be dried and dried.

Among the most famous dessert varieties are “Paradise”, “Gros Michel”, “Ice Cream”. Miniature bananas are the “Lady Fingers” variety (fruit length is 10-12 cm).

How does it bloom and bear fruit?

The plant is demanding temperature conditions. The optimal daytime temperature ranges from +27-35C, and the night temperature should not fall below +25-28C. Even a short-term cold snap can provoke not only the falling of inflorescences, but also the death of the entire plant.

Similar negative consequences can be caused by a decrease in humidity levels. This may cause the banana to stop growing.

Optimal soils are fertile and slightly acidic. Particular attention is paid to weed control, for which they use special compounds, resort to mulching the soil and the help of geese. These poultry actively eat weeds, but are indifferent to bananas.

Flowering of the grass occurs after 8-10 months of active growth. By this period, a peduncle emerges from the tuber, which is located underground, and passes through the entire trunk. By the flowering phase, it throws out a peduncle that is complex in structure, externally similar to a large bud. The color is purple, sometimes greenish.

Flowers form in the lower part of the “bud”. They are located in several tiers. At the top are the largest, female flowers, the second tier are smaller bisexual flowers, and at the very bottom are the male flowers, which are the smallest in size.

Despite the difference in size, all flowers have the same structure and include 3 tubular petals and sepals. In addition, there are erect and drooping inflorescences, which depends on the banana variety.

Pollination of female flowers occurs through insects, and this process does not stop even at night, since pollination is carried out by bats in the dark. There are no problems attracting insects, birds, and pollinating mice to banana inflorescences - their nectar is very sweet and aromatic. Over time, when the ovary is formed from the inflorescences, the “bud” begins to outwardly resemble a hand with many fingers.

As they ripen, the “fingers” turn into the well-known slightly elongated fruit with yellow skin. However, at first it is green, but turns yellow as it ripens. Size and appearance fruits vary and depend on the variety. During the ripening process, the pulp also changes - it acquires a creamy hue, softness, and juiciness.

From a botanical point of view, the fruits of the banana plant are berries. This is due to the fact that inside the pulp there are seeds arranged in a random or ordered manner. There are no seeds in cultivated fruits, while they are easy to detect in wild ones. However, if you cut the flesh of a cultivated banana lengthwise, you will find small dark spots - these are the seeds.

One inflorescence can produce up to 700 bananas, the total weight of which can reach 70-80 kg. After the fruiting period is completed and the plant is harvested, the false trunk dies off, in the place of which a new one will then appear.

On average, 16-19 months pass from planting to harvest. During the fruiting period, the trunk of the plant is strengthened with supports so that it does not break under the weight of the harvest. Harvesting begins when bananas are 75% ripe. They are cooled and transported. To preserve the freshness of fruits it is necessary special conditions– a gas-air chamber with a temperature not higher than +14C. Under such conditions, bananas can retain their freshness and properties for up to 50 days.

How does it reproduce?

In the wild, banana propagation is carried out using seeds. They are carried over long distances by animals that live nearby and eat bananas.

Since cultivated plants do not have seeds (their presence in ancient times was indicated only by dark spots, which can be found on a cut of the pulp), their propagation in this way is impossible. In this case, they resort to vegetative propagation.

If we talk about propagation at home, this is done by vegetation or using seeds. However, contrary to some sources, You cannot grow a banana “tree” from the seed of a purchased banana. For this you will need varietal seeds. They have a thick skin, so first they are lightly rubbed and crushed so that the sprout can break through the skin, and then soaked in water.

Dwarf species for growing at home

For cultivation at home, you should choose decorative mini-trees. It should be understood that even dwarf varieties reach a height of 1.5-2.5 m. Unlike wild and plantation-grown “relatives”, this, of course, is not much. But in a small apartment such plants can hardly be considered “dwarf”.

Dwarf bananas are good to grow in a greenhouse, winter garden, while the shorter super-dwarf ones are suitable for a house or apartment.

At home, bananas are planted, which produce a harvest, while the height of the false trunk reaches 2-2.5 m.

• "Dwarf Cavendish." A compact plant that grows up to 1.5-2 m. When the right conditions are created, it will delight you with a harvest of dessert bananas, each 12-25 cm long. The fruits have a familiar appearance to everyone - a bright yellow skin with dark spots. There is another variety of the variety - “Superdwarf Cavendish”.

