Plantain Banana (Musa x paradisiaca)

Family: Musaceae | Edibility: Choice Edible (5/5)

Banana (Musa x paradisiaca), a hybrid between Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, is a perennial, herbaceous plant growing about 8 m in height. It is a staple food with a wide range of medicinal and other uses. The fruits can be eaten raw or cooked. Male inflorescences are used as ingredient in curries. The inner stem can be boiled and eaten, or dried then made into flour. The leaves are used as food wrapper.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit, Shoots, Flowers

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer, Spring

Flavor & Culinary Uses

sweet and succulent when fully ripe and are widely eaten out of hand, though they are very versatile and are used in a wide variety of other ways. — Fruit - raw or cooked.; Dessert forms are sweet and succulent when fully ripe and are widely eaten out of hand, though they are very versatile and are used in a wide variety of other ways.; For example, they are commonly used with other juicier fruits to make smoothies, they can be baked, cooked in cakes, dried for later use etc.; Plantains are richer in starch and contain less sugars.

Habitat & North American Range

Not known. (Zone 10)