• "Kyiv dwarf". Another cold-resistant variety that gives edible fruits. The height of the plant reaches 1.7 m, and if this seems excessive to you, pay attention to the related variety “Superdwarf”. The height of the latter is no more than 1 m.

Ornamental varieties do not produce edible fruits, but they also grow slightly smaller than the described varieties - on average, their height is 1-1.5 m. These include several varieties.

• "Velvety". The plant forms a false trunk 1.5 m high and 7 cm in diameter. The leaves are deep green in color, have a red edge, and are elongated. The velvety banana blooms literally all year round; this period can last for several months. The inflorescences are replaced by small fruits, which acquire a pinkish skin as they ripen. During the period of technical maturity, the peel opens, revealing creamy pulp with seeds. This variety can survive short-term drops in temperature.

Among the varieties popular for home grown, can also be called “Dwarf bloody banana”, which received a similar name due to the color of the leaves - their upper part is traditionally green, the lower part is purple.

Among the miniature varieties, we can distinguish those plants that have an interesting leaf shape and those that are especially attractive during the flowering and fruiting period. The latter include the “Pink Velvet” variety. The plant is distinguished by its short growth (1.2-1.5 m) and beautiful pink inflorescences and fruits. The latter are very aromatic, but contain a lot of seeds and are unpleasant to the taste.

The “Scarlet Banana” variety also demonstrates special beauty during flowering. The combination of bright green narrowed leaves and fragrant scarlet inflorescences will leave few people indifferent.

The plant of the “Manna” variety also produces beautiful scarlet inflorescences, while the height of the “tree” does not exceed 1.2 m.

You can choose not dwarf varieties, but ordinary, but very slow-growing ones. For example, "Banana yellow." It pleases with attractive yellow inflorescences that do not fall off for several months. But it is unlikely that you will be able to get a harvest; it is too difficult to recreate suitable conditions in a private house or apartment.

You can use seeds to grow at home. Unlike vegetative method, the plant obtained in this way will be more resistant and strong, but its growth will take more time, and it will not be possible to grow edible fruits.

If you want to grow edible fruits, pay attention to the vegetative method of plant propagation. To do this, after the banana trunk dies, you should remove the “bud” from the ground, from which a new sprout will develop, and divide it into 2 parts. One part is sent to the old place of growth, the second is rooted in a new pot.

You can see how to grow bananas at home in the following video.

According to botanical classification banana is a herbaceous plant with rapid development aerial part, consisting of green mass of leaves. The banana plant is widespread in tropical regions. There are even the notorious " banana republics", who are engaged in growing this crop. To grow an indoor banana, caring for it at home should include creating conditions that are close to tropical. This article talks about how to grow a banana plant at home: what containers you need to use for this, the varieties of crops and the rules of agricultural technology. The main care for a banana consists of timely watering and spraying of the foliage. By including regular application of mineral and organic fertilizers in banana care at home, you can achieve rapid growth rates of the crop. The material describes the propagation of bananas and the correct choice of variety for indoor propagation.

Where and how bananas grow: in which country (with video and photos)

"Banana"– a common name for many species and hybrids of the banana genus. This is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the tropics, cultivated since the 4th–7th centuries. BC. The birthplace of cultivated bananas is India, and they are now grown in all humid tropical regions. In Victorian times, the banana held pride of place in home greenhouses, and today there is a renewed interest in it. There are few plants whose leaves give a room such a uniquely tropical look. However, for home maintenance you should choose low-growing species and shapes.

Before you find out where bananas grow, in which country, it is worth understanding that most cultivated bananas arose as a result of crossing the pointed banana with the Balbis banana. Both wild ancestors of cultivated bananas are widely distributed in India. In cultivated forms, the fruits do not contain seeds, but in wild bananas, the entire fruit is filled with “seeds” the size of a cherry. English-speaking consumers use the name banana for the yellow "fruit" bananas eaten fresh, and plantain for the large-fruited vegetable varieties whose fruits are baked in banana leaves, boiled, or otherwise prepared. In India, these types are not distinguished. See how bananas grow in photos and videos that will take you to the tropical paradise of the equatorial country.

What kind of plant is a banana: what does the grass and fruit look like (description and photo)

Growing perennial(grass) banana is very beautiful. It is not for nothing that many ornamental plant varieties have been bred. Starting the description of the banana, I would like to note that the giant “saber” leaves on the powerful trunk look very impressive. Approximately every six months the rhizome produces new shoots. Each rhizome lives from two to five years. The time from the beginning of stem growth to flowering of the plant is usually 6 – 8 months. The stem with the flower grows inside the hollow “trunk” and, growing to its height and outgrowing it, bends under its own weight. At the end of this stem is a large bud surrounded by purple leaves. You can see what a banana looks like in the numerous images that illustrate this page.

Over time, they fall off, and yellowish flowers appear, from which banana fruits are formed: they, like flowers, are arranged in dense clusters and develop in a spiral from the base to the top of the inflorescence. It is curious that the banana produces male, female and hermaphroditic inflorescences at the same time and on the same bunch, and the birth of the fruit occurs without fertilization. This is the kind of banana plant that quickly reaches its maturity, and by the end of the first year of life, flowering begins, and it has hermaphroditic inflorescences. Bananas are a derivative of the female part of the flower, and the pistils that appear are cut off as unnecessary. After 4 - 6 months, depending on the condition of the site, lighting, watering, etc. The bunch of fruits is ready for picking. See how bananas grow in the photos showing the plant at different periods of development:

The ripening fruits are closely adjacent to each other, forming a large bunch (buncha). In a bunch, the fruits are arranged in separate clusters of 10–15 pieces each. The number of clusters in a bunch depends on the variety and growing conditions and can range from 6 to 14. Just one banana blade grows one bunch, which can contain up to 300 fruits. This is 50 - 60 kg. The weight of one fruit, depending on the order of the arrangement of the hand on which it is located, is 70 - 110 g. There are fruits weighing up to 200 g. The fruit shape of the most common varieties of bananas is crescent-shaped, somewhat ribbed, elongated. The length of one fruit of the Lakatan and Gros Michel varieties imported to Russia is from 15 to 25 cm. Banana fruits consist of dense peel and pulp. In ripe bananas, the edible pulp makes up 68–70% of the mass. The rest comes from the peel. The pulp of ripe bananas (depending on the botanical variety) is white, light yellow or yellow-cream in color, delicate texture, pleasant sweet taste with a delicate aroma.

Look at the banana plant in the photo, which shows different types of tropical crops:

According to statistics, over 42 million tons of bananas of dozens of varieties are grown annually in the world. Two thirds of world production comes from Latin America. The largest banana producing countries today are Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Panama, Honduras, China and India. And this is not a complete list.

For several years now, Russia has become one of the world's largest consumers of bananas. We, Russians, also liked this fruit. In such a short time, banana has become like our own. Now it is the most popular imported fruit in Russia.

How is banana used?

Bananas are now grown almost all over the world, even in climates far from tropical. This plant is used not only for food, but also for making ropes, as feed for livestock, they even brew beer from bananas, make wine, chips and tea bags. In addition, there are many ornamental types of banana that can be grown at home. In such plants it is unusual beautiful flowers, which appear in winter and persist in in bloom up to 6 months.

No plant will create such a vivid feeling of a tropical landscape as a banana.

Why is banana considered a herb?

Botanists consider the banana to be a herb because the stem of the plant contains no wood. On the cut of the “trunk” there is no pattern of annual rings, like trees, it does not have branches. A leaf immediately grows from the rhizome, rolled into a dense tube. Gradually, the tube expands, and the next leaves grow out of it one after another, the bases of which are also tightly pressed to each other, which gives the impression of a “banana tree trunk.” However, if you are not a botanist, then you can safely call a banana plant a palm tree - no one will accuse you of ignorance. Externally, a banana is so similar to a tree (and a palm tree is a tree) that it is very easy for an uninitiated person to make a mistake. The bases, or stems, of the leaves turn brown over time, so it's hard not to call them the trunk. The hollow tube they form can reach 37 cm in diameter. And the dark green oblong leaves reach a length of 3.6 meters and a width of up to 60 cm. Just imagine how huge banana grass can grow. That’s why it’s hard to even call it grass.

Secondly, botanists consider a banana to be a berry because its seeds are located inside and scattered throughout the pulp of the fruit, just like a watermelon, which is also a berry. True, scattered is not quite the right word. More precisely, they are located in a certain order. “Excuse me, what bones? There are none in bananas,” you object. And you'll be right. You didn’t know that only seedless varieties of bananas are supplied to Russia. But this does not mean that bananas do not contain them at all. Have you ever noticed small black dots on the cut of banana pulp? These are the bones. Only, of course, they won’t grow into bananas if you plant them in the ground. It is almost impossible to even extract them from the fruit. Real banana seeds are much larger, they have a very hard shell, which is scarified before planting - slightly destroyed so that the seeds swell faster and sprout.

What we see in the average banana with Russian market, is just a hint of a bone. A real seed banana can contain up to 40 seeds. Imagine, to eat one banana, you have to spit out the seed 40 times. And how much space will there be for the pulp? It's easier to eat an apple. This is why seedless varieties were developed. And such bananas reproduce by shoots.

How to plant a banana for growing at home

Before you plant a banana at home, you need to know that these plants are inhabitants of open sunny glades, forest edges, and river banks. Obviously, even in indoor conditions they need a lot of light. Most bananas come from the humid tropics, so they are accustomed to high air humidity and their leaves require frequent spraying.

Of course, on huge plantations no one sprays bananas; they are covered plastic film. The result is a greenhouse in which the plants feel their best. The unripe fruits that have set are also covered with film. Each bunch is wrapped in a layer of thick polyethylene so that the fruits develop faster. In addition, bananas need the soil to be well moistened all the time. The conditions for growing bananas are very difficult and difficult to recreate at home. The temperature, as for many tropical plants, needs to be constant throughout the year - 22–25 (C. Neutral or slightly acidic, loose or medium-density, nutritious is required. In this regard, growing bananas at home is a rather exotic activity and rarely yields positive results.

Is it possible to grow bananas at home?

The answer to the question of whether it is possible to grow a banana at home is, of course, positive. But this true inhabitant of the tropics develops best in greenhouse conditions. Banana prefers bright light and tolerates direct sunlight well. The air temperature in the greenhouse should not fall below 16 °C. In this case, it is necessary to constantly maintain high air humidity. Cold, dry air, even for a short time, is detrimental to this plant.

Abundant watering is necessary throughout the year. In addition, the banana should be regularly sprayed with lukewarm water, moisturizing not only the leaves, but also the air around the plant. To avoid spraying every day, you can place the container with the plant on a tray with wet pebbles.

Complex mineral fertilizers, which must be applied to the soil once a month, have a beneficial effect on banana development. In summer, fertilizing with slurry is very useful. The soil for tub culture should consist of turf, humus, foliage and sand.

In spring and summer, the plant should be transplanted into a larger container (as needed). Soil mixture To replant a banana, you need to prepare it from turf, leaf, humus soil - two parts of each - and one part of sand.

How do bananas reproduce?

Banana propagates by seeds or shoots. Plantations where bananas are propagated by seeds now almost do not exist. This growing method is used only for decorative and industrial varieties. We have learned how bananas reproduce; all that remains is to understand the agricultural technology of this process.

Before sowing, seeds are scarified, that is, lightly rubbed with sandpaper so that they swell faster. They do this because the seed shell is very hard. They are then soaked in warm water for two days. The seeds are planted in soil made up of different components. For example, it can be leaf and peat soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. Or medium-density soil - turf, compost and sand in a ratio of 4: 1: 1. The acidity of the soil should not go beyond 4.5 - 7. 5 pH.

The best temperature for plant germination is 25 – 30 °C. But even with strict compliance with all these requirements, you have to wait quite a long time. And this is also one of the reasons why bananas on plantations are propagated by shoots. Seeds germinate only after 3–4 months. But when they break through the ground, rapid growth begins. One can only be surprised at how quickly a young plant grows.

As you know, banana is a herb with a powerful rhizome. When the above-ground part bears fruit, the tuber prepares for the growth of new blades of grass. By the time a bunch of ripe bananas are removed from the plant, its above-ground part has died off, and new shoots have emerged from the rhizome. This is how banana plants are propagated on plantations. The tuber with shoots and roots is cut into pieces. But usually not all the sprouts are planted, but only the strongest of them.

Most table and dessert varieties are propagated by shoots. These are exactly the bananas that we buy at our market. This method of propagation is much simpler and faster, and is used when growing bananas on plantations in Latin America, China, Spain and India.

In the wild, bananas reproduce by seeds that develop inside the fruit. When the fruits ripen, they fall to the ground under their own weight. Over time, the pulp of the fruit, which is also a nutrient medium for seeds, rots and mixes with the soil, and the seeds germinate. But the fruits of such bananas, alas, are inedible.

Diseases and pests

Bananas have their own diseases and pests. First of all, these are small bugs, the larvae of which - nematodes - penetrate inside the stem and gnaw it. Cosmopolites sordidus, or black weevil - second main pest bananas It penetrates into the base of the stem and makes its way upward. Where the pest enters the plant, a jelly-like sap is released. They fight them in different ways. Plants are pollinated with special disinfecting mixtures, the soil is moistened with pest control agents, and sometimes even infected plants are destroyed.

Growing homemade bananas from seeds and caring for them

Banana is a polycarpic plant; after flowering and fruiting, the leaves and false trunk die off, and suckers grow from the roots. There are the following types of this plant cultivated indoors: banana of paradise, banana of japanese, banana of the sages, banana of manna.

If you want to grow bananas from seeds, then know that it is difficult, but quite possible. It just requires some effort, of course. It makes no sense to grow an ordinary table banana at home. It has a large height and, once it reaches the ceiling of your apartment, the plant will die. Ornamental species were specially bred for home cultivation. Plants of such varieties do not grow to 2–3 m, like ordinary ones. Caring for a homemade banana is quite simple and we will consider it in detail later in the material.

How to properly grow a banana from seeds at home (with video)

There are many techniques for growing bananas from seeds in climates that are far from tropical. For example, Ukrainian Anatoly Patiy, who has been growing bananas at home for quite a long time, offers a simple technology that allows you to grow small banana plants. He even independently developed two new varieties. In 1998, “Kiev Dwarf” and “Super Dwarf” saw the light of day. The most amazing thing is that they also bear fruit! The height of the plants is 1.5 - 1.7 m and 0.8 - 1 m, their fruits reach 15 cm in length and weigh 150 g. These bananas grow and bear fruit in small apartments and produce a bunch containing up to 150 fruits. We invite you to learn how to properly grow a banana at home and at the same time get not just a green bush, but also delicious fruits.

But the most important thing is that in a winter garden or greenhouse one plant of the “Kyiv dwarf” variety can produce up to 400 fruits, and “super dwarf” - up to 300! And all this in the middle climate zone, where long and harsh winters with short daylight hours prevail. Great importance It also has the fact that additional illumination does not need to be used. According to A. Patiya’s technology, one banana tree can produce 50 kg of fruit per season.

According to the breeder, these varieties have increased resistance to disease and cold. They bloom and grow even at temperatures of +15 – +16 °C, although for all existing world varieties optimal temperature for growth and fruiting +25 - +30 ° C, and at temperatures below +16 ° they completely stop growing, which affects possible fruiting.

Thus, you can grow a fruit-bearing banana at home.

According to A. Patiy, the technology for growing bananas is quite simple. It is as follows. A small dwarf banana plant (up to 20 cm) must be planted in a pot with a capacity of no more than 2 - 3 liters. If the size of the plant is 50–70 cm, then it can be immediately planted in a pot with a capacity of 15–20 liters. Sprouts 10–20 cm in size begin to bear fruit in the 2nd–3rd year, and 50–70 cm in size already in the first year. Deciduous soil should be used for replanting.

To a bucket of such soil add 1 liter of good humus or vermicompost, 2 liters of river sand and 0.5 liters of wood ash (ash). In order to kill pests, the resulting mixture is poured with boiling water. After replanting, the banana is watered generously with warm, settled water and placed in a well-lit place.

The banana is watered the second time only when the soil in the pot dries to a depth of 1 - 2 cm. It should be noted that excessive watering leads to acidification of the soil and rotting of the plant roots. In addition, it is not recommended to water a lot; this is worse than not watering at all, since in this case the soil will become waterlogged and the roots will die. Water for irrigation should be settled and heated to +25 – +30°.

In winter, bananas are watered less often, especially if the temperature in the apartment is below +18 °. Frequent watering can lead to rotting of the root system, the leaves of the plant become brown and dry out, and growth stops even with high temperature and good lighting in warm time of the year.

In this case, the plant must be immediately transplanted into new soil, after first washing the roots with water and cutting off the rotten parts. Places where roots are cut are sprinkled with crushed charcoal or ash to avoid further rotting.

IN summer time The banana can be placed on a glazed balcony or taken out into the garden under the shade of trees.

It is advisable to cover the plant with tulle or gauze to prevent burns from direct sunlight.

In autumn, bananas should be brought indoors in advance, since cool weather may cause the leaves to turn yellow and it will take a long time to bear fruit.

In winter, bananas are fertilized once a month. In spring and summer, more often - once a week, alternately with vermicompost, ash, fish broth and green manure fertilizers. It should be noted that any fertilizing should be carried out only when the soil in the pot is wet, otherwise you can burn the root of the plant.

Vermicompost should be taken in the proportion of 200 g (a glass) per 1 liter of boiling water, but first let the solution steep for 24 hours. Humus can be anything except chicken and pork. Ashes need to be dissolved in 1 liter of water.

Adult plants, at least 1 m high, are watered with fish broth to enhance fruiting.

To prepare it, 200 g of fish waste or small unsalted fish must be boiled for half an hour in two liters of water.

Then dilute the solution cold water in a 1:1 ratio and strain through cheesecloth. The solution must be used together with vermicompost.

Green manure is any green grass. It is cut into small pieces and poured with boiling water in the proportion: 1 glass of grass per 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse the solution for one day, then filter through cheesecloth and feed the plant.

For good growth, it is recommended after watering on the second or third day. For successful cultivation, it is also better to protect the plant from drafts and direct sunlight. It is useful to spray the leaves of the plant every day in the summer, and once a week in the winter.

One of the most attractive factors in growing bananas, according to A. Patiya, is that there are almost no banana pests and diseases in our conditions.

To prevent diseases, A. Patiy recommends sprinkling the soil in the pot with tobacco dust or tobacco from cigarettes once every two months; loosen the soil more often to a depth of no more than 1 cm; Once every six months, water with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. But all this applies only to varieties bred by a Ukrainian botanist.

There are other varieties of decorative, although not fruit-bearing, bananas, which are grown using a different technology. This variety is called musa basjoo.

To grow this herb you will need a large wide pot. Bananas won't like ordinary flower soil either. Mix turf, leaf soil and humus with expanded clay in a ratio of 2: 2: 2: 1.

In summer, bananas need fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers. The most important thing is to remember to water the plant and spray the leaves. If it does not have enough moisture in the soil or air, its leaves will droop and curl inward. However excess moisture he doesn’t need it either, especially in combination with a low temperature for him (from 20 ° C and below). In such unfavorable conditions, a banana can get fusarium, a fungal disease.

In this case, it is urgent to increase the temperature in the room where the plant is located and spray it with an antifungal drug.

If the bright rays of the hot afternoon sun illuminate your room in the summer, place your banana plant directly below them. Shiny leaves will reflect the sun's rays and partial shade will reign in the room.

Such bananas bloom and bear fruit very rarely in our climate. It's too cold for them. But don't be upset. Even if your banana blooms and then bears fruit, it will still be inedible, unlike the Ukrainian variety. In addition, banana is a monocarpic plant. This means that one plant produces only one inflorescence, which after some time becomes an infructescence, or bunch, i.e., a bunch that consists of bunches of banana berries. After the cluster grows, the grass dies and only the rhizome remains. But propagating decorative bananas with home shoots is risky - they may not take root. Therefore, flowering is the beginning of dying for an ornamental banana. And you will probably want to admire this tropical miracle longer.

It is not easy to achieve fruiting from a banana indoors, but it is quite possible. Unfortunately, the fruits of most ornamental banana species are inedible. In indoor conditions, bananas are grown more often as ornamental plants than for their fruits. If you still intend to get fruits that can be eaten, you should choose the type of plant very carefully. We can recommend the popular dwarf variety "Dwarf Cavendish", which is known as the Chinese banana, dwarf banana or Cavendish banana, its height is about a meter.

Watch how to grow a banana at home in the video, where all the agricultural techniques for caring for the crop are clearly presented:

Types and varieties of bananas (with photos)

Banana as a plant has long history and wide geographical distribution. The first botanist in history to describe a banana was C. Linnaeus. In 1753, he captured the cultural species “Banana of Paradise” (Musa paradisiaca) in history. But in his diaries, this famous Swedish scientist gave the banana a unique name - “Musa safientum”, which translated from Latin means “muse of the wise.”

Each species was selected for specific purposes. Some banana species and varieties, such as the Japanese Musa Basjoo and Zuccro and Musa ornata Roxb, common from Pakistan to Burma, are grown only as ornamental plants or for the sake of fiber. The Philippine Musa textilis, or abaca, is grown only for its fiber, used in the production of strong rope (Manila hemp) and tea bag fabric. The Abyssinian banana, Ensete ventricosum Cheesman, formerly called Musa edule Horan, Musa ensete Gmel, is cultivated in Ethiopia for its fiber and for its young shoots and stem bases used as food.

The fruits of Musa balbisiana Colla from South and Southeast Asia may have hard seeds, but the plant is valued for its disease resistance and is therefore often used as one of the “parents” in the development of new forms of edible seedless varieties. Look at the types of bananas in the photo, which shows the visual attractiveness and variety of fruits:

And recently, scientists even developed a special variety of banana with a taste.

In addition, there is also a division into table, dessert and vegetable bananas.

Among the dessert bananas, the most famous are the following varieties of bananas: “Gros Michel”, “Lakatan”, “Lady Finger”, “Red Dhaka”.

Variety "Gros Michel" until recently it was grown on the vast majority of plantations in the world. Its fruits are quite large. These bananas are easy to peel, they are yellow-cream in color, quite sweet in taste, and very aromatic. Thanks to its excellent taste qualities and adaptability to transportation, Gros Michel is considered an excellent raw material for export. But plants of this variety are very sensitive to drafts, and, most importantly, they are easily infected with the so-called “Panama disease”. In the last few decades, this has led to a significant reduction in the plantations on which such bananas are grown. The Gros Michel variety is a type of Brahmin banana.

Lakatan bananas approximately the same quality as Gros Michel bananas, but are more resistant to diseases.

Fruits of the Lady Finger variety thick, slightly ribbed, with a pleasant sweet taste and delicate texture of the pulp. However, they are less suitable for long-term transport than Gros Michel bananas.

Dhaka Red Bananas, unlike all other varieties, have an almost straight shape. In addition, they are slightly longer. Usually the number of such bananas in a brush does not exceed nine pieces. They taste good and are easy to transport.

These varieties are grown mainly in Latin America and Africa, from where they are successfully exported throughout the world. Look at these varieties of bananas with photos and brief descriptions - you will understand how diverse this crop is.

Among dessert bananas we can only know variety "Cavendish". They are also called dwarf, or sugar, or Canary bananas, since they were first grown in the Canary Islands after East Asia. "Cavendish" has an irregularly shaped bunch. The fruits are 10–15 cm long, thin-skinned, of excellent taste. Ripe fruits of this variety usually have small brown spots.

Vegetable bananas need a warm, humid climate; they grow only in the equatorial belt of the Earth. In many countries they are used as food in the same way as we use potatoes. It is one of the main food products for ordinary people. They sell them still green, but theirs is very delicate aroma they acquire only after they reach a certain degree of maturity, that is, they turn yellow. To do this, they are wrapped in newspaper and placed in a dark place. Peeling such a banana, even a ripe one, is very difficult. The easiest way is to trim the ends of the fruit, then cut it into three parts, make several longitudinal cuts, and then remove the peel in parts.

Ripe vegetable bananas have a very faint sweetish taste with a hint of starch. They are boiled in salted water or fried like potatoes. They work best as a side dish for pork and chicken. If you see such bananas for sale, then most likely they were brought from Brazil. This country is the main importer of this variety. But in Russia such bananas are very rare.

Bananas of the vegetable group, or so-called garden bananas, and their varieties are the most common on the world market. This group also includes species and varieties such as the sage banana, or Indian banana, up to 10 m high, the Chinese banana, or Cavendish banana (also called the dwarf banana, or Canary banana), numerous varieties of which are short-growing, barely reaching 2 m in height.

The group of mealy bananas includes the paradise banana, or dessert banana.

The group of textile, or fibrous, bananas includes two types: textile banana (Musa textiles) and Basio banana (Musa basjoo).

Main view – banana sages (Musa sapientum) is a source of food for several hundred million people in tropical countries. Chinese banana (Musa cavendischii) is smaller in fruit mass and thinner-skinned. It is much more widespread than the sage banana due to its adaptability to cooler climates. This species can be successfully cultivated under conditions closed premises. Moreover, with timely preparation of seedlings and proper cultivation, it bears fruit within 9-10 months after planting. Its development cycle is 3–4 months shorter than that of the sage banana. It can be kept in bright rooms.

The main representative of mealy bananas is banana heaven (Musa paradisiaca). Its fruits are not sweet, but rich in starch, so they are consumed mainly boiled or baked. Flour is obtained from unripe fruits. The amount of starch in the fruit pulp reaches 66%, and sugars – 1%.

Pointed banana. This species is relatively small - 1.5-2 m. The leaves (0.7-1 m long, 30 cm wide) are collected in apical rosettes, the inflorescence is drooping